After we got to the truck, Heather asked to just be taken home. Ellie was in the backseat with Heather. I turned on the music so they could have some privacy, but I could still hear Heather crying.

I was shocked as shit to hear that she had slept with that asshole. What the hell was she thinking? I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket because it kept going off. I had four text messages and two missed calls.

Fuck. Josh was one of them. I hit voice mail and listened to his message.

“Gunner, what the hell happened? I saw you walking off with Heather, and then I saw Jerry come back alone. Is she okay?”

***

We pulled up to Heather’s apartment, and Ellie asked me to give her a few minutes with Heather.

“Baby, take your time. I’m in no rush.” If I’d been standing, her smile would have dropped me to my knees. Damn the things this girl does to me.

I pulled up the text messages: two from Jeff and two from Josh.

Jeff: Hey, Ari is worried about why y’all took off with Heather and why Jerry-the-jackass came back alone and pissed off. Have Ells text Ari.

Jeff: Never mind dude. These girls have weird mind powers. Ells just texted Ari and told her what’s going on. Why the fuck would Heather sleep with that douche bag?

Josh: Gunner, I tried 2 call u. Is Heather ok?

Josh: Never mind, Talked 2 Jeff & Ari. I’ll call u 2morrow, dude. Taking Lynda home.

Holy hell, our circle of friends is a crazy bunch. I looked up to see my girl walking toward the truck. She jumped in, leaned over, and kissed the shit out of me.

“What was that for?” I asked, nearly breathless.

“That was for booking a room at The Driskill Hotel, for loving me, for never giving up on me when I was so stupid, and for being patient with this whole baby thing.”

“I love you, sweetheart. Now, what the hell is going on with Heather?”

Ellie sat back in her seat and sighed. “Fuck a duck. Where do I begin?”

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

ELLIE

By the time we pulled up to The Driskill Hotel, I was emotionally exhausted. This had been such a crazy night. Earlier at the club, I corned Ari in the bathroom, and I’d told her I wouldn’t let her leave until she explained what was going on. I was overjoyed when she told me she was pregnant. I’d truly felt happy for her and Jeff, but at the same time, my heart had broken in two. Why am I not getting pregnant? I’d already made an appointment with Dr Wyatt, Ari’s doctor, and was planning on talking to him about it.

Maybe everyone was right. I just needed to push this from my head and not worry about it. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. But what if I’ll never be a mother? Maybe God thought I would make a terrible mother since I had no example of a real mom growing up.

I felt the tears building in my eyes. No, I’m not going to go there. I looked over at Gunner as he parked the truck in front of the valet. He jumped out and gave his normal this-is-my-girl speech to the poor kid who just kept looking at the truck and me.

Wait for it...

“Sir, you’re talking about the truck, right?”

Gunner looked over at me and winked. “Both.”

***

When we got up to the room, Gunner opened the door, and lifted me up and carried me in. Then, he oh so gently laid me down on the bed. He leaned down and softly kissed my lips. Before he pulled away, he grabbed my lower lip with his teeth and let out a moan.

“I’m going to go run you a hot bath, Baby.”

I smiled as the thoughts started running through my head. I would never get tired of making love to Gunner in a bed, on the floor, in a bathtub, on a beach. I let out a sigh. Each and every time, he’d made me feel so special.

My smile grew as I thought about the last time we were in this hotel and how he made me feel on our wedding night.

“I hope you’re smiling because you’re thinking of me,” Gunner said in a low Southern drawl.

I felt my body reacting to his voice instantly.

“Yes sir, it most certainly is.”

I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest. Just the sight of him standing in the doorway with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist was enough to drive me insane.

I lifted my eyebrows at him as he gave me that damn panty-melting smile of his. His dimple still gives me butterflies in my stomach. I love him so much.

“Drew…”

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’m gonna need you to take that towel off.”

Gunner let out a small laugh and raised his eyebrows up at me. “Is that so? What are your intentions once I remove the towel, Mrs. Mathews?”

God, I can’t believe how much I want him. I was about to explode. I’d never imagined that loving and wanting someone so much could be this magical and special.

“That, Mr. Mathews, is something for me to know and you to find out,” I said with a wink.

Gunner had been playing with Matthew the other day, every time Gunner had asked Matt a question, every response matt had given was, “That’s for me to know and you to find out, Gunner.” Gunner absolutely adored Matt and laughed every time Matt had said it to him.

Gunner threw his head back and laughed. Then, he slowly walked over to me. He reached out his hand, and I took it as he helped me stand up. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I felt like I could hardly breathe. He reached over to the iPod deck next to the bed and hit play. When I looked down, I saw his iPod in the deck. When did he put that in there?

Faith Hill’s “It Will Be Me” started to play, and I looked back up and smiled at him. My true romancer.

“Dance with me, baby,” he said.

