Page 77 of Johnathan
The rain had made the water turbulent and forceful. She tried desperately to flail her arms and legs in some sort of cohesive way to get to the surface, but nothing was working. Herwaterlogged boots were monstrously heavy and the sweatshirt she’d been wearing wasn’t much better.
Fire burned through her body. She wanted to pull in air more than she’d ever wanted anything before in her life. Darkness tinged the edge of her vision as she tried to fight her way to the surface.
Oh, fuck.
John was running as soon as he saw Abby wobble, but he was too late. Her body fell into the water, and she was gone. He didn’t hesitate, jumping straight into the river, reaching out in front of him in hopes of brushing against her.
John surfaced for air, and saw a hand fly out of the water only about fifteen feet in front of him. He dove back down, swimming with all his might, until he felt the thick fabric of Abby’s sweatshirt. He grabbed onto it and hauled her to the surface, before throwing her up onto the river bank.
John pulled his waterlogged and exhausted body out next to her, patting her back as she sputtered and gasped, fighting for a full breath of crisp forest air.
“Baby. Come on. You’re alright. Abby? Breathe, sweetheart.”
Abby finally opened her eyes. She rolled, until she was draped across his lap and up into his arms.
“There you are. Jesus, you scared me half to death.”
“H-how do y-you t-think I f-felt?”
“Fucking hunters. Can’t believe they’d be on my property like that. So fucking brazen. If I didn’t have to dive in after you, I would have hunted them down.”
“S-Sorry I s-stopped you f-from d-doing t-that.”
“No, baby. That’s not what I meant. Fuck, you’re like ice,” he said as he took her hand in his.
“So a-are you.”
“Shh. I’m fine. I need to get you back to the cabin, though.”
He noticed her adrenaline spike must have crashed, because she let her eyelids close as John stood and swept her up into his arms.
John jogged up the cabin steps and dipped her to open the door. She kept her eyes closed as he carried her through the house, the both of them dripping water all over the floor as he did.
“Sit here for one second.” He placed her down on the lid of the toilet seat. “I’m going to get a bath running and then we need to get you out of those wet clothes.”
“Why d-didn’t you just say you w-anted to get me n-naked?”
John turned towards her, knowing there was not a drop of amusement in his gaze.
“You almost fucking drowned out there, Abby. Jesus. If I hadn’t been right there…” His hands slid up under her sweatshirt and t-shirt, pulling the sopping wet material up over her face before he tossed it on the floor and moved on to remove her shoes and pants. “I don’t know why the hell I thought it would be a good idea to fish. Jesus.”
“I guess w-we need to a-add swimming lessons t-to the self-defense o-ones. That r-romantic r-rain from last night r-really fucked us t-today, huh?”
“I’ve got half a mind to not even let you sit in the bathtub.”
“I’m f-fine.” She stilled his frantic hands, and sat back on his heels. “I’d rather breathe you in t-than the river w-water, anyway.”
John shook his head.
“I’m fine.”
“Say that one more time and as soon as your ass is warmed back up, I’m putting you over my knee. You are not fine.”
She didn’t argue as he stripped her wet clothes away. The bath water was warm, not hot, so he settled his arm under her legs and scooped her up. Abby hissed as he placed her into the water.
“Is it too hot?”
“No, it f-feels great.” Her eyes closed and she submerged more of her body.