Opposites ➤ Johnny Storm

Chapter Fourteen

I finally had the lab all to myself! The happy couples were searching for a wedding band and I'm still not convinced Johnny knows where the lab is.

Being able to spread out and do my own research was completely liberating. Normally, Reed would have me help him or look over my shoulder and backseat research. Sue would complain about my music or try to have a distracting conversation. I was free to do my own experiment without them fretting over its explosive properties.

Getting level to the table, I checked the beaker before I would pour it in and create a tiny chemical bomb. "You know, I love the sight of you in a lab coat." I almost spilled all over myself as I jumped a couple feet in the air.

I set the chemicals down and started to turn and face the rude intruder on my peace. "You know better than to sneak up on me..." My words trailed off as I took in the sight that was granting me a nice break from my work.

Johnny stood against the opposite wall, his shirt thrown over his shoulder and his head tilted back.

Now over the years since we met, I've seen Johnny Storm shirtless a time or two and I've always prided myself with the fact that I don't even blink. But when caught off guard with a shirtless, sweaty Johnny, I blinked. I blinked a lot.

And he noticed.

An absolutely devilish grin filled his face as my cheeks tinted pinker than I thought possible. Quickly I took off my glasses and fixed my shirt, determined to look anywhere but him. "What are you doing here? I thought the lab caused you to break out in boredom."

He dropped his shirt to the ground and the soft noise caused my to jump. "I'm not here for the lab."

"Oh." Despite my best efforts, I looked up to see him watching me with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Do you need something?"

"Yes." He started towards me with slow deliberate steps, each one making my heart start beating faster.

I was completely mesmerized by his eyes that I didn't know how close he'd gotten until I felt the heat radiating from his body. "What's that?" My voice was breathy, like he had taken all the oxygen in the room. It certainly feels like he did.

"You." His face was an inch away from mine, but he didn't move any closer. He finally looked away from my eyes, following the movements of his hands as they let my hair down from the bun it was trapped in. Blonde waves tumbled over my face causing him to brush them back and entangle his fingers inside the mess.

Finally he leaned forward, closing the space between us. My eyes shut at the sensation of his lips on mine. I was almost adjusted to the new feeling of weightlessness when his hands went from my face to pick me up. He lifted me over the table and let go.

I landed hard on the ground, jolting awake, after I fell off my desk chair.

I only had a second to try and figure out what just happened before my door swung open. "Rory, it's time to-why are you on the ground?"

Remembering it was the night of Sue's bachelorette party, I got off the ground and fixed my hair. "No reason." I grabbed my purse and hurried out of the room. Of course she followed me towards the kitchen.

"So you were just sprawled on the ground for fun? That's weird even for you. What really happened?"

We got to the kitchen where Alicia was sitting with Reed, stopping their conversation and turning at our voices. "Fine, I fell asleep and fell off my chair. Happy?"

"Have you been having troubles sleeping?" Reed asked the same question he's been throwing my way for days now.

"A little." I opened the fridge and started looking for a water. "I keep waking up in the middle of the night." Shutting the door, I came face to face with the person I've been trying to avoid.