“Jenna I can't answer for him. But I can tell you, it's just an excuse he used, if he really wanted too he could have waited.” Jeff answered. “You're not the reason he cheated, he's the reason behind it all. Don't feel bad, I know your just looking for something to make you forget about all of this crap. Come on the ranch would be a great idea, we can go and you can just get away from this apartment and him and well, you just need to be out of here.” Jeff said.
“I know, will you go to the ranch with me? I don't know if I really want to be alone.” Jenna asked him.
“Sure, I'll have to come up in a couple of days though, I have one meeting that I just can't miss and it's not until tomorrow. I still have a few things to get ready for it, however, go and take Rufus with you.” Rufus was Jeff's huge boxer dog, he loved Jenna, and she loved him right back.
“Okay, thanks Jeff.” She gave him a hug. “I'm going to start packing, but can you stick around until I leave, just in case Mike decides to stop by again.”
“Not a problem. I'll make you some breakfast, you do need to eat before you take the drive.” He said and headed into the kitchen.
“Yeah, I know your right.” She answered as she walked into the other room, getting ready to head off on a mini-vacation. As she walked into the room she noticed all of Mike's things and wondered if she could trust him to come and just pick up his things, and leave hers be?
“I think I'll call Stephanie and have her sit my apartment so when Mike comes over to get his things he doesn't do anything to mine stuff.” Jenna yelled to Jeff in the other room.
“It's probably a good idea, I would do it for you, but chances are I'd beat his ass instead.” Jeff said back.
“I know.” Jenna answered.
******
“Rufus your such a good dog.” Jenna said as she played fetch with the big dog in the ranch yard. She'd been here by herself for a day so far, and Jeff should be coming up later tonight or early the next day, he hadn't been really sure on the time he'd be able to break free.
The boxer ran up to her, holding the toy in his mouth, wagging his behind, waiting for her to throw it one more time. She pet him and picked up the toy tossing it in the yard.
Later on that night she was in the kitchen making a bit of supper and her cell phone rang, it was Jeff. “Hey beautiful.” He said as she answered the phone.
“Hi Jeff, are you on your way? If so I'll make some food for you too.” She asked.
“Nope sorry, won't be able to leave until early in the morning. Sorry meeting took a bit too long and I'm exhausted, not the best time to take a longer drive.” He explained.
“It's okay, Rufus is great company.” She laughed.
“Are you doing okay?” He asked, turning serious for a moment.
“Actually yes, I'm doing good. This was a really good idea.” She admitted.
They talked a bit longer and she hung up, finished cooking and sat down to eat. Rufus came and sat by her feet at the table, hoping she'd drop a few morsels to him. She obliged and soon he was eating some of the table scraps.
That night she read a little bit and went to bed fairly early, she enjoyed the fact that all she could hear was insects and animals outside, no cars and loud music from people who lived around her. She stretched out, and promptly feel asleep as she felt Rufus make his way to the bed and lay down beside her.
Sometime later in the night she woke up to the sound of Rufus growling, “what's wrong boy?” She asked him lowly. She knew it must not be Jeff, or maybe it was and Rufus had just woke up and heard a noise, not yet realizing that it was his owner.
She got up and let Rufus lead the way downstairs. Suddenly Rufus was yelping as someone tossed him to the side. She was grabbed and blind folded, she could smell cologne and buzz on her attacker.
Rufus was back on his feet in an instant and the attacker was too focused on Jenna to notice the dog. Being a great guard dog, Rufus laid into the person by biting him in the ass, “shit.”
“Mike?” Jenna noticed his voice. “What the fuck are you doing?” Jenna asked, her hands now free since Mike was trying to deal with Rufus.
She removed the blind fold, turned on the lights at the moment when Mike was getting ready to hit Rufus over the head. The light blinded him though and Rufus was able to attack and bit him in the leg. Jenna rushed over and hit Mike on top of the head, knocking him out.
After he was out she called the police and Jeff. The police showed up and arrested Mike, Jenna was pressing charges there was no doubt in her mind. She tried to ask Mike why again, but he just looked at the floor.
Jeff showed up about thirty minutes after the police left, he hugged Jenna as he walked in, and pet Rufus. “Good boy, your protected the woman I love so well.” He let slip.
As he turned around he saw that Jenna had heard what he told Rufus. “Really?” She asked.
“Jenna I've loved you for years.” He admitted to her.
She walked into his arms and hugged him. “Jeff, I can't promise you much right now. But if you do love me, you'll be willing to wait right?”
“Jenna I'll wait forever for you.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, and she turned and kissed him on the mouth, deepening the kiss to make it more passionate.
“Oh Jeff, I may change my mind about the sex thing. I meant if you'll wait for me to let my heart heal just a bit. After tonight it's not going to take long, Mike really wasn't the man I thought he was at all.”
“No Jenna, we're going to wait until we are married for sex, and the heart healing, I'll wait as long as it takes. But the sex thing, it's not up for discussion, I hope you will respect my wished.” He told her.
