Page 33 of Defending Casey

Chapter 6

That night wasone for the record books. Nora had been so excited when Casey had picked her up at school. She’d fairly vibrated with energy but didn’t immediately start talking as soon as she jumped into the car and buckled herself into the car seat. Casey gave up trying to coax the news from her after a few questions.

All Nora would say was, “I gotta wait until I see daddy!”

Wow. The world had certainly begun to turn a little faster since Hale came home to Fool’s Gold.

Everything seemed to be moving in a strange fast-forward kind of motion.

It didn’t help that every time she saw him her heart pounded in her chest like she was still seventeen, but the rest of her body wanted him with the depth of her desire that had been building up over a decade.

To say that she would love to see him out of those cotton and Henley shirts and those jeans that looked like they had been molded onto his muscles was an understatement of the worst kind. If Hale said he wanted to make love to her she’d be hard pressed not to push him down into the grass out behind the house and let him take her under the stars.

Now, as she stood in the doorway watching Hale read a story to their daughter, she felt an ache settle between her legs while the cool air in the house against her skin made her feel a little feverish.

Hale, with his long muscular legs had his boots sticking out past the footboard of the bed, and Nora was cuddled up against him, her arm thrown over his stomach and her sleeping face pressed against his chest.

At that moment, a drop of drool fell from the corner of Nora’s mouth and onto his dark green Henley, Casey couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore.

Hale looked up at her, ready to shush her, but she arched a look at Nora, and he followed her gaze.

His head hung down until his chin touched his chest and she heard his soft sigh reach her ears.

“How long,” he whispered softly over Nora’s head, “has she been asleep?”

She made a show of thinking over his question only to answer with the absolute truth. “Probably since the second page. She ran herself ragged before you came for dinner. At least I know she does have a limit to her energy. Keep this up and I’ll have to have you over every night.”

Hale tilted his chin up and the look he gave her took her breath away. “Promise?”

Casey blew out a low, slow breath, struggling to keep herself calm and cool.

Right. Like that was going to happen with the way he was looking at her. She didn’t even know how to describe the look on his face; she just didn’t have the vocabulary for what she saw in his eyes.

But she wanted to give it a try.

She wanted to see that look staring at her again and again until she could discover what it meant. She wanted to know what the feelings were behind that look.

Casey realized that she hadn’t answered his question.

Pulling herself together, she stepped into the room and crossed to the side of Nora’s bed.

She put out a hand and took the book from his fingers. She set it on the bedside table and turned down the lamp to its nightlight setting, a barely there glow that kept complete darkness at bay.

As she started around the bed, she felt Hale’s hand glide down her arm. The simple, sensual touch made her shiver from head to toe.

Casey kept her gaze away from his for the moment. She was quickly losing the ability to keep her hands to herself and first things first, she had to get their daughter settled in bed. When she was at Nora’s side, she smiled at the gentle way that Hale lifted Nora off of his chest and together, they got her under her blankets and tucked in.

She pressed her cheek against Nora’s and whispered to her. “Goodnight, my sweetheart.”

As she stood up, she saw Hale brushing Nora’s hair back from her forehead. What made it so wonderful is that she could tell how much he loved Nora without him having to say a word. It was in every gesture and every second he spent with her.

Knowing how difficult his relationship with his father had been when he was younger meant that every one of his actions with Nora was even more beautiful. He gave Nora love and understanding that he had rarely received from his own father.

When Hale stood up his eyes were glittering with tears.

Could she love him any more than she already did?

Hale swallowed and she saw the way his throat worked. The way his Adam’s apple moved under his skin. He gave her a soft smile and spoke. “Thank you.”

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