When The Tempest Meets A Storm

Chapter 36: Deny Her

I would have added this scene the previous chapter, but I felt it's best this scene is present on its own :) 

xx

SSC

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Elise gasped awake. She heard it this time, a clear voice in her head. Her heart was racing frenetically. Her feet moved in frantic movements against the mattress when she tried to sit up. She took deep shallow breaths while trying to calm her raging pulse. Her head throbbed insistently and painfully.

Johnny was stirred awake from her movements.He opened his eyes to be immediately greeted by dark but he could see the outline of her form sitting up beside him.

“Smiles?” He called into the night. He was alerted by the ragged breathing that he heard from her.

He sat up and quickly turned on the bedside lamp before turning to her again.

Elise was snapped out of her thoughts when the light flickered on, illuminating the room. She squinted reflexively from the sudden light, her headache worsened from the intensity of the light.

“I am fine.” The words left her lips easily, despite being the complete opposite of fine. She was terrified, what the hell just happened? She felt like someone had literally put a hand into her mind and muddled about in there.

The worst part was. She couldn’t remember what the voice had uttered. It was just an echoing deep hum in the back of her mind.

“Like I’ll believe that.” Johnny scoffed disbelievingly from beside her. She scowled and turned away, she didn’t know how she felt about Johnny being there. Part of her was happy she didn’t wake up alone and scared, but at the same time she didn’t want him seeing her so—weak.

“Here.” She was surprised to find him offering a glass of water to her. Wordlessly she reached out to take it.

Johnny watched her intently. Her hands were trembling slightly when she accepted the drink. He could tell from her passive expression that she was trying to hide it. She took a small sip. The water stained her lips, making them glisten in the light.

“I’ll get the aspirin.” He announced.

“No don’t.” She cut in hastily.

Johnny ignored her protest “Where is it?” he asked.

Her scowled had deepened down at the rippling water in her glass. Johnny was perturbed by her lack of a response and chose to ask again.

“Smiles, just tell me I’ll go—“

“What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” He was startled by her venomous tone and brutal glare directed at him.

Realizing she had sounded harsher than planned, her expression immediately softened into one of guilt.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry.” She breathed, paling. Johnny eyebrows knotted in guarded question, she sighed and averted her gaze.

 “I don’t take pills.”

“What?”

“Pain killers—I don’t take them.” She stated, stiffly.

“Is this some pain-is-weakness-leaving-the-body motto of yours?”

“No, it’s more my-mom-was-a-pill-popper-I-don’t-want-to-be-her, motto.” She bit back, he tensed.

His cool hard gaze melted to one of sadness. He was seeing her for who she truly was in that moment. Despite her bravado and stubbornness in that moment, he had never seen her more vulnerable.

“I know it’s irrational—“

“No it isn’t. I get it.” He didn’t want her to explain herself, he understood well. The fear of being a mirror version of a wayward parent figure was something he shared with her.  

A shaky exhale left her lips, the tension in her shoulders melted away. Elise was not looking forward to explaining herself, but she knew Johnny would understand—he always did.

“I didn’t know.” He whispered apologetically with a doleful expression on his face.

 “How could you? I never told anyone.” She murmured, busying her hands by pulling the bed sheet over her body and tucking the material under her arms.

Despite being naked, she felt exposed from the inside. She had relieved a part of her to him that she never had to anyone else—not even Jeremy.

“Maybe you should go; I am not that fun to be around right now.” He knew she was masking her qualms with reasonable words. He smiled. He wasn’t going to fall for it.

He shifted closer, his arm brushing against hers. Elise immediately tensed at the contact but Johnny didn’t stop. He leaned down and pressed a doting kiss to the side of her face.

“You are sexy when you are irritable.” He purred sensually, his lips brushing against her ear lobe. She trembled at the deep, resonating tone in his voice. Steeling herself against his advances, she shot him a warning look.

“Johnny.” She said sternly.

“Smiles.” He acknowledged warmly. The dazed idiotic grin across his face disarmed her. The smile that curved her mouth was involuntary, the throbbing in her head began to elevate.

Seeing her smile, he was consumed in a wave of protective male instinct.

 “Come here.” He whispered, leaning further into the head of the bed and offering her his cloth covered lap.  She watched him with indecision in her bright green eyes.

He tilted his head to the side, curiously “What are you so scared of?”

“I am not scared.” She rebutted.

He flashed a mocking grin, his heaven-blue eyes gleaming in amusement.

“Prove it.” He goaded.

She scowled and glared into his eyes. This was dangerous cuddling territory. She could see herself easily fall into his open arms and lose herself in his kisses and beautiful eyes. But she didn’t want to be a coward, Elise always had an undeniable urge to prove people wrong—she figured it’s a trait she got from her uncle.

Clutching the blanket to her chest, she reluctantly moved towards him. With a few awkward and clumsy movements, she positioned herself on his lap. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, she sat stiffly.

Johnny shifted under her, one arm curved behind her while the other stilled her thighs.

“Comfortable?” He asked looking to her. She craned her neck to the side to frown at him before averting her gaze to her lap.

“I feel like a kid.” She grumbled glumly. She expected him to retort with some witty comeback that made her feel even more agitated.  But instead, with a gentle touch he turned her face to him by the chin and pressed his lips against hers.

She was dumbstruck at first but soon melted into the warmth of his mouth. Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed back. His arms around her, tightened possessively. His hand that was resting on her thigh moved up, he buried his fingers into her thick, ebony tresses.

Elise trembled in his hold. Her heart was racing under the attention of his silken lips, she felt like she was being healed by them. Her headache was soon forgotten along with the voice that seemed to be calling her name.

When his mouth left hers, she felt cold. She spurred into action, wrapping her arm around his neck and leaning up, claiming his mouth again. Johnny was startled at first but then he relaxed, his lips curving into a smile against hers, charmed by her bold ways.

 He wondered in a blissfully wistful way, if he could ever deny her or ever want to.