She smiled and kissed him one more time, placing her tongue into his mouth. She felt his excitement and smiled. “Jenna you can't cheat, you have to play fair.” He said and swept her up into his arms and took her upstairs.
******
As soon as they got upstairs Jeff let go of Jenna, “I can't, you've wanted to wait all your life, please I don't want you to change because you think that's what a guy needs. Really I can wait until we are married.”
He got down on one knee in front of her, pulling out a box from his pocket and opening it. “Jenna Upshaw, will you please do me the honor of being my wife? I know it's a, well, it's not even that we were dating, but to tell you the truth I don't want to lose you again I did in high school because of my stupidity, now your in front of me and I want to keep you with me forever.”
She looked down and saw a rock that had to be at least four carats, a huge diamond and a bunch of little diamonds around it, it was gorgeous. “Oh my god, Jeff I don't know what to say, first I learn you love me, and now this.”
“I know, it's why I was late getting up here, in fact I didn't have a meeting I stayed in town to find this. Just say yes, I promise to be the man who will always take care of you, always let you know how important you are to me, and never ever to make you feel like anything else is more important then you in my life.” Jeff said, looking up at her, hope in his eyes.
“I guess, um, well, do we, I just, oh my goodness, you just have me so shocked and confused, and with Mike attacking me. It's really too much, and I was ready to give up my virginity to you, so it must mean I care about you some, but to marry you?” Jenna was trying to reason it all out in her head, everything was just so mixed up, just yesterday she had been with Mike and they had been together for three years.
“Tell you what, just think of this as a friendship ring if you must, and I'll ask you later on, after you've realized that I am completely serious about this.” Jeff said, the disappointment could be heard in his voice. But he did know that he had popped it on her suddenly, the whole thing could be calmed down in a few days, but most likely it would be months before he'd ask her the question again, it was a bit of a hit to his pride, however, really what had he expected?
“No, just, let me think for a bit. Jeff I know you won't really understand where I'm coming from, but I know I care about you.
However, I don't want to use the fact that you have these strong feelings for me and feel bad for me to make you ask me to marry you.” Jenna said.
“Jenna I think you know it's not that way at all. However, I tell you what, don't accept it now, that's fine. But I'm not going to stop, I'm going to let you know each and every day how I feel about you.” Jeff got up, closing the lid on the ring and putting it back in his pocket.
“Jeff, I'm sorry.” Jenna said, touching his face.
He looked at her, his eyes didn't show pain but something else, “no Jenna it was bad timing on my part.” He admitted. “Go to bed, I'll be sleeping on the couch.” He turned to walk down the stairs.
“Please just stay here with me, I won't tempt you, I just really need to be held right now.” Jenna pleaded.
He sighed, “alright.” Laying down on the bed, he made sure to remain on top of the covers since she was under them. It was about the only way he knew that he wouldn't undress her and make love to her right now.
She laid on his chest and was soon snoring, he kissed the top of her head. Shaking his head he wondered why he had been so impulsive? It had to be because I wanted her so badly, and I knew the whole marriage thing, oh shit, I don't know. Soon he went to sleep as well.
In the morning she thought he was still sleeping so she kissed his chest and sighed. It had felt so right to lay in his arms during the night, almost like they were made to be with each other. She lay there and tried to consider what her feelings were for Jeff.
Truth was every time she needed something it had been him she had turned too. But was it really love, or just a close friendship? She just didn't want to rush into anything, she was scared, hell just yesterday she'd been with someone else for three years of her life. Sure it wasn't a lot compared to some couples, her parents had been together for well over forty years before her dad passed away.
He moved, “sorry, have to go pee.” He got up and ran off to the bathroom. She watched him walk away, he was such a good looking man, really, and he cared about her, she could do worse. But was it fair to him to not know how she felt before she decided on anything to do with them? She didn't think so, not at all.
“Hey, I'm making omelets for breakfast, you up for one?” He poked his head back into the room, his hair all ruffled he looked so sexy.
“Um, sure.” She stuttered. The look on her face must have giving him some sort of hint what she had been thinking, he got this coy look on his face, smiled and walked away to go make breakfast.
Shortly after she got up and went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Going downstairs she heard Jeff in the kitchen talking to Rufus. She stopped short so she could hear what he was saying to his dog.
“You know Rufus, she may not know it now, but she loves me, and soon she will be my wife, your mommy.” She smiled at what he said, it was so nice to be loved by a man and one who talked to his dog even.
“Hey, you need help with anything?” She said as she walked into the room.
“Nope, just sit down and keep Rufus company.” He smiled.
Bringing the food over when it was done they ate and chatted. “So what happened, did Mike ever tell you why he did that last night?” Jeff asked.
“No he wouldn't answer me at all. I think he was going to rape me though truthfully.” Jenna stated. “Thank goodness Rufus was with me, or well it might not have ended well at all.” She looked down at her plate and turned pale.
“Hey, I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought it up. It's okay we don't have to talk about it right now. So would you like to go fishing later?” He asked, changing the subject.
