Page 48 of His Last Shot
Huh. She’s shy. Plus, this tender, fatherly vibe Johnny is sporting right now … well, I like it very much.
Pretty sure my ovaries just exploded.
He turns his attention back to me. “You ready?”
“I am.” I’m not, but I slip on my sandals anyway and lock the door behind me.
“Mallory, go ahead and get in the truck, sweetie.” She takes off like a rocket.
As I follow, I’m startled by a huge, calloused hand seizing my wrist, gently pulling me back. His touch … still burns, still ignites me, still leaves me breathless.
I shift, and Johnny intently watches as Mallory hops in the truck, waiting until she is out of earshot. “She has autism.”
“Ah,” I reply. “Well, that explains the no eye contact and hand shake rejection.”
With slow and easy steps, he walks to the truck. I follow. “I just wanted you to know. She doesn’t like crowds or new unfamiliar places, so that’s why she looked so fearful about going into the doctor’s office. Also, she doesn’t like to be touched by people she doesn’t know.”
“It’s no problem. I get it.”
“On days that Laura works at the hospital, Scott likes to leave work early to pick up Mallory, but today, he was stuck with one of the sub-contractors. There was a huge screw-up that he had to handle. So he asked me to get her.” He lets out an amused chuckle. “Which Mallorylovesbecause I always get her ice cream.”
Okay, it’s official, a new favorite Johnny feature has been unlocked. He’s obviously a huge family man. And, my Lord, does my heart explode with equal parts want and fear. “It’s fine, Johnny, really. I’m just grateful you could do this.”
One more thing that I find striking about this situation is … Johnny has never asked why I need to go to the doctor’s. He isn’t prying, giving me space and privacy. Which I appreciate more than he could ever know.
We reach the truck. He halts and inhales deeply as he skims me over from head to toe, a silent assessment passing between us. “You … you, um … you look really nice.” His eyes darken, and he swallows.
I internally high five myself at the choice to glam up because the way he is taking me in right now is telling me it was the right decision. Fire creeps up my neck at his compliment. “Thank you,” I mutter. Our eyes lock, unmoving, as something like a current in the ocean pulls us together.
He quickly glances away, not wanting to prolong the moment any longer than needed. More than anything, though, I want these little moments to last. But because of me, they are fleeting. I can’t be upset about it. He’s being a gentleman.
We make to his truck, and he opens the door for me. I climb in.
As soon as he settles in the driver’s seat, Mallory speaks up. “Your hair looks soft.”
Out of the blue, but okay.After what Johnny revealed about her, I go with it.
I swivel in my seat to take her in, noticing the way she’s concentrating on the squirrel outside her window. “Well, thank you.”
“I like to touch soft things,” she replies, her attention laser-focused on the squirrel.
Johnny gives her a stern warning. “Mallory, remember, boundaries.” She crosses her arms over her chest and pouts as she never breaks eye contact with the woodland creature.
“Soft things make me less nervous,” she admits so quietly I barely heard her.
Oh, my heart. I have a feeling I’ve really disrupted this girl’s day, so I need to remedy this.
“I’m sorry,” Johnny mouths to me.
“It’s okay,” I mouth back.
I shift in my seat. “Mallory, you can play with my hair if you want to. I don’t mind. Truthfully, it might calm me down and make me less nervous for my appointment. We could help each other that way.”
Her eyes light up as she looks at Johnny for permission.
He chuckles. “You heard her.”
Mallory scoots forward in her seat as far as the seatbelt will allow. I fan my ponytail out on the back of the seat, and immediately, her fingers glide through the strands.
