Everyone was slowly starting to leave Gunner and Jeff’s place around 1:00 a.m. Jack had packed up long before, and Jefferson just had the stereo playing for the last two hours.

I was a bit shocked at how much Gunner and Jefferson both drank. Ari was well on her way to being drunk. Because I’d had a few beers, we decided just to spend the night here. Heather got a ride home with Amanda and Brad. Amanda was only drinking sodas all night since it was Brad’s birthday party and she knew he would be drinking.

I started to clean up when I felt Gunner come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist.

“Sweetheart, you know we have someone come in and clean up. Come sit with me for a little bit,” he said as he leaned in close to my face. The heat from his mouth set my whole body on fire. God, the pulse between my legs when he was this close to me was almost too much to take.

I turned around and smiled up at him. “Okay, inside or out?”

He returned my smile and took my hand. We walked past Jefferson and Ari, who were at the moment complaining about who had to sleep on the sofa: Jefferson or Gunner or me and Ari.

“Why the hell can’t you sleep with me in my bed? I promise to keep my hands to myself,” Jefferson said to Ari with a wicked laugh.

“Yeah, right, dickwad. I may be drunk, but I ain’t that drunk. You’re on the sofa. I’m taking your bed,” Ari said as she walked past Jefferson and into his bedroom.

Gunner and I went outside and sat down next to the coolers. He reached in for a beer.

“Umm, Gunner, how much more are you going to drink?” I asked as he stopped the bottle before it even hit his lips.

“Why? You afraid I might get too drunk and take advantage of you tonight?” he said with a wink. I instantly felt my face blush. He let out a chuckle and took a drink of the beer.

“No, I’m not worried about that at all. I don’t really think you’re that drunk. Are you?” I asked as I looked down toward the ground.

“Ellie, I just wanted to celebrate tonight, that’s all. Come here and sit on my lap again.”

After all those years of watching my mother drink, the last thing I wanted was to worry about Gunner drinking all the time.

“I know what you’re thinking, Ells, and no, I don’t drink like this all the time, okay, sweetheart? I was just so happy that we’re together and, well, I wanted to let my guard down a little tonight. I promise I do not make a habit of getting drunk.”

Gunner downed his beer. I could tell he was getting wasted, but he looked so damn cute.

“Are you excited about going to the ranch, Ellie?” Gunner asked as he moved his hand up and down my back. My God, his fingertips had magic inside them. I could hardly breathe, let alone think.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head. “Yes! I’m very excited. I’ve always wanted to go to a ranch and see lots of cows and ride a horse. Oh, please say we can ride a horse,” I said as I bounced in Gunner’s lap.

“Fuck, Ellie, please don’t move like that, okay?” Gunner adjusted me on his lap and I, of course, felt the heat rise up in my cheeks.

“Oh, I’m sorry. How many girls have you brought out to meet your grandparents?” I asked as I looked at his eyes slowly starting to droop lower and lower.

“What?”

“You know, how many girls have you brought out to the ranch?” Gunner’s head looked like it was moving in slow motion as he looked at me.

“None. I’ve never brought anyone out to the ranch ’cept for Jeff, Brad, and Josh. Never brought no girls there. I was waiting for you, Ellie. Only you.”

Oh, wow, if that didn’t make my heart start beating faster. I mean I knew he was drunk, but I also knew he meant what he said.

“I want to kiss you, Ellie, but I don’t think I can right now ’cause I might want to do more than kiss,” Gunner said, now with more of a slur.

I had to giggle. “Like what kind of more?” I knew I shouldn’t be going there, but I was.

Gunner gave me the most adorable grin. Just when I thought his panty-melting crooked smile did it to me, there was nothing on his boyish, drunken grin.

“Let’s see. For starts, I would want to kiss you in more places than on your ’ips.”

“My ’ips?”

“Your lllllipppsss. L.I.P.S.”

“Okay. Where would you move to after you kissed my L.I.P.S?”

“Hmmm, your neck, and then down your throat to your chest. And after I gave your chest enough attention, I’d move to your stomach.”

Holy shit, I never in my life wanted anyone like I wanted Gunner right at this moment. What the hell was going on with me?

“Umm . . . then what would you do?”

Oh, shit. I was treading in very deep water.

