Out of my Control

Chapter Thirteen

"Bitch, you are in Italy!" Josh shrieks through the phone. Pulling it away from my ear, out of the corner of my eye Johnny starts chuckling. Whatever Josh says I don't hear it, as I stare at Johnny's naked chest and how low those sweatpants hang on him. "Kat! I know you can hear me."

"Joshy pooh, I will call you back later."

Tossing my phone on the table after ending the call abruptly, I know I will not hear the end of it, but it will be damn worth it. Johnny strides up to me and wraps his arms around me. I can never get enough of his touch. It shouldn't feel like this, but it does.

"You know he is not going to let you off the hook for long."

Don't I know it. "How's your dad?" Changing the subject because I do feel guilty for not telling my best friend. But I really didn't know until the last minute.

"He'll live." He chuckles and then kisses my neck. How do I always melt under his touch? "We got three days to explore if you like, then I have to head back. Or would you like to go back home?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Spinning around so I can face him. "Never in my wildest dreams would I think I would be here. I don't know about you but I'm staying."

His lips claim mine and I never get tired of him kissing me. "You think I would miss spending time with you." Where the hell have you been all my life? "I have somewhere special I would love to show you."

"Lead the way." Eager to explore I rush to the door but stop when I hear Johnny groan.

"I hope you are not leaving like that." Looking at what I'm wearing I blush. "Angel as much as I love seeing you wear next to nothing. I don't want to end up in jail." When I don't say anything a rumble escapes deep within his chest. "Any man in their right mind would try and get to you."

"Oh!" That's not true but it makes heart flutter and my stomach tie in knots and not in a bad way.

"Trust me, love." Is he trying to kill me here? "You truly don't see your worth, but you I do." He winks at me as he walks back to the bedroom and I'm left standing there like an idiot. "Come on Katrina, we got places to go."

Right! 

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He really needs to stop smiling at me like that. I already am in way over my head with this guy. Taking my hand, we walk out of the hotel and down the street. "It's not too far and it's a beautiful day for a walk." Not going to argue with you there." The whole time we walk the smile does not leave my face. We talk about everything and nothing that matters really but it's the most I have ever talked to anyone besides Josh. None of my ex-boyfriends were truly interested in what I cared about but Johnny is. "Here we are. Libro delle Meravigile."

"Book of Wonders. I like the name." Opening the door if it could my jaw would hit the floor like those silly cartoon characters. "It's..." I'm at a loss for words. Floor to ceiling shelves of books. "I've never seen a bookstore like this in person." I could spend hours, if not days in here.

"Johnny, caro. È passato molto tempo." (Johnny, dear. It's been a long time.) A beautiful woman comes towards us, and I shy away. How the hell do they know each other?

"Bianca. It's only been a couple of years." I shouldn't get jealous when she kisses his cheeks, but I do. 

"Chi abbiamo qui?" (Who do we have here?)

Johnny grabs my hand and pulls me close to his side smiling down at me. Stupid heart, stop fluttering like crazy. "This is my girlfriend, Katrina." His what?! We never...did we? I'm not sure anymore. But damn I like the sound of that.

"Piacere di conoscerti, Bianca." (Pleasure to meet you, Bianca.) Maybe...hopefully. I'm not sure just yet.

"Oh, she is a keeper, Johnny." Okay, I like her now.

"Definitely is." Smiling at me he explains how he met Bianca at training camp before he decided joining the army wasn't for him. "So, are you out of the service for good?"

"Yeah, nana got sick, and I took over the bookstore. Please take a look around and before you leave, we definitely need to catch up. Oh, and Katrina don't take no merda (shit) from this one here. Capito."

"Got it." I smile. Letting go of Johnny's hand I begin to explore. So many first editions and books so rare that I would probably spend a good chunk of my savings here.

"Anything you like?" I jump as his arms wrap around me. I was so engrossed into looking I did not hear him sneak up on me.

"Everything! This place is beautiful."

"You haven't seen anything yet, angel. We can always come back here; this was just the first spot." We say goodbye to Bianca as she hands a bag to Johnny with us promising to have lunch together before we leave.

"Where to next?"

"You'll see." I really hate when people say that. "It's about a ten-minute walk."

"How often have you been to Italy?" He seems to know his way around pretty well.

"My grandfather is originally from Italy. So, we would spend some of our summers here until I hit high school and then it was about three years since we laid him to rest in his home country."

"I'm sorry about that." Leaning closer to him.

"Don't be. He lived a long and wonderful life. When it's our time to go, it shouldn't be about mourning a loved one but celebrating their life." I know he is right, but I know it would break my heart for anyone I cared about and loved deeply to pass away. "This is our next stop." Standing in front of Trevi Fountain, I take in the sight. "Katrina, angel." Turning towards him I see hesitation in his eyes.

"Everything alright?"

"About earlier." Oh, God! He didn't mean it, did he?

"It's fine, Johnny. Really." That is a complete lie, but I will not let it show how disappointed I am.

"No, it's not." Great, I really am going to cry. "I should have asked you properly." What?! "I know we have gone about things completely opposite of what we should. You are my angel and well, I hope...Shit! I am no good at this."

"I think you are doing okay, so far." 

He chuckles as he kisses my hands. "Be my girlfriend. I said I was all in before, but I realized that I never properly asked you."

"Yes, I'd love to." Picking me up he spins me around laughing. That smile of his makes me putty in his hands. I see people staring but I couldn't care less.

Crashing his lips to mine, I hear cheers and clapping around us, and this feels like a damn fairytale. "Fuck, I love you."

"You, what?"

Johnny looks just as stunned as I do. "Shit, I didn't mean to say that."

Way to ruin the fantasy of this fairytale. What the hell do I say to that?