A new stud horse, Romeo, had arrived yesterday. I was mucking out his stale, when I saw Josh walking into the barn. He looked like hell.

“What the fuck, Josh? What happened yesterday when you went to talk to Heather?”

“Fuck if I know. I asked her if she still wanted to talk. At first, I thought she was going to, then Lynda called around the corner, asking if we were still on for heading into town for lunch. I’m not even sure where the hell that came from since I didn’t even ask Lynda to lunch. I simply told Lynda that I would talk to her in a minute, and when I turned around, I swear Heather had steam coming from her ears. Then, she accused me of moving on fast. Moving on from what? She was the one who said there was no future for us and that we were just friends. I’m so fucking confused right now. I don’t know which way is up and which way is down for Christ’s sake.”

I shook my head and closed Romeo’s stall, while he was trying to push his damn way out. Shit, this horse is a feisty bastard. Ari had begged me to let her ride him last night. There was no way in hell I was letting her get on this horse.

“Josh, listen to me, dude. Women are…fuck, I don’t really know how women are. I just know that at least more than half the time, when they say something, they really mean the opposite. I don’t why. God made ‘em that way, and I ain’t about to question God on it. I really think you need to talk to her and get it out there before Gunner’s cousin moves in and tries to eat you alive.”

Josh started laughing. “Yeah, Lynda is something else. I like her. I mean, if Heather wasn’t in the picture, I could probably see myself dating Lynda. She just moved to Austin to finish school at UT. I don’t know. Maybe I just need to just move on since Heather only wants to be friends.”

“If you think that’s what she really wants, then maybe you should,” I said, raising my eye-brows at him.

“Well, that’s what she keeps repeating to me so, I guess that means I need to move on.”

***

By the time we made it back to the house, Josh was in an even worse mood. I was guessing that the idea of walking away from any kind of relationship with Heather just pissed him off. It was either that or it was because Romeo nipped at his hand.

I walked into the kitchen to see Heather and Ari sitting at the kitchen island. Ari looked up at me and gave me that smile that I swore could bring me to my knees every damn time. I smiled back at her and looked down to see she was drinking orange juice and not coffee. That was two days in a row now.

“What’s wrong with the coffee?” I asked as I walked over to pour myself a cup.

Josh followed and poured some into his mug.

I leaned down to give Ari a kiss. She let out a small moan, and I just about grabbed her and hauled her ass into our bedroom. Fuck. She smelled so damn good. I nipped at her bottom lip, and then I pulled away, so I could sit down next to her.

Josh leaned up against the kitchen counter and looked everywhere but at Heather.

Ari just busted out with, “So, what the hell is going on with you two anyway?”

Heather choked on her coffee, and Josh looked like he was about to kill Ari. It took everything out of me not to laugh. Ari never was one to beat around the bush. That was one of the things I loved about her. She was a no-bullshit kind of girl.

“Ari! I can’t believe you,” Heather said giving Ari a go-to-hell look.

Josh seemed to compose himself, but then I saw a look in his eyes. It was that same look he used to get when he was putting on his game face.

“There’s nothing going on but friendship. Ain’t that right, Heather?” Josh said.

Oh fuck.

“Um…I um.”

“Heather, didn’t you want to talk to Josh about something?” Ari said, her eyes pleading with Heather.

“I, um.” Heather looked over at Josh.

He actually looked pissed. What the hell?

“I think you made your self clear yesterday as well as the other day. Or is there something else you needed to tell me besides to fuck off?”

Ah, shit. This is going south. I looked at Ari, who was staring at Josh in shock. Then, she glanced at Heather, who also had a shocked look on her face. This seemed to be turning into something I was not used to seeing on Heather.

Suddenly, she appeared to be very pissed-off as her hands were balled up in fists. I tried to decide who I was putting my money on.

Getting up from the bar stool, Heather just glared at Josh.

“To think that I even thought.”

“You even thought what, Heather? I know it wasn’t about a relationship with me. ‘The bastard manwhore.’ I believe those were your words to me yesterday.”

“You had just made plans to go have lunch with Lynda, yet there you were, trying to talk to me! Are you kidding me right now, Josh?”

“Okay, hold on a second here, y’all. Let’s just calm down and talk about this,” Ari said as she stood up and walked over toward Heather.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Ari. Heather made herself pretty fucking clear where she stood with me. Isn’t that right, Heather?”

Josh gave Heather a smirk,

Then he glanced over at me. I was completely stunned as to why he was being such a prick.

For a second, it looked like Heather might cry. I watched Josh’s whole body sink when he saw the same thing I did.

Josh said, “Heather, I didn’t.”