Gunner smiled up at me. “Miss Johnson, are you flirting with me? ’Cause I have to tell you, if we keep having this conversation any further, Jeff is going to beat my ass when I take you right here.”

I can’t breathe. Deep breaths . . . through your nose . . . out your mouth, Ellie. My God, my mouth was so dry. I leaned over and grabbed a bottle of water out of the cooler.

“Do you know how fucking beautiful you are, Ellie? I can’t wait to lie under the stars with you next week. I can’t wait to show you everything about country living. I want to show you another first . . . lots of firsts while we’re there, sweetheart.”

“I can’t wait either, Gunner. I’m really excited, especially knowing it will be you showing me everything.” I leaned in closer to Gunner and whispered into his ear. “Spending five days with you all to myself is going to be yummy.”

Gunner jumped up and almost knocked me to the ground.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I tried to help him stand up straight.

“I have to go take a cold shower, Ellie. I need to get these thoughts out of my head, baby.”

I had to laugh as he tried to walk away and was stumbling all over the place.

“Gunner, let me help you.” I tried my best to help him into the house. Christ, this guy was huge, and heavy! I saw Jefferson on the sofa passed out asleep. Ari must be in his bed asleep already. I guess I was the only one who was not drunk. Good thing.

I guided Gunner to his bedroom the best I could. He must have hit everything possible on the way to his room. We made it to the door and I opened it. I led Gunner over the bed and tried to help him sit, but he more or less flopped on it and took me with him. He was lying on his back and I was lying on top of him.

Oh. My. God. He had his eyes closed but slowly opened them and looked at me with his piercing blue eyes. Holy hell, he was beautiful. Could he really be all mine? Just then I remembered what Jon had said to Gunner. I wonder how many girls he has had sex with. I’m sure more than . . . three . . . five . . . six? I started to get pissed off just thinking about another girl lying with him like this but naked. Argh!

Just then he smiled at me. I smiled back at him. “Stay with me tonight, Ellie. I promise to keep my hands to myself, sweetheart. I just want to see what it would be like to wake up with you next to me.”

“Have you ever had a girl spend the night in your bed before, Gunner?” I asked as I searched his face for his reaction to my question.

He rolled over and took me with him so that we were both lying on our sides.

“What’re you really trying to ask me, baby?” Gunner said with a slight slur.

I loved it when he called me sweetheart, but when he called me baby . . . fuck me, I wanted to crawl into his skin.

Should I ask? I mean he was drunk and would probably tell me the truth. Did I really want to know?

“Umm, how many women have you been with in the past?” I asked as I looked away from him.

“None that have ever really mattered or meant anything, Ellie,” he quickly said back.

Was that supposed to make me feel better? That could mean anything. Three, seven, fifteen. Oh my God, what if he has slept with so many he doesn’t even know!

“I mean how many have you slept with?”

“Ellie, I don’t think it matters, sweetheart, because the moment I laid eyes on you I forgot everyone else. You’re the only person I want in my life and in my bed from now on.”

Holy hell . . . I accept that answer!

“You never answered my other question, though.”

“What was it again? I forgets,” he said with a laugh. God, he was a cute drunk!

“How many girls have you had spend the night with you in your bed.”

“None.”

I let out the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding in.

“Another first for both of us, baby,” Gunner said as he closed his eyes. Next thing I knew he was out. I managed to get out from his grip as I started to take off his boots. Did I try to undress him?

Hmm, that could be a lot of fun . . . for me, anyway.

I spent the next ten minutes trying to get his pants off, and I could not get him to move. I decided it might be better if they stayed on since I was going to be sleeping right next to him. I walked into his bathroom and looked around. I smiled when I saw the new toothbrush in the box. He must have bought it for me. I opened it up and used it. After I washed my face, I made my way back into his room.

I stood there for a few minutes and watched him sleep. I slowly tried to pull the covers out from underneath him, but I soon gave that up as well. I walked over to the chair and grabbed the blanket that was hanging off the back of it. It smelled heavenly. I wonder if his mom or grandmother made it for him.

I crawled into bed and tried to put the cover over both of us. Gunner moved and started to mumble something. I shouldn’t have done it, but I leaned in to hear what he was saying.

“Ellie . . . I love you, Ellie . . .”

Holy hell and fuck a duck. Did he say he loved me?