CHAPTER 7 johnnie THEN
johnnie
THEN
His sweatshirt is wadded up in a ball in my arms when I open my eyes the next morning. I had fallen asleep on our way back and he woke me up so gently, hand on my lower back as he walked me to the window and helped me climb back through. My skin tingles with the reminder of his touch.
Peeling my shorts down and stepping into the welcoming water, I scrub every square inch of my body with my cucumber melon body wash. Bubbles, along with mud from last night, gather at my feet.
Stepping out, I hear voices. Nan has got to stop turning the TV up so loud.
I crack the door, steam billowing into the hall, and I’m met with silence.
I step toward the living room, gripping the towel around me with one hand, and running fingers through my damp hair with the other.
My steps come to a halt when I find Nan and Collins sitting side by side on barstools, sipping coffee like two old friends.
Nan covers her mouth with her hand, and I don’t miss the way Collins’ eyes move from mine, down to my toes, and back up.
They snag briefly on my chest before landing back on mine eyes again.
He brings a fist up to cover his mouth, elbow on the counter, while clearing his throat. “Better get dressed, I’m about to take you out and teach you how to drive a four-wheeler. Hurry up, before Nan changes her mind. I just talked her into letting you go.”
Turning around to head back to my room I hear Nan: “Only because he’s so cute. You two better be careful.”
Oddly enough, I’m not really embarrassed that I just flashed a half-naked body to a boy I barely know. The heat of his gaze on me lingers as I make quick work of getting dressed.
“What do you want for breakfast?” Collins looks my way briefly, then back to the road ahead.
My eyes hitch on his forearm draped across the steering wheel.
Are forearms hot? Is that a thing? Because the veins running just beneath the surface and the roughness of his calloused hand send a warmth through me and my dang heart starts fluttering again.
“Hello? Johnnie? Breakfast?”
I can feel my cheeks heat and I quickly take my gawking eyes off him and play with the lace lining the hem of my tank top. “Umm, I think it would be considered lunch since it’s after noon.”
“Right, but you haven’t eaten, so it’s breakfast for you. Or we can call it brunch? Look, I don’t care what we label it, I’m just hungry and I promised Nan I would feed you.”
Warm air moves through the cab, as we cruise with the windows down.
“There’s an old root beer stand just outside of town, Sonny’s. I love their chili dogs and cherry limeade.”
“Sonny’s it is.” He smiles at the road and reaches a hand over to pat my thigh, skyrocketing my heart rate and my breath catches in my throat.
A few minutes later we’re pulling onto the cracked pavement of the old parking lot. “Let’s get you that dog and limeade. It better be good, because I’m getting the same thing.” He playfully slaps my arm.
This is the old fashioned kind of root beer stand, where you order your food then they bring it to your car. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, and I get the same thing every time.
Sitting in his truck, I lean back and put my feet on the dash as we start digging into the food he insisted on buying.
Collins picks up his chili dog at the same time as me and reaches out, taps mine, and says, “cheers.”
Watching him take a huge bite, sauce oozing out and covering his lips, a giggle escapes.
“There’s no polite way to eat these things, you gotta just go for it.” He licks the corners of his mouth and mine goes dry.
There’s none of my usual aversion to eating in front of guys. I just kick back and eat.
Collins slaps a helmet on his head. It’s dark green and black and he eyes me through the open front visor, offering me a pink and black one. “Why didn’t we wear helmets last night?”
“Because I was driving, beautiful. And I’m an expert. I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you.” His smirk kills me every single time.
“An expert, huh?” I raise a brow at him and smile.
“Yeah, just stick around, and you’ll see.” Now he winks at me, and my heart picks up speed, like it always does when I’m with him.
He steps up so we’re toe to toe and gently places the helmet on my head with the visor open, hands resting on my shoulders.
“Okay, first thing’s first.” He starts pointing out the ignition, kill switch, throttle, brakes, gears, and parking brake.
He pops the visor closed. “Go ahead and hop on, I’ll be right behind you. ”
Swinging my leg over and grabbing the handlebars, I sit down and his warm chest immediately connects with my back. His brawny thighs encase mine and he places one hand gently around my stomach and the other on my thigh. It’s hard to breathe with him so close, but I try my best.
We start moving through the trails, everything looking a bit different in the daylight.
I’m catching on quickly as he holds me from behind and yells commands from time to time.
We’re on a fairly straight and level path when the hand he’s had on my thigh starts to tighten.
Just when he starts to almost knead my leg, I get so caught off guard, I miss a gear and we sputter to a stop.
He doesn’t say a word, just pulls his helmet off, and I turn to look over my shoulder.
Strong hands grasp my hips, and I feel him grab under my thigh, turning me around in the seat.
My leg swings over his, resting on top and my hands find his shoulders, while his are perched on my waist. Neither of us say a word.
There’s a strong current moving through us and I’m sure he feels it, too.
Reaching up, he carefully removes the helmet from my head, and I rake my fingers through my hair.
He watches the movement, then catches my hands in his on their way back down, eyes darting between my eyes and lips.
“Are you going to kiss me?” My words come out on a shaky breath and his eyes light up.
“That depends.” He smiles so big I can see the gap I’ve started falling more in love with each time he dons it.
“On what?” I say, with a smirk of my own.
“Are you going to kiss me back?” His expression turns from playful to full of lust.
I don’t know what comes over me but I don’t answer. I just move my face toward his. Even though my insides are frantic, I put on a confident smirk, tilt my head slightly and press my lips to his.
The minute we make contact I can feel his gasp and he keeps his lips gently pressed to mine.
His hands move from my hips to my ass and he squeezes and pulls me closer in one motion.
My hands find his neck, thumbs grazing his jawline, and he opens his mouth and deepens the kiss.
Trailing a hand up my back, it makes its way to the back of my head and he grasps my hair, making me moan slightly.
As soon as he hears my pleasure, something in him snaps and his movements become more urgent—delving his tongue in to tangle with mine.
Tension builds inside me and I’m only spurred on more when he scoots even closer and I can feel the hard bulge of his jeans press into my own center.
“Fuck.” With a pained look, he leans back and swipes a hand down his face.
My stomach bottoms out.
Why did he stop? Did I read this wrong? Oh god, maybe I’m a bad kisser.
He’s certainly not, but maybe I am.
“I’m sorry, I just thought…” I start to say.
“Don’t be sorry for any damn thing, I was afraid maybe I’m moving too fast for you.
” His look of concern makes my heart stutter.
“Look, Johnnie. I forget sometimes that you’re only seventeen.
I didn’t bring you here to get in your pants, I swear.
I don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable. ”
“I’m almost eighteen,” I try, pleading.
He smiles with heavy eyelids, and I see his throat bob on a swallow, like he wants to devour me, and places his hands on both my thighs, the way he rubs them more comforting than sensual now.
“Okay, almost-eighteen-year-old, let’s return you home safe and sound and revisit this conversation in the near future.”
I hope it’s the very near future.