“Always.”

As Gunner took me into his arms, he started to sing along with Faith. It felt like my knees were going to give out, and I could feel his arms tighten around me. I loved this man so much that it hurt my heart in such a good way. I closed my eyes and just listened to his sweet voice sing to me as he moved against my body so closely. We didn’t even have to be making love for it to feel like we were one.

After the song was over, I didn’t even pay attention to what song came on next as Gunner started to lift my shirt over my head. I’d had no idea that he’d planned on staying here, so I was secretly thanking my lucky stars that I’d worn my new beige-and-black lace bra and panties that Ari and I had bought yesterday while shopping for her wedding dress.

He slowly started to take off my shorts, moving them down my body. As he bent over he placed soft kisses along my stomach, then from one hip to the other, and then on my upper thigh. My whole body trembled with his touch.

He stood up, and his eyes traveled up and down my body. Every time he looked at me, it was like he was seeing me for the first time. The passion in his eyes caused me to tremble again.

“God, Ells, you’re perfect. You’re so beautiful and so perfect. I love the way your body reacts to my touch. I could stand here, staring at you for hours, and still never get enough of you.”

Oh my..

He took my hand, leading me into the bathroom.

“Your bath is getting cold.”

Gunner led me into the bathroom and turned me around so that I was facing the mirror. He stood behind me while he unclasped my bra and slowly took it off. He placed kisses all over my back while I watched him in the mirror. Then, his hands moved down my body to remove my panties.

I already felt so close to having an orgasm. How does he make me feel this way when he’s hardly touched me? I closed my eyes as he moved his hands softly back up my body. Then, I felt his body pressed up against mine, and my eyes flew open. My blue eyes captured his in the mirror. We just stared at one another.

“I love you, Ellie, more than life itself.”

“I love you, too, Drew, more than you’ll ever know.”

He turned me around and kissed me with so much passion that every ounce of doubt and worry about a baby just melted away. It was just him and me…together. All we needed was each other, and if we were blessed to have a baby someday, it would just be a bonus.

As Gunner led me over to the bath-tub, he got in first, and then I followed. Just lying there, with my body up against his in the hot water, was the most relaxed I’d been in months.

The way he stroked his hands all over my body just about had me begging him for relief. He slowly moved his hand down between my legs. Holy hell, His finger tips were like magic. Then, he spread open my legs even more as his fingers entered by body. I threw my head back against his chest and let myself go.

I finally came back down from one of the most intense orgasms ever.

Gunner whispered in my ear,

“I’m going to make love to you now, Ellie.”

“Okay.” Jesus. After that one word came out of my mouth, I wanted to die, but it was the only word my brain could think to say.

Gunner helped me out of the bathtub. While he dried me off, he continued laying kisses all over my body. He picked me up and carried me to the bed where we spent one of the most amazing nights of my life making love to each other. I wasn’t sure how he was able to do it, but he gave me two more orgasms. He made love to me so slowly and so beautifully that I found myself praying to God that this night would never end.

***

I woke up to the sun shining on my face. I grabbed a pillow and pulled it over my head. No! I just wanted to sleep in for once. I moaned as I rolled over and reached out for Gunner.

Nothing.

I sat up and looked around as I called out his name. I saw his clothes were gone, so he must have gotten up earlier. I stretched out and could feel every muscle I had used last night. I smiled at how I was a little bit sore. I’d never been on top as much as I was last night…or when Gunner woke me up at 4 a.m for another round.

Just then, I heard a key slide to unlock the door. I pulled up the covers over my chest as I watched the door open.

Gunner walked in, and he smiled as soon as he saw me. “Good morning, baby. How did you sleep?”

Sitting up straight, I purposely let the covers fall away from my chest. The look on his face caused me to let out a small laugh.

“I slept very well, thank you. Better than I have in ages!”

“Good. You’re gonna need your energy for today.”

When I raised my eyebrows at him, he laughed.

“Not for that, but I’m more than ready if you want to skip this yummy breakfast I just brought you.”

Laughing I reached over and grabbed my shirt, and I slipped it over my head. Gunner sat down next to me and pulled out a bowl full of fresh fruit, a strawberry-banana yogurt, and an orange juice. This was my favorite breakfast as of late.

***

I was shocked at how fast I ate everything. I must have been starving.

“So, what’s the plan for today? I see you thought this through” I nodded my head toward the overnight bag he’d brought in and set down on the chair.

“I thought a trip out to Enchanted Rock sounded like fun. Are you up for some hiking and climbing today, babe?”

“Yes! Oh my gosh, I love Enchanted Rock.” I reached over and gave him a hug.

“I already called Jeff and Ari, and they’re down for it as well. At first, I thought it would just be you and me, but since that bastard brother of yours stole my idea, and they’re here as well, it might be fun having them go with us.”