Another Heart Calls
By: IsisIzabel
Chapter 4
"I go wild
Wild because the chips are down
Wild because there isn't anybody else around
Wild when the waves start to break,
And God knows they're breaking in me now"
~ "Wild" by Poe
Maxie sighed softly and kicked the last of the sheet off her feet, moving her legs and finding that there was no cool place left on the bed sheet to lay. The summer night was sweltering, the temperature having steadily climbed the last few days. Humidity had settled in like a thick, damp blanket that was driving her crazy.
They were into their third week of isolation together, and both of them were edgy. The bond they had formed the first few days, weeks, of being trapped together was fraying the ends. They snapped, they bickered, and silence seemed more and more commonplace.
Maxie was ready to scream. By now someone had to have noticed they were both gone, so where was the Calvary?
Another sigh and she flopped on her left side, facing the wall, and trying to ignore Johnny's deep breathing beside her and the heat radiating off his body. She glanced over her shoulder, mildly annoyed and envious that he could sleep without a shirt on. She tugged the hem of her t-shirt up higher, trying to let some cooler air hit her skin.
The air was still wet and heavy. After several beats she sat up, contemplating taking a cold shower. Again.
"Would you stay still?" Johnny mumbled, his eyes still closed.
She glanced down at him. "I'm hot." She rolled up the oversized sleeves of her shirt to expose her shoulders. Maybe she would just take her shirt off. She doubted Johnny would mind.
His eyes opened, annoyance gleaming in them. "And I'm not? If you would settled down—"
Maxie rolled her eyes. "I have tried everything. It's too damn hot in this room!"
He pushed himself up on one elbow, the muscles in his chest bunching, rippling. "And you bitching about it isn't going to make the air conditioning magically come on!"
"Why don't you leave me alone and go back to sleep?" she hissed, glaring at him.
"Believe me, Princess, I'd love to," he retorted grimly, "but someone keeps waking me up every five goddamn minutes."
Her jaw clenched and she looked away, feeling dangerously close to tears. Again.
Johnny sighed beside her, sitting up fully. "Maxie, you need to find a way to take your mind off of it. Think of something else."
She sniffed and looked back, exhaustion etched into her face. "Like what?"
He smirked, his lips curving up slowly. "Those new shoes I owe you? The first store you'll go shopping in when we get out of here?"
The suggestions made her smile slightly, but it was tinged with sadness. "Is that really all you see?"
He went blank for a second, confused. "Is that…"
"Do you really just see me as some superficial shopaholic with nothing better to do than max out her credit cards and read Couture?"
He tilted his head to one side, his expression teasing. "Maxie, you openly admit you're a shopaholic and that Couture is your Bible."
She dropped her chin to her chest and breathed out slowly. "I know. But is that how you really think of me?"
He brushed his fingers against her shoulder over the thin material of her shirt. "Hey."
She looked up at him, guarded and ready for him to admit that's how he really felt. "It's OK," she said quietly, looking at a spot over his shoulder. "It's how everyone sees me."
"No, Maxie," he said firmly. "It's not how I see you. And you really don't give yourself enough credit. Most people would have cracked under these circumstances, and you haven't. Really, you're great. And if I have to be stuck in a room with someone, I'm glad it's you."
She smiled then, relieved. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he said, still smiling. He nudged her shoulder with his. "Now can we go to sleep?"
Maxie laughed softly, shaking her head. "I still can't. It's too hot."
He sighed loudly, rolling his head back and staring up at the ceiling. "Try counting sheep or something. Get your mind off it. Distract yourself by thinking of something else."
"Counting sheep?" she scoffed, shaking her head. "Please, Johnny, I'm not five." She glanced up at the darkened window, wondering what hour it was. The moon was full, casting a silver hue over the room.
Maxie jumped when she felt his lips land on the back of her arm, near her shoulder. She twisted, glancing at him as he moved one hand to her hip, rotating her towards him.
"What are you doing?" she stammered.
He looked up, his eyes dark and amused. "Distracting you."
His lips found the base of her throat and she felt herself leaning back, exposing the pale column of flesh for him. She swallowed roughly, spearing her fingers through his hair and keeping his mouth against her skin. She lifted her leg up and moved towards him, over him, until she was straddling his lap.
"God, that feels good," she said in a breath as his lips mapped out the curve of her jaw, his fingers outlined the smooth line of her hip. His fingers teased the soft skin her found beneath her shirt, skimming easily over the flat planes of her stomach and tracing the drawstring band of her pants.
He smiled against the base of her throat, nipping at the skin lightly. He hands moved up her back, under her shirt, exploring the skin he found. He pressed harder, kneading the flesh and he felt a shudder move through her.
Maxie gasped, closing her eyes and bowing her head until it rested on his shoulder, her arms wound around his neck. "Johnny—"
He turned his head and swallowed her sentence with a kiss, slanting his mouth over her lips and demanding entrance. She gave it willingly, submitting to the kiss for a second before she kissed him back, just as fervent and with just as much heat. Her tongue dueled with his for dominance, each asserting themselves.
He moved them suddenly, flipping Maxie onto her back and settling easily between her legs until he was cradled between her thighs. His hands moved higher yet, brushing the underside of her breast.
She moaned softly, the breath catching in her throat as she arched into his touch, encouraging him as best as she could. She moved her hands over his shoulders, feeling the muscles flex and relax under her touch. She raked her nails lightly down his back, amused and pleased when she heard him groan. He pressed against her center, letting her feel his arousal through the thin material of their sweatpants.
He flicked a thumb over one nipple, breaking their kiss and grinning down shamelessly at her when she cried out at the sensation. He rolled the tight nub between his fingers, watching her face flush in the moonlight.
Maxie's nails dug into his shoulders, holding on to him as she lifted her hips, rocking against him.
His eyes slid shut and he froze for a second, trying desperately not to lose it like an overeager teenage boy on prom night. "Dammit, Maxie," he muttered, shaking his head.
She smiled up at him, her gaze moving slowly from his face to the wall behind them and the bright red light that winked down at her.
She stiffened immediately; recoiling from his touch and tugging her shirt back down over her hips. "Johnny, stop."
His eyes snapped open, confused, and he did as she said, getting to his knees and letting her up. "What?"
She pointed behind him, her hand trembling. "The camera."
He twisted to see, his jaw dropping as he saw the tiny pinprick of light indicating the camera was on. "Fuck," he swore harshly, hanging his head. He finally looked back at her, apologetic. "I didn't think—"
"Forget it," she muttered quickly, hugging her arms around her middle.
He stood up suddenly, moving to the opposite side of the room, trying to calm his body down. "I should have remembered. I'm sorry, Maxie."
"It's OK." Her voice trembled along with the rest of her body. Despite the oppressive heat, she immediately missed the warmth of his body beside her. On top of her.
He nodded tersely, the silence stretching uncomfortably between them. He sighed suddenly, the noise startling and loud.
"I'm going to take a shower," he announced.
Maxie settled back against the pillows, watching as the light came on in the bathroom, illuminating his silhouette.
"I'm going to try and get some sleep," she told him, feeling the need to fill the void between them.
He nodded and shut the door, casting the room into darkness again. She heard the pipes groan as he turned on the shower.
Maxie slowly leaned back into the pillows, knowing that sleep would never come tonight. She curled on his side, pretending to sleep, though. She pretended not to notice when Johnny came out of the bathroom and gathered up his pillow and the extra blanket, taking extra care to be quiet. She acted like she didn't notice him creating a makeshift bed for himself on the opposite end of the room.
And she pretended it didn't bother her as he did it.