“Sure.” She smiled, trying to put on a positive face.
After they were done eating they both cleaned up the dishes, as she washed the plates, he went and got the fishing equipment ready. “So everything done yet?” He said walking back in with the poles and tackle.
“Almost.” She looked up and smiled.
As she finished doing dishes, his phone rang, he answered, “Yes. No I'm not in town, I can't. What? Can't it wait? Shit, it's going to take me a few hours to get back into town.” He hung up.
“Um, I have to take a rain check on the fishing, there was a problem with one of the contracts and well they can't wait, it has to be fixed today. I'm the only one who can approve it, so I have to go back for a bit.”
“How long?” Jenna said disappointed she had been looking forward to just hanging out with him all day and doing nothing much.
“Shouldn't be but today. Take care of her Rufus, I'll stop and ask the deputy if he can run past here every once in a while, not that Mike should be out though.” Jeff said.
“He's not getting out yet, but I appreciate it my nerves are shot a bit.” Jenna admitted.
He came over gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Jenna, I'll miss you while I'm gone, you be careful okay?” He looked at her and kissed her on the lips before he left, it was a passionate kiss, all though it was short.
******
After he left the day seemed to slow to a crawl, she didn't feel like fishing by herself, so instead she just went out back and sat in the yard with a book. Every once in a while she would play with Rufus and throw his toy for him too. But in the end it was only Jeff she could think about, she missed him a lot.
“Shit, this isn't good.” She looked at Rufus. “You know what your damn daddy has me thinking?” The dog didn't answer her, but wagged his behind and picked up his toy dropping it by her feet.
Shaking her head she thought back to their child hood and growing up with Jeff, and then how they had gotten romantically involved while in high school. She had cared deeply for him, he had been her first true love. When he had come to her and said he wanted to date other people, she had been devastated, thought her world would end, and it nearly had. Mike was the next guy she'd ever date after Jeff, and had she ever really been happy?
It was a question that brought up a lot of memories that weren't happy, but more her just going along for the ride, or better yet settling on a second choice. Each time she would talk to Jeff she would find out he was dating someone new, she would feel her heart sink once again at the memory of those years long ago.
Mike had just been a fill-in, she was suddenly beginning to realize that, the point that hit her square in the forehead was that Jeff had been the only guy she'd ever even think of sleeping with. It was true, even when Mike had tried to convince her to have sex with the use of kisses, touches, and caressing, Jenna had always held strong.
But the truth was that when Jeff kissed her before he'd left, and it was passionate, yet short, she had wanted to sleep with him. Jenna had wanted to rip his clothes off and show him that she loved him just as much as he professed he loved her.
Wait, she stopped cold in her thoughts, I love him? She looked around at the beautiful scenery and at Rufus, and wondered. Do I love him and have I loved him all these years and only recently I filled the hole with a man, who didn't even match up to Jeff, not ever.
“Wow Rufus, you know what, he was right. How do we let love get so lost and hidden?” The dog looked at her, again wagging his butt, and bringing her the toy. She picked it up and threw it, she smiled, wondering just how much longer it would be before Jeff would drive up to the house.
“I can't wait.” She picked up her phone, dialing Jeff's number.
“Hello, everything okay?” Jeff answered the phone.
“Yes, it's fine, just wanted to see how much longer until you got here?” Jenna asked.
“Actually, I had just stopped at the corner store for a second in town and then I was coming out, so maybe fifteen minutes.” Jeff answered.
“Stay there, I'm coming to meet you, I have something that needs to get done.” Jenna said.
“Okay, what's so important.” He asked.
“You'll see.” Jenna hung up the phone and went to get her keys and go into town.
On the way in she called the small sheriff's office and asked for the name of the local judge,
getting it she hung up and phoned him. After she was done with him she smiled and hung up, Jeff would be shocked she was sure, but hell she would be happy, finally.
“Hey, come with me.” Jenna said as she found Jeff standing by his car.
“Where are we going?” Jeff asked.
“Just down the street.” Jenna stated. The town was all of two streets so the judge's address was very simple to find, they pulled up on the outside of the house.
“Who lives here?” Jeff inquired.
“The judge, he's going to marry us. I love you Jeff, it just was hidden a bit inside. I want to marry you, because I'll be damned if I'm waiting any longer to have sex.” Jenna said determined.
“Alright, I don't have a problem with this, how about a witness?” Jeff asked.
“Everything is taken care of I called him on my way in to town.” Jenna stated.
“So soon your going to be Mrs. Zest, attorney at law?” Jeff asked.
“Sure, but I plan on having a few kids too, so don't think it's just going to be me and you.” Jenna laughed.
“Don't forget Rufus.” Jeff said.
“Oh never, I love you Jeff, let's get married.” Jenna said.
He took the ring back out of his pocket and placed it on her finger, “better, let's go.”
It took all of ten minutes to get married, they we're tempted to leave one of the cars in town, but decided to drive back to the cab
in s
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