“No, Josh you’re completely right. I did tell you where I stood, and you told me if you walked out the door, then that was it. So, we’re done. There’s nothing left to talk about. If you’ll excuse me...”

Heather’s voice cracked as she started to back out of the kitchen.

“I think I’ll get ready and then head up to see if Emma needs any help before the party.”

Heather turned, leaving as fast as she could. Ari looked at Josh and just shook her head.

“She pushed you away because she got scared, Josh. She wanted to tell you she didn’t mean anything she had said, you fuckwad! You just blew probably the best thing that’ll ever happen to you because you had to run into the arms of the first girl you came across.”

“Wait…what? First off, how do you know she didn’t mean any of it? And what the hell do you mean I ran into the arms of the first girl I came across? I haven’t been with anyone in months!” Josh yelled.

“I know because she sat there and cried to Ellie and me about how much she cared about you and how she messed things up with you. But you didn’t let her explain that, did you?”

Ari started to walk out of the kitchen, but then she stopped and turned back around.

“Lynda, you stupid ass. You made plans with Lynda, and she made sure to tell us how you said you would only dance with her at the party.”Ari turned her back to us as she was leaving the kitchen. “I’m going to see if Heather is okay.”

Josh was now leaning over with his hands on his knees.

“Josh…dude, you okay?” I walked over and helped him sit down.

He looked up at me and started to shake his head. “I’m so fucking confused that I can’t even think straight. I never asked Lynda out to lunch yesterday. She kept asking me if I was going to dance with her. I never said I was only going to dance with her. They must have misunderstood her. I don’t…” Josh paused, standing up. “I’m heading up to Garrett and Emma’s place. I know Drake needs help with the tables and shit. I’ll talk to you later, dude.”

As Josh was leaving, he walked right into Heather who was also heading toward the front door. They both just stood there and stared at each other. Josh was the first to move. He stepped around her and headed out. Heather turned to me and gave me a weak smile before she left.

Holy hell. If this is any indication, this was going to be a very interesting party.

***

Ari walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later. The moment I saw her, I had to catch my breath.

Damn. She was dressed in a white shirt with a pink tank top underneath. She had on a pair of jean shorts and a belt with a buckle that was so damn big and blingy that I just had to smile at her. As I moved my eyes down her body, I noticed the pink cowboy boots. My cowgirl sure the hell knows how to dress.

“Baby, those shorts…maybe you should…”

Ari turned and gave me a look that said I should know better than to say anything about what she was wearing.

“I’m just sayin’ that they’re are kinda short, baby.”

“They are not short, Jeff. These are the longest damn pair of shorts I have that still fit me. I think I’m getting bigger already.”

“Already? What do you mean by that? Isn’t it supposed to be we get married, you get happy, and then start getting bigger because you’re so damn happy with me?” I said with a laugh.

Ari looked like as pale as a ghost.

“Ari, I’m just kidding, baby. You look amazing.” I walked up to her and pulled her into my arms.

She instantly relaxed and started to run her hands through my hair. She pushed her hips into me, and that was the only sign I needed. I picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around me as I started to walk her into the bedroom.

“Oh god Jeff. I need you so bad.”

I let her slide down my body while I took her mouth in mine. She let out a moan, and I couldn’t wait anymore. I pulled my mouth away from her to take her shirt off.

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

“Motherfucker!” Ari and I both yelled at the same time.

“Just ignore it, Jeff. Please just ignore it,” Ari said nearly begging.

I pulled her shirt over her head and then put my hand up under the tank top. God, she felt so good. She slowly started to back up to the bed. When she was lying down, I crawled on top of her and captured her lips with mine again. Reaching my hands down, I started to unbuckle her belt. Then, I thought I heard the front door open.

Ari pulled back and whispered,

“Did someone just come in?”

“Jeff? Ari?” Garrett called out.

We heard him walking down the hall-way. Ari pushed me away and rolled over, landing on the floor next to the bed.

I just leaned over and looked at her.

“What the hell are you doing?” I whispered to her.

“Go talk to him! Shit! I don’t want him walking into our room to see me half dressed!”

I was confused because she was still wearing her tank top and shorts. I crawled off the bed, I could hear Garrett in the kitchen.

I adjusted my harder-than-rock-hard dick while I made my way out to see what was going on. I made a mental note to always make sure the front and side doors were locked from this point on.

I walked into the kitchen to see Garrett pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Hey, Garrett, what’s up?” I asked.

“Hey, son. Gunner asked me to come fetch you to help set up the tables and all that shit for the party this afternoon. Your front door was open, so I just helped myself.”

I tried really hard to smile as I made another mental note. The next time I had enough beers in me I as gonna have a talk with Garrett about him walking into the house. While I was making all these damn mental notes, I better make one to warn Gunner.