Page 43 of Too Close To Call

I run my fingers through Daisy’s golden locks again. Her hair is so soft and curls around my fingers as it dries. I swallow down the emotion clogging my throat. Two weeks, that’s all the time we have left.

Long after we end the call, I continue to sit with Daisy passed out on my leg, letting myself wonder what a life with these two would be like.

Indescribable.

Extraordinary.

Perfect.

CHAPTER 14

TORI

If I wasn’t sure before that something still existed between me and Case, all doubts have been put to rest.

After seeing Daisy off with Ryan on Saturday, Case drove four hours to Duke Medical Center to sit and wait another four hours before he drove me back to his house. It was late when the ferry docked on Faire Island and Case decided I would be more comfortable at his home than at the cottage.

I put up no argument. The closer I can be to the man, the better I like it. I do feel bad making him wait on me. I like my independence, but if someone has to help me eat, brush my hair, and change my clothes, I’m glad it’s Case.

I have two more weeks before I have to go home and I have no idea where things stand with us. I know he wants me, as evidenced by the front bulge of his shorts when he helped me in the shower on Sunday. There’s a wall between us that refuses to crumble, though. I’ll think it’s gone and he’s finally let me in, and the next moment the distance is back.

There isn’t anything visible, but I feel him separating from me.

Case called into work this morning and told the guys he wouldn’t be in and is at this very moment making a divine-smelling breakfast for me. My stomach growls. I wonder if I have enough time to run to the bathroom and put a little lip gloss on and maybe mascara.

I decide against such a move because, with only one hand, I’ll end up looking like a clown. I’m going to have to be happy with clean teeth and brushed hair. Not very sexy, I’m afraid. I hold up my throbbing hand and frown. Saturday night was supposed to be our “go” night and I put a stop to that with this stupid knife incident.

“Here ya go,” Case says as he comes into the bedroom with a wooden bed tray overflowing with food.

He has on a pair of sweats sitting low on his hips and no shirt. I swallow and try to ignore my attraction to all those ripped muscles on full display. He always could make my mouth dryer than the desert and between my legs flood with desire.

I force my gaze away from the defined V that starts near his hips and disappears beneath the band of his sweats to the tray he’s carrying. My stomach growls again. “Oh my gosh, Case. This is incredible. You do know there is no way I can eat this much.”

He grins and the scruffy whiskers shading his face make him tastier than the food on the tray.

“I was hoping you’d say that. I plan on joining you.” He places the tray over my legs, being careful of my hand resting on two pillows to keep it elevated. Then he takes a seat beside me on the bed.

I wish he’d have joined me last night. Spending the night in his arms would have been wonderful. I might have even been able to sleep. He used the excuse of not wanting to hit my hand, but I’m not sure I buy that. I pointed out he could sleep on the opposite side, but he nixed that idea too.

Case hands me a fork. “Eat up so you can take your morning medicine. I thought you might like to sit out on the deck some this afternoon.”

I take a bite of fluffy, buttery eggs. “I would like that. I know I’ve said it before, but your house is beautiful.”

“I’ve always loved this house and it kept me busy renovating. It’s still a work in progress. There are a few things I have left to do.”

“Thank you for taking care of Daisy. When I talked to her this morning, she was nothing but Case this and Case that. You made an impression, but more than that, you made her feel safe and loved when it could have been a scary time for her.”

“That was easy to do. She’s a great kid. There were a couple of incidences that I hope don’t scar her for life, but on the whole, I think we got along fine.”

“Oh, really? Do tell.”

“Somehow, she flipped the television from the kid network I had it on to a, shall we say, non-kid network. Thankfully, all she was concerned with was the dress the lady was wearing… until she took it off. I jumped over the couch to turn it off before anything else could happen. I should have thought to put a parental lock on the service.”

I chuckle, imagining the look of horror on Case’s face. “Why would you ever think about that? You’ve never had any reason to.”

“I have already blocked those channels so nothing like that is ever going to happen again.”

I wonder if he notices he made a reference to spending more time with me and Daisy. “You said two issues. What was the other one?

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