Page 183 of Johnny

And I’m sorry if this makes me a bad person, but having Johnny by my side when this whole thing

goes down makes me feel a whole lot better about being Mrs. Captain Hook.

Because I don’t want to do it alone.

“Here,” Johnny says, offering me his hand as he stands on the deck, dripping with water. “Let me

help you.”

It’s like he’s reading my mind. Like he heard those thoughts and this is his offer.

I accept his hand and let him pull me out of the water. And then we just stand there. Hands begin to

wander immediately. Mine find the flappy back pocket of his soaking-wet shorts and his come up to

cup my face.

We kiss like that.

I’m filled with uncertainty and doubt but this kiss is like a promise. The seal on a deal, so to speak.

And when he pulls back I open my eyes and just stare at him.

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get out of these wet clothes. This night isn’t over yet.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready for more.” But I let him lead me down below, our wet feet leaving small

puddles as he takes me into his room and opens his closet.

“Holy shit,” I say. “Nice closet. My room doesn’t have anything like that.”

He walks inside the closet, grinning. “To be fair, you don’t have any clothes here. Yet. We’ll have

to remember to go back to the bungalow and pick up all your stuff.”

And that makes me think about those presents he bought me. Why did he do that? Was he planning

this all along?

God, it’s so hard to trust him. He’s so good at manipulating people.

“Here,” he says, tossing me a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. “Put those on.”

I strip out of my wet clothes and change. He does the same and exits the closet wearing nothing but

a pair of sweat pants cut off at the knees.

My eyes linger on his upper body. The hard, sculpted muscles of his chest and the strength hiding

under the curve of his shoulders. All those secret words inked on his arms in a long-forgotten

language.

He stops to stare at me too. Then he blinks and walks forward, taking my hand to lead me out of the

bedroom.

“Where are we going now?”