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  PROLOGUE

  ARI

  10 Years Old

  I couldn’t believe my parents were taking me away from all my friends. I’ll never forgive them for this…. . ever! I’m never going to talk to them again. They totally ruined my life.

  I’m just going to sit here and keep sighing.

  “Arianna, you’ll make new friends, sweetheart. I know you will. ” my mom said.

  I rolled my eyes in the backseat because I knew my mom couldn’t see me.

  “Don’t roll your eyes at me, Arianna!”

  What? How does she do that?

  “This is so not fair! You’re the worst mother ever! Why would you take me away from all my friends?”

  My mother turned around and looked at me.

  Oh, I think I went too far that time.

  “First off, young lady, I’m not the one who is moving us to Austin for a new job. That would be your father sitting right here next to me. ” Mom looked over at Daddy who was smiling.

  “Second, if you ever talk to me like that again, you’ll be very sorry because I… I. . . ”

  Daddy looked over at Mom and waited for her to tell me what torture she would put me through. It seemed like he was enjoying all of this.

  “To quote the great Katharine Hepburn, ‘I could peel you like a pear, and God Himself would see the justice in it. ’ I’ll do it, too, young lady, if you keep pushing me!”

  Daddy laughed, and I just stared at her.

  What does that even mean? Why is she always quoting Katharine Hepburn? Oh no!

  She was going to make me watch another one of her movies. Just great! Why can’t I learn to keep my mouth shut?

  “I will never meet another friend like Katy, Mom. Never!” I closed my eyes and fought to keep the tears from falling. I will not cry!

  Turning off the main road, we started to drive through our new neighborhood. It was cute, really cute. There were all kinds of houses in different sizes. Thank God! I hated our old neighborhood. All the girls were into English riding, and they teased me because I liked to barrel race. Ugh, and all the stupid tea parties I had to go to! Yuck!

  As we drove by one simple looking house, with nothing extra special about it, I noticed a girl who looked to be around my age playing with an older boy out front. I sat up to get a better look. Oh, he’s cute!

  “Mom, are we close to our house?” I asked.

  I looked out the back window, watching the boy chase the girl around the yard. God, I hope that’s her brother.

  “We’re a few blocks away sweetheart. We have twenty acres, so we’re at the end of the road. ”

  I turned back around and smiled. Perfect. I could ride my bike by their house. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here after all. As I continued to think about that boy, I wondered about what I should wear for my first bike ride through the new neighborhood.

  CHAPTER ONE

  ARI

  Jeff stood at the door of the hunter’s cabin, I could tell he’d been crying, and my heart broke at the sight of him. I couldn’t believe it, I just stood there and stared at him.

  He came for me.

  “Ari, I know you told me not to come tonight, but. ”

  I jumped into his arms, wrapped my legs around him, and kissed him like there was no tomorrow. I thought he was in a state of shock because it took him a few seconds to start kissing me back.

  He pulled away from me with a confused look on his face. I didn’t care that some bitch could possibly be carrying my future husband’s baby. Okay, that’s bull shit. I do care.

  Even if I might not be the one to give Jeff his first child, she was not taking him from me. I was going to fight with every goddamn ounce of energy I had to make sure she knew that he was mine.

  That bitch wants a fight? Well, she’s got one!

  “Ari, I just couldn’t let you walk away from me again. I love you too much to lose you again, baby. ”

  I smiled down at him. He’s mine. I wrapped my legs around him tighter.

  “You came after me, Jeff. I love you so much. Now, get your ass in here and make mad, passionate love to me before I change my mind. ”

  Immediately, he smiled at me, but then it faded. I knew what he was thinking. I ran my hands through his beautiful, soft hair.

  “We’ll worry about it Monday. Right now is only about you and me. ”

  Smiling again, he walked into the cabin and looked around.

  “I wish I could have seen your face when you saw all of this. ”

  “It’s beautiful, Jeff; I couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect. I love you baby, so much. ”

  “Oh god, Ari, I love you, too. ”

  Jeff kicked the door shut and then pushed me up against it. He started to kiss me with so much passion that I thought I was going to explode. I wanted him so much that I could practically feel myself willing him to do as I wished. I pushed my hips into him, trying to ease my need, and that was when I felt it.

  The ring box! Oh shit! Is he still going to ask me to marry him? I started to feel like I couldn’t breathe. I pulled my lips away from his, and I just stared at him.

  Do not cry, Arianna. Do not.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry this night was ruined for you. I had it all planned out, and I’m so pissed right now!”

  With my legs still wrapped around him, Jeff walked us over to the bed and then slowly sat me down onto it. He stood up, pushing his hands through his hair. I didn’t know what to say. For once in my life, I was…

  Speechless. Holy hells bells.

  “Um…” I stalled, still trying to figure out what to say.

  Jeff looked around the room, and I noticed when he moved his hand up to his front pocket.

  Just do it! I didn’t even care anymore about how he did it. Just fucking ask me to marry you!

