33
CLAIRE
Ipace Johnny’s foyer while I wait for him to arrive. Each minute is longer than the last, but the second the doorknob turns, and his gorgeous face appears, it’s like the world slows and time halts and all is right in the universe.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried I’d never see him again. His job is dangerous enough when his boss isn’t plotting against him to fail. It’s been incredibly nerve-wracking not knowing how he would react to actually seeing that package in Johnny’s possession.
“You’re okay.” I rush to wrap my arms around him, nearly knocking him down in the process.
He embraces me and kisses the top of my head. “I am.”
And like he had done to me earlier, I break away from him and motion to his stomach. “Um?”
Johnny fumbles to pull the same daunting package out and tosses it onto the counter. “He told me to keep it.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t really care. Not right now.” Johnny pulls me to him, his body finally able to get closer to mine without the package being there to interfere. He runs his hand up along my neck until he’s cupping my cheek. “All I could think about was getting back to you.”
“Yeah?” My voice is barely a whisper.
Johnny leans forward and gently grazes our noses together, his mouth skimming mine. “Yeah.”
I push forward, not wanting to waste any more time without being as close to him as possible. I press my lips against his and drag my fingers up under his shirt.
The softness of the initial kiss fades into a frenzy of heated passion with our tongues desperately dancing together.
I didn’t know it was possible to crave someone so intensely.
He runs his hand down my torso and grips my waist while keeping the other tangled in my hair.
I grasp the hem of his shirt and drag it over his head.
“Claire,” he says breathily.
I continue kissing him, not wanting it to ever end. I reach for my own top and he stops me.
“Claire,” he repeats, this time louder.
“Did I do something wrong?” I don’t understand. I really thought we were on the same page here.
“No, never.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “It’s just…”
“Are you not attracted to me?”
Johnny chuckles. “That’s definitely not it.”
“Then why do you keep shutting me down?” I fight back tears I didn’t realize were forming. His resistance seems like some sort of rejection. Maybe I’ve gotten all the signals crossed and he’s not into me the way I think he is. Which makes no fucking sense at all considering everything we’ve been through.
His green gaze studies my face. “I don’t want to shut you down, trust me, I don’t…I just…I don’t want to rush you.” Johnny wipes a rogue tear off my face that escapes. “You’ve been through so much, Claire. I want you to be sure.”
“But I am,” I tell him.
“You’re too important to me, and if we need to wait, we can.”
I try my best to keep my emotions from boiling over. “You could have died today.” I stare up at him. Something terrible could have happened to me earlier, too.
“I didn’t, though. And I don’t want that to be some default reason we do this.”