“Heather. She’s what’s wrong. She is so messed up in her stupid-ass thinking that she’s pushing away the one and only person she is ever going to love. She’s pissed because he is here, and she won’t talk to him. I mean, I love Heather like a sister, Gunner. Does she even realize that she is the one who keeps hurting him?”

Gunner looked at our friends walking down the trail. Jeff and Josh were in the lead, and Ari and Heather were behind them talking.

“Don’t worry, Ells. Things have a funny way of working themselves out,” Gunner said with a wink.

“I sure as shit hope you’re right.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

JEFF

I opened the truck door and helped Ari into the truck. After I gave her a kiss, she smiled at me and then looked past my shoulder. When I turned around, Josh was standing at Heather’s car, talking to her.

Jesus, those two. I thought Ari and I had acted like idiots, but these two were making us look like love at first sight. I looked back at Ari and leaned into the truck.

“Don’t worry, baby. They’ll be okay.”

Ari gave me a funny look and nodded her head. I shut the door and started to walk around to the driver’s side of my truck.

Gunner and Ellie had already left to head back to the ranch. We’d decided we were all going to go to a barn dance tonight. The couple who were hosting the dance were good friends with Garrett. I was surprised that Heather decided to crash at our house since she’d found out that Josh was staying there also.

The drive back home was dead quiet. My princess had fallen fast asleep with her hands on her stomach. Each time I looked over at her, my heart swelled more and more. For some reason, knowing that our child was growing in her body just turned me the fuck on. When I saw a small gravel dirt road coming up, I smiled. I turned down the road and drove a few miles until I found an open field. While my truck drove over the bumpy field, Ari woke up.

“Holy hell, where the fuck are you going? See, I knew it. I knew if I fell asleep, you’d get lost. I just knew it.”

I started to laugh as I looked over at the love of my life, who was now was carrying the next love of my life. I pulled up under a large Oak tree, turned off the truck and looked at her.

She glanced around and then turned back to me. The smile that spread across her face would have dropped me to my knees if I had been standing up.

“You horny-ass bastard,” she said with a wink. “How far from home are we?”

“Not far, but Josh and Heather will be there, and I want you...now.”

“Oh yeah? How bad do you want me?”

“Pretty fucking bad…enough to turn down a damn gravel road, trespass on someone’s property, and risk getting caught making love to my future wife.”

The next thing I knew, Ari jumped out of the truck and looked at me with a smile that had my stomach knotting up. She lifted up her finger and motioned for me to come toward her.

So, she wants to play, huh? I opened the door, slowly got out, and started to stretch.

“Oh man, this place is perfect for cows or horses. I wonder how many acres it is. Hmm, why the hell isn’t it fenced?”

Ari looked around and then she started to walk over to me. It was everything I could do to act like I was checking out this ranch. When she stopped right before she got to me, I turned to face her.

“Oh damn, you’re good,” she said before she spun around and took off running into the open field.

It didn’t take long for me to catch up to her. I grabbed her and picked her up while she yelled for me to put her down.

As I put her down, she slowly turned around to face me.

“Be careful, babe. I don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby.”

She stared up into my eyes and smiled.

“Take me under that giant-ass tree before we both want some food again!”

I laughed when she jumped up and wrapped her legs around me. I brought her back over toward the truck, showering her with kisses the whole way.

After I slowly let her down, I reached into the backseat of my truck to pull out the quilt that Emma had insisted I keep in the truck at all times. I was beginning to think that her and Garrett were masters of fooling around in other places besides their bed.

Ari threw her head back and laughed. “Damn, I love Emma and Garrett. I bet those two were hot and heavy in their day.”

I laughed and laid the blanket out on the flattest, softest area of grass I could find. I sat down and leaned up against the tree. Ari gave me a crooked smile and came over to sit down on my lap.

“Hmm…this feels familiar,” She said with a wink.

I looked around and then back at her. “It’s a good thing there are no horses around this time. I’d kick your ass in another race.”

The way she laughed caused my dick to get even harder. I gently rolled her off my lap, slowly laying her down on the blanket.

“Ari, I’m gonna make love to you now.”

When she bit down on her lip, I let out a small moan. Son of a bitch, the things this girl does to me.

I took her mouth with mine and never stopped kissing her the whole time we made love.

***

We wrapped ourselves up in the quilt and stayed there for a bit talking. We talked about the wedding, the baby, the wedding some more, and horses. I loved my life so much, and in that moment I thanked God for giving me such a blessing.

Then, I thought about how I was going to tell Ellie that our mother had called again, saying that she wanted us to come visit her so she could apologize. Quickly, I pushed that last thought out of mind.

I kissed Ari’s head and gave her a hug.

“We better go. I’m sure Josh and Heather are probably going out of their fucking minds, wondering why we dared to leave them alone.”

***

We got dressed, jumped back into the truck, and got back on the road. Ari talked nonstop, and I just smiled the whole way. My baby was happy, and that made me happy as hell. Now, I just had to get her to stop talking about going riding. I was scared to death that she would have another accident.

“I’m gonna ride, Jeff, I can’t live my life scared to move, and you shouldn’t want me to.”

“I don’t want you to, baby. It’s just, god Ari, if anything ever happened to you or the baby, I would never forgive myself. If I could, I’d put your ass in a bubble and lock you away for the next seven months.”

“Ha-ha, very funny. It’s going to be fine. I promise to stick to the older mares or Big Roy.”

“Big Roy, just stick with him.”

Ari laughed and grabbed my hand.

“Okay, babe, I’ll only ride Big Roy.”

***

When we pulled up to the house, Heather and Josh were talking, sitting next to each other on the steps. That has to be a good sign. Heather stood up and gave us a total go-to-hell look. Okay...maybe that isn’t such a good sign.

“Where the hell have you two been?” Heather asked.

Ari walked up to her and smiled.

“Sorry, y’all. Jeff had to make a quick pit stop.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he did,” Josh said as he punched Jeff in the arm. “Horny bastard.”

“Oh my god, Josh. Really?” Heather said as she started to follow Ari into the house.

“Dude, am I right?”

I smiled and winked at him.

“See, I know you. It’s about damn time you got here though. I was running out of stuff to talk to Heather about.”

Heather turned around and gave Josh the finger before she walked inside.

“Still nothing?” I asked.

“No, to be honest, I’m not really trying anymore. I mean, I’m with Lynda now, and I’m just trying to get back to being friends with her. That’s all. It doesn’t have to be awkward for any of us, like it was earlier today.”

“Josh, hold on a second.” I grabbed his arm, pulling him aside.

“You have to know that Heather is absolutely devastated about what happened. From what Ari told me, she only slept with Jerry that one time. She has this crazy fucked-up thinking about letting you in and then you leaving her like her parents left her.”