  Then, he did the one thing I’d been dreaming about since I was ten years old when first laid eyes on him. He reached into his pocket, took out the ring box, and got down on one knee.

  His beautiful green eyes captured mine, and he smiled. My tears were falling like rain. I love this man with my whole being.

  “Ari, I don’t even know where to begin to describe how much I love you. I can’t even tell you how long I’ve loved you. I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was sixteen years old. I always thought that I’d just get down on one knee and say ‘marry me,’ but, baby, that’s not what I wanted to do with you. ”

  He shook his head, and I could tell he was trying to keep from crying.

  Jesus, Mary and Joseph he’s really asking me to marry him!

  He cleared his throat and then started talking again.

  “You’ve believed in me and stood by me through all the craziness that’s my life. I can’t live one single day of this life without your love, Ari. I was lost before you, and I would forever be completely and utterly lost without you. Your love saved me. I promise you, Arianna, with every ounce of my being, I’ll do nothing but love you and cherish you. I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy every day for the rest of our lives. Arianna Katherine Peterson, will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Jefferson Michael Johnson?”

  Jeff opened the ring box and took out the ring.

  Oh. My. God. It was breathtaking.

  “This ring, Ari this ring is a symbol of my love for you. I will always love you and only you. ”

  I just stared at it. It was a vintage-style platinum ring with a round-cut center diamond. Round baguette diamonds surrounded the center diamond. The band was amazing. Two bands extended out from the prongs holding the center diamond on both sides and then molded into one as the bands completed the circle. I’d never seen such a beautiful ring in my enti
re life.

  I looked up at Jeff, who was staring at me.

  I couldn’t talk. Holy shit! I can’t talk.

  “Um, Ari I’m not really sure, but I think this is the part where you tell me yes. ”

  My dreams were about to come true. I’m going to be Mrs. Jefferson Johnson. All those years of practicing my signature on my school notebooks was finally going to pay off! As I felt a tear roll down my face, Jeff reached up and brushed it away.

  “Jeff, I would be honored to be Mrs. Jefferson Michael Johnson. ”

  Jeff let a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He shook his head and started to laugh.

  What the hell?

  “Why the hell are you laughing, dickwad? Are you trying to ruin my perfect moment?”

  Jeff threw his head back laughing harder. He stood up, reaching out for my hand, and then he pulled me up to him. The look in his eyes was enough to drive me crazy. Right now in this moment, I wanted nothing more than to be with him. I wanted to forget all about crazy-ass Rebecca and the child that she was carrying. I wanted Jeff to save me from the nightmare that my father threw at me tonight.

  “Me ruin it? It took you long enough to answer me, Ari, I was starting to get worried. ”

  I giggled and reached up to kiss him. Placing his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me in and deepened the kiss.

  Holy hell! My head was spinning.

  I was engaged to the man of my dreams. Sure, he was a pain in the ass, but fuck me, he sure could kiss.

  Jeff barely pulled away from my lips as he smiled down at me.

  “Ari?”

  I could hardly talk.

  “Yes?”

  “Will you let me make love to you, baby?”

  Oh. My. God. The Butterflies were taking off and going nuts in my stomach.

  “Um sure. Why not?”

  Jeff laughed against my lips. The heat from his mouth was driving me insane. I’d never get tired of being with him.

  “Have I told you today how beautiful you looked? I had to catch my breath when I saw you walking down the aisle, baby. ”

  “That’s not what I heard from the preacher. All I know is that when the preacher pulled me to the side and to tell me that my boyfriend needs to come to service tomorrow, I had to wonder what the hell was going on up there with you and Gunner. ”

  Jeff laughed again. As he slowly pulled away from me, his eyes travel up and down my body. I swore that every time he looked at me, it was like he was seeing me for the first time. When his eyes landed on my mouth, I couldn’t help but lick my lips. He let out a small moan that traveled through my whole body.

  I would do anything for this man. Anything.

  CHAPTER TWO

  JEFF

  Holy shit! The moment Ari said yes, my heart started beating a mile a minute. It sure as shit wasn’t going to slow down anytime soon while I looked her body up and down. So fucking perfect. She’d always been perfect. Now, she was going to be truly mine.

  When she licked her lips, I let out a moan. Shit. I wanted to be inside her, I wanted to forget the last few days ever happened. I just wanted to be alone with the only girl I would ever love.

  “Ari…”

  She smiled that damn smile of hers that could bring me to my knees and make me do anything she asked.

  “Jeff…”

  She slowly turned around and then looked back over her shoulder at me with those beautiful green eyes of hers. Damn! I started to unzip her dress, and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking. I felt her body shiver the moment I touched her, and I swore that it felt like my knees were about to give out on me.

  Holy shit, this girl is going to be the death of me.

  Moving my hands slowly back up her body, I placed them on her shoulders and gently pushed off the dress, letting it drop to the floor at her feet. She stepped out and turned to face me.