Page 4 of Embracing the Consequences

“Yesterday.” She spoke softly. “Marlie took me.”

Johnny sighed and closed his eyes; he held her tighter and took deep steadying breaths. Her messy blond hair smelled likevanilla and caramel, like her, sweet and comforting. Like she usually was. She put up a great front. She was a hard-ass on the exterior, but she was sweet like candy on the inside, and he hated that he was killing her by pushing her away.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to take you,” he murmured, keeping his eyes closed.

Her hands squeezed his arms gently, but she otherwise kept quiet.

“I’m sorry I’ve checked out this week,” he whispered, feeling guilty.

Kara finally let go of his arms. She turned in his embrace, and he slid his hands down her body and wrapped them around her waist instead. He rested his forehead against hers, feeling the tears well up behind his closed eyes.

Kara wrapped her arms around him just as the sob tore out of his chest. His body shook, and he clutched her to him tightly, needing that lifeline. To him, she was the most important thing in the world. She was the love of his life, and he needed her more than air.

His knees buckled as sobs tore from his chest uncontrollably. Kara lowered them to the bathroom floor. He held her to him, pulling her into his lap as he cried on her shoulder.

She held him as tightly as he clutched her. Her hands rubbed his back, his shoulders, his buzzed head. She murmured soft words of comfort and rocked him slowly. She was his light in the darkness, his anchor in the storm, and he hoped she never let go.

Kara eventually slid fromJohnny’s lap as his sobs slowed and his breathing calmed. “Let’s get you showered,” she murmured softly and grabbed his hand. The shower was still running, probably cold by now, but they both needed to wash before the long day ahead of them.

She helped him to his feet and gently started undressing him. She started with his cut and carefully laid it on the bathroom counter, showing it the respect it deserved. Then she moved to his hoodie and shirt, helping him pull them over his head. She let his clothes fall to the floor, not worried about them.

His fingers were slow, and he fumbled with his belt, as they still shook slightly. She gently pushed them aside and undid his belt and jeans for him, the ones he had been wearing the night before. From the smell of him, he’d probably been in the same clothes for a couple days.

It was no matter. She crouched down and reached for the laces on his boots, pausing as a wave of nausea rolled through her. She had to breathe through it to concentrate on the task before her. She had a long day ahead of her; she would have to pack some crackers to nibble on throughout the day.

“How’s your knee?” Johnny asked as she pulled off his boots.

She shrugged. “It’s alright. Physical therapy is down to once a week starting next week. I have exercises I do at home, but it’s mostly strength training at this point. I’ll see the PT for a couple more weeks just to make sure I’m not reinjuring anything, but I’m mostly in the clear there. But with the cast off my wrist… I start PT on that twice a week next week.”

“So still three days a week?” he asked wryly and moved toward the shower.

She followed him in. “Nah, they’ll roll the knee appointment into one with the wrist and I’ll only have to go twice a week.”

Johnny nodded and slipped into the water stream. He hissed and adjusted the temp.

“Cold?” she asked, a soft smile on her face.

He shook his head. “Hot. Tankless hot water heater, remember?”

Her eyes widened, and she moved closer to him, feeling the water. “Babe, we have multiple showerheads in here.” He motioned to the one behind her that hadn’t been turned on.

She shrugged. “I want to be close to you,” she murmured.

His bright blue eyes darkened with desire, and his hand shot out and wrapped around the side of her neck. He hauled her against him without saying a word. The kiss that followed was pureneed. Kara was glad she had brushed her teeth when she did. She still worried he might taste something unsavory on her tongue, but by the intensity of his kiss, there was nothing to worry about.

She closed her eyes and gave herself over to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her naked body to his as warm water cascaded down from the rainfall showerhead.

Johnny’s hands were like iron on her hips as he hoisted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed her back into the cool tile. He didn’t waste a moment of time, lining himself up at her entrance and sliding home. She groaned into the kiss and arched her back. She was still sore from their time together the night before against the wall of the clubhouse.

Johnny growled into her mouth as if he was thinking the same thing. He broke the kiss and kissed down her jaw to the very purple hickey he had sucked into her skin the night before. “Fuckingmine.” He growled before he bit down on the tender flesh of her neck.

She cried out, her walls fluttering around him. Shock slammed through her at how quickly she had orgasmed. The pain of his bite was such a stark contrast to the pleasure the orgasm had torn out of her. “Johnny.” She panted.

“Every fucking person today is going to know exactlywhoyou belong to,” Johnny growled into her ear.

“Yes, sir,” she agreed, barely able to hold onto his shoulder as he fucked her harder.

“You’ve been so fucking good this week,” he stated, his voice rough. “I’ve been watching you: organizing the old ladies, the caterers, the activities for kids.” He fucked her while he spoke, each thrust punctuated by his words. “You’ve shown everyone how you’re the top bitch around here.”

---