Wanted (10 page)

“Don’t be ridicul
ous
Ellie; I have
no plans
for this eve
ning. I
was planning on just chilling
and watching a movie or two
. Are you hungry? We haven’
t been to the store but I can run and get you something. You probably should eat since you are taking
the pain medicine sweetheart.”

She lo
ok
ed at me for the first time since she came out of the bedroom and her face instantly went red. My breath caught in my throat. Her eyes just held mine for what seemed like forever before she finally talked.

“I
am
kind of hungry. Oh gosh
though,
I hate to even ask you I’
m so embarrassed.
Um, I’m
sure Jefferson has time to run and get me something.” She
said as she was about to turn and go
ask him
through the bathroom door.

“NO! Really I’ll go get it. I’
m hung
ry myself and I haven’
t eaten since breakfast. Le
t me go run and grab it and I’
ll be back in no time. Just let Jeff know I ran out to get us something to eat.” I yelled as I raced out the door.

I knew exactly what I would get her. I remember Jeff saying one time if she had her pick of anywhere to eat this would be the place. As I jumped in my truck and fired it up I could not help but smile. There was
just
something about that girl……..

Chapter Five

Ellie
…..

Holy shit!
I had never seen a guy rush out the door as fast as Gunner did. The moment he heard me say I was hungry he practically jumped over the bar and offered to go get food! I had to giggle. There w
as just something about him
…….what wa
s it?

I mean this morning I w
ok
e up
with a boyfriend and tonight I’
m having
fantasies
about my
brother’s
best friend.
What the hell was wrong with this
picture? Maybe it’
s because I know he is
Jefferson’s
friend. I’
ve always been k
ept away from them so maybe it’
s just the fact the Jefferson is
okay
with it that has me attracted to the guy?
Who
knows?

I walked up to a bo
ok
shelf and saw a picture of both J
efferson and Gunner. Funny, I’
ve
never seen this picture before.
They were both in their swim
suits
and it lo
ok
ed like they were
at the coast. I was going to have to wipe the drool from my mouth if I kept staring at Gunner like that. Hot damn he had a nice body. Hi
s tribal tattoo was gorgeous.
Hmmm?
Wonder if I’
ll ever
get to
see it in person? I starte
d to feel a dull ache between my legs
and had to press them
together to make it stop.

“That picture was taken this past spring break in Port A” Jefferson s
aid has he walked up behind me.

Startled
that
I had just been caught staring at Gunner’s picture I quickly put it down and turned around and smiled. “You sure are one handsome
fella
Jefferson! I bet y’all had girls all over you down there.” I said
as a way
to di
vert him from what I was doing.

Jefferson threw his head back and laughed.
“Nope, well don’t get me wrong, there were a few sluts that tried to make their way back to our condo! We couldn’t be bothered with
most of the girls down there
though
. Most of them are just hoes.”

“Well
gesh
thanks for that.
If you haven’
t forgotten Ari
and I went to Port A for a
few days during spring break so are you
ca
lling us hoes?” I raised my eye
br
ows up at
him,
waiting for his answer.

“Now come on Ell
s
,
I would never ev
er say yo
u were like those girls. Ari
now….she is another story.” Jefferson said has he let out a laugh and walked into
the kitchen and got out a beer.

“He
y! That is my best friend! She’
s not a slut. I’ll have you know she has never even
had
…..” I stopped myself suddenly before I just an
nounced to my brother that Ari
was still a virgin. With the way their relationship had been lately he didn’t need any more to use against her. Jefferson stopped his beer at hi
s lips and tilted his head. Oh shit….a smile
slowly
came across
his face.

“So, squirt is
still a virgin is she? HUH?
This is news. This could be very informative news indeed!” He let out a gruff laugh.

“Jefferson Michael
Johnson, so help me God if you even hint to her that you know I will
never
ta
lk to you again.
EVER!”
I said
as I got up and started p
ok
ing his massive chest.

He just laughed and rubbed the top of my head like I was a child. “Don’t wo
rry
honey;
her secret is safe with me!”

That reminded me….. I remembered Jefferson’s and Ari’s
strange exchanges all day.

“Speaking of Ari
, what was going on with you two today?” Jefferson stopped dead in his tracks and turned to lo
ok
at me.

“What are you talking about? Nothing is going on between us. Why would you even ask that? I mea
n she is, well she’
s just Ari
.” Jefferson said to me
with a shrug of his shoulders. The stricken lo
ok
on his face was like I just asked him to solve the problem of world hunger.

