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  Mother-fucker. I’d never seen anything so beautiful.

  She was dressed in a pink lace bra with matching pink lace panties. I had to catch my breath from the sight of Ari in nothing but her lace underwear and cowboy boots. Taking a step back, I thought back to the first night we ever made love.

  ***

  Brad and Amanda’s’ wedding

  Four Months Earlier

  “Holy shit!” Gunner and I said together.

  Gunner turned to me at the same time I looked at him. I quickly glanced back down the aisle to see Ari walking toward me with a huge bouquet of roses. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on. As she stepped closer, I got a better look at the dress she was wearing.

  Mother fucker. Her breasts were practically falling out of it. Why the hell would Amanda have them wear that? Oh hell no! She was going to have to change or put on a jacket.

  Thank God, Gunner was the best man because I didn’t hear any part of the ceremony. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ari. My Ari. Tonight I would finally make her one-hundred percent mine.

  I was still pissed at Gunner and his fucking romantic ways while they were at the hunter’s cabin. Ellie had told Ari all about it, and I had to listen for a week about how passionate Gunner was.

  I turned to look at Gunner, and I gave him a fuck-off look. He just raised his eyebrows and then smiled. Bastard

  “Jeff, what the hell is wrong with you tonight? Your mind is in another world for Christ’s sake. ” Ari said while she danced in my arms.

  I held her closer and took in a deep breath. Vanilla. She always smelled like vanilla.

  I looked over at Jenny, who gave me a thumbs-up. I lifted my hand and returned one back to her.

  Damn. I’d never met someone who worked as hard as she did. Gunner and Ellie were so happy with how Jenny had decorated the cabin the night he’d asked her to marry him.

  Tonight was costing me a fortune, but making it a night Ari would never forget was worth it.

  Pulling away, Ari looked up at me. Tilting her head, she slowly let that damn smile play across her face.

  My god, I love her. I couldn’t believe that I’d almost let her go. What a stupid mother fucker I’d been. Tonight it was all going to change. I was going to make love to her for the first time.

  Oh shit. I feel sick.

  “Jeff? Are you okay? You look like you’re going to be sick!”

  I smiled down at Ari, I lifted her chin up toward me and kissed her. She deepened the kiss and let out a small moan.

  After a few seconds, she pulled away. “You want to get the hell out of here and go back to my place?” Ari asked as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

  Oh shit…here we go.

  “Um…actually, I had something else planned for us tonight. ”

  Ari looked at me and smiled.

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yep, but it’s a surprise. ”

  Just then, Brad and Amanda walked up to us.

  I slapped Brad on the back. “Congratulations y’all. ”

  “Thank you both for being in the wedding and helping out with so much. I couldn’t have done it without your help, Ari,” Amanda said.

  She gave Ari a hug and then turned to hug me. Ari pulled up the top of her dress…. again…. and smiled at Amanda. She’d been screwing with that damn dress all night. I almost got into it with three guys just for staring at her a little too long. Bastard pricks.

  “You wait until I get married, you bitch. I’m so going to make you wear this same fucking dress. I can’t even breathe in this bitch. ”

  Amanda let out a laugh and hugged Ari again. “I love you, Ari! I hope that you have a wonderful evening. We’re heading out in a few minutes, so I just wanted to say thanks and good-bye. ”

  Ari and Amanda both got tears in their eyes. Brad and I looked at each other. Brad just shrugged his shoulders, and smiled.

  After Brad and Amanda said their good-byes to everyone, Ari and I found Gunner and Ellie. They were talking to Heather and Josh.

  “Oh my gosh, wasn’t that such a beautiful wedding?” Heather gushed.

  Ari rolled her eyes and screwed around with her dress some more.

  “It was beautiful. Amanda did a great job and I was surprised she was able to keep it on the small side with Brad’s mom so involved with the planning. ” Ellie said as she looked over at me and winked.

  Fucking Gunner! Can’t keep is goddamn mouth shut. I was sure he’d told Ellie what I had planned for tonight. I’m never telling him anything again.

  “So, Josh and Heather…. you two looked comfy on the dance floor tonight,” Ari said nudging Heather with her shoulder.

  I thought Heather was going to kill Ari. I’d never seen that girl look so pissed-off in my life. Josh just smiled and leaned in to say something to Heather. She turned and glared at him.

  Oh shit, that’s not a happy look.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll be heading home. Now that Amanda and Brad are gone, I need to get out of this dress. And no…you cannot help me, Josh!”

  Everyone let out a laugh except for Josh. Poor bastard had it bad for Heather, but he seemed to always say the wrong thing to her. Gunner and I had tried to tell him that she wasn’t like the bitches he’d slept around with and that he needed to take things slow with her to win her trust. Stupid bastard. He was always making sexual comments to her and all that did was push her further away.

  Ellie and Gunner said they were taking off as well. As we all walked out to the main lobby of The Driskill Hotel, Gunner and I talked a bit about the ranch while Ari and Ellie talked about school.

