Johnny thought that it would be a while before he stopped feeling a rush of relief pass through him when he was able to be close to Mary and not fear that there might be some fallout from it on her end, or that he was making a hasty decision based on pressure and not real feelings. The new touch of her fingers on his chest made his dead heart skip, filled his body with a fiery warmth, and her kiss gave his arms goosebumps.
He'd really not felt that since Katie, and he was astounded that he was able to.
What that meant for him was that he had made the right choice. That he belonged with the woman who was standing in this room with him now. That whatever they had in her future, that was the correct result. And he was a lucky man to get to experience it before he was fully broken down.
Selfishly, he was also a lucky man that due to their situation, he'd never have to let her go.
Johnny didn't let her go easily, but he realized that neither of them were quite in the right physical condition to let the moment go much further. They were both still healing, and that extended to mental fortitude as well. If he didn't take a moment to really let it sink in that he'd been stone cold dead, he might not ever accept it as reality. Which would be dangerous to everyone.
"It sounds a little silly, but would you just lay with me for a while?"