“I didn’t mean to imply there was something going on. It’s just that you were bickering with her and it seemed like you were trying to just piss her off
on purpose
. She is my best f
riend
Jefferson and I’
m tired of you always treating her like a
spoiled child
. She is not
a bratty child
. She
is a grown adult woma
n and she deserves to be treated better than that. I would expec
t that from you of all people.”

“Oh
,
believe me it’
s not lost
on
me how much of an adult Ari
is. I’m sorry Ells;
I’
ll try not to
argue with her as much. I need to get ready for my date
.
” Jefferson said as he turned and walked away. He stopped and turned around and lo
ok
ed in Gunner’s bedroom.

“Where’
s Gunner?”

“Oh…I just mentioned I was hungry and he pretty much darted out the door to go get food.
He said he would be back in a few minutes.” I said as I sat down on
the sofa and turned on the TV.

“DAMN
Ellie
! Y
ou got that boy going every which way but loose!” Jefferson said with a la
ugh.

“What are you talking about? He said he was hungry too and was going to get some food.
Gesh
Jefferson, you act like he was jumping off a bridge for me or something.” I said annoyed at where this was going. J
efferson turned back around to come and sit
down next to me
while h
e let out a small laugh.

“
You really don’t see do you Ell
s?” Jeff
erson asked
as he bumped into my shoulder.

“See what? What’
re you going on a
bout Jefferson?” I was really starting to get
annoyed by him.

“
Ellie
, I’
ve known Gunner for three years now. I have never seen him with
the same girl more than a few
times. He is so focused on football and school he pretty much ha
s never given a girl more than five
minutes of his attention. Don’t get me wrong, he likes girls!” Jefferson said with a
laugh and a shake of his head.

What the hell did that mean?

Was Gunner a player? Did he sleep around a lot? I mean he sure had the lo
ok
s to get any girl he wanted. My head was starting to spin again and the thought of Gunner with another girl had
me feeling angry inside.

What the hell
?

“I can honestly say I have never seen
Gu
nner run and fetch dinner for someone!” Jefferson laughed again. “
Ellie
honey, I kn
ow you just had this whole bull
shit thing with Ryan the douche bag this mo
rning and
you believe that bull
shit mom feed you years ago but, Gunner is attracted to you princess. He is a good guy
Ellie
but…”

Jefferson cut off what he was saying and he lo
ok
ed down and away from me.

“But WHAT?
!
”
I asked clearly anticipating Jefferson to tell me to st
ay clear of his best friend.

“Ell
s
I want you to know I would trust my life and yours with Gunner.
I trust him but this is you we’
re talking about. I just don’t want him to break your heart or hurt you
Ellie
. I really don’t want you to jump into so
mething you’re not ready for honey
. Just promise me you wi
ll be careful.” Jefferson said
as he to
ok
my good hand and brought it up to his mouth
and kissed the back of my hand.

I busted out laughing and Jefferson just lo
ok
ed at me.

“What
is
so funny Ell
s?”

I just could not stop laughi
ng…..”Oh
my gosh
! You’
re
what’
s
so funny! I mean come on Jefferson! I hardly think that Gunner is interested in
me
of all people!
I’m sure he is only being nice to me because of
you!” I said in-between laughs.

Jefferson dropped my hand and stood up. He lo
ok
ed down at me and sighed heavily. “
Ellie
, you are
beautiful, inside and out. You’
re very desirable princess and trust me when I say
this
, Gunner is interested.
He’
s a great guy, j
ust be careful that’
s all I ask. I have to get going or I am going to be late and the wra
th of Rebecca will be upon me!”

My heart was pounding and I felt like I was going to be sick. No…I would not let this happen. Gun
ner was not interested in me!
Was he?!
If he was it was probably only for sex. No matter if Jefferson was his best friend or not, men were all the same. I was not going to have anything to do with it. I just had to make sure I kept it to the
‘friends’ level with this guy.

I lo
ok
ed over at his picture with Jefferson on the beach and sighed. Jesus, this was going to be hard. The guy was beyond good lo
ok
ing and his body…..I had to squeeze my legs together t
o ease the throbbing again
.

Yep, this was going to
be hard. Very, very
hard….A second later the front door flew open and Gunner came in holding bags from my favorite sandwich place,
Schlotzky’s
.

“Hey
you
!
G
lad you’
re still awake
! I remember
ed
Jeff
said your favorite sandwich was the Turkey breast on Ry
e from
Schlotsky’s
! I hope you’
re hungry sweetheart.
I got you two!
” Gunner said with that
cro
ok
ed
smile on his face and those
blue eyes sparkling down at me.