  “You okay, dude? You look like you’re going to hurl,” Gunner said as he threw his head back and laughed.

  “Fuck you, asshole! If I remember right, you were a walking mess all Christmas day. Don’t even start with me. ”

  Gunner smiled and turned me away from Ari and Ellie.

  “Jeff, dude, just relax. She’s gonna be surprised, and she’s going to love it. Ellie and I ran up to the room to take a peek after Jenny was done. It’s beautiful. Just…just take it slow. Remember that this is for her dude. Be honest, Jeff. Be real. ”

  Motherfucker. I’d never been with a virgin, and my hands were shaking already. What if I hurt her? What if she hated it? What if-

  “Jeff, stop. I see the fucking wheels turning in your head, dude. It’ll be fine. Trust me. ”

  “Yeah, take it slow…it’s her night…. not about me. Holy shit Gunner. What if I hurt her? Do you know how long I’ve waited to be with this girl? What if I turn into a crazy man? Oh shit, maybe I should have waited longer. What if she’s not ready?”

  “Jesus, Jeff. You know that she’s ready. She’s more than ready. I think if you wait any longer, she’s going to be the one to attack you. You won’t go crazy. I’m not going to lie though. It’ll be fucking hard to take it slow. ”

  “Fuck Gunner! You just gave me a damn visual. What did I say about that? I’m done talking to you. ”

  I turned and walked over to Ari and Ellie. I leaned down and kissed Ellie good night and told her that I loved her. While Ellie and Ari hugged and said their good-byes, Gunner handed me the key to the hotel room I’d booked.

  I grabbed Ari’s hand and started walking towards the stairs.

  “Wait, where are we going, Jeff? I’m so ready to just go home and get out of this dress. ”

  I stopped and turned her to face me. She had questioning look on her face.

  I leaned close to ear and said very softly and slowly, “I need to show you your surprise, baby. ”

  Ari’s head snapped up, and she looked into my eyes. For a second, she looked scared. Then her eyes immediately softened, and she smiled.

  She turned away and walked over to the stairs and started to head up them at a rather fast pace. I had to let out a laugh. Goddamn, I love this girl.

  I slipped the room key throu
gh the slider and looked over at Ari who looked like I felt, sick to my stomach. I should have come up to the room first to make sure everything was okay.

  “Jesus H. Christ, Jeff, just open the door!” Ari said stomping her foot.

  Yep, I loved this girl. I was pretty sure that I was going to die and go to heaven tonight.

  I opened the door, and Ari just about pushed me out of the way as she made her way into the room. She stopped dead in her tracks and let out a gasp. The room was filled with LED candles everywhere and Roses were covering every possible surface. The bed had petals spread all over it with one single red rose lying across the pillows.

  Next to the bed was a huge plate of chocolate-covered strawberries and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne, Ari’s favorite.

  Yep, Jenny was worth every damn dime I paid. Gunner was now forgiven.

  Ari turned and looked at me.

  Oh shit. Tears were running down her face. I walked over to her and wiped them away as I leaned down and kissed her.

  “I love you, Ari. I love you more than anything in this world, baby. ”

  “Jeff…. I don’t. I don’t even know what to say! It’s so beautiful. It’s…. it’s perfect!”

  Our room was on the historical side of the hotel facing 6th Street. Ari walked over to the balcony doors, threw them open and walked outside. I could hear music coming from a bar not far away. The song sounded like it was “Dirty Dancer” by Enrique Iglesias. I smiled when her hips started moving to the beat. Damn, the girl loves to dance.

  I took off my tie and jacket, set them on a nearby chair, and made my way out to her. I wrapped my arms around her and felt her moving her hips as she pressed into me. Fuck me! Please don’t let me lose it like a damn sixteen year old boy.

  As I moved my hips with hers, she threw her head back up against me and let out a small moan. I about lost it right then and there.

  “Jeff?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “I’m scared. ”

  Holy shit. I just about dropped to my knees. I’d never in the 9 years I’d known Ari, ever heard her utter those words. She was the strongest person I knew.

  Gunner’s words came back into my head. Be honest, Jeff. Be real.

  “I am, too, baby. ”

  Pulling away from me, Ari turned to face me with a shocked look on her face.

  “What? Why would you be scared?” Ari practically shouted.

  “I mean, why are you scared Jeff? For Christ’s sake, it’s not like you’ve never had sex before. I’ve never done this before. What if…what if I don’t…. ”

  “Ari, stop. First off, baby, I’m scared because I’m going to be making love to you for the first time. I might have had sex, before Arianna, but I’ve never made love to anyone before. I’ve dreamed about this night with you for years. I just want this to be perfect for you, Ari, I want you to always remember this night. ”

  I watched as a tear rolled down her cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb and leaned down to kiss her. She stepped back away from me. I was confused by what she was doing until she turned and walked back into the room. I followed her in and shut the doors to the balcony.

  She turned back to face me as she stepped backward until her legs touched the bed. I could hardly move my legs, but somehow, I managed to walk over to her. She looked at me with that smile.