His focus is on the TV, remote in hand as he flips through the channels.
His jaw has a bit of stubble, giving him a more roguish look. He didn’t shave this morning, and the dark circles under his eyes are gone.
His glasses though? They’re sitting on his nose, crooked as always.
“You seem like you’re feeling better than this morning.”
He nods, his eyes taking on that glazed look again before clearing.
“Yeah. Much. I’m not sure exactly what got into me. How are you feeling after… everything last night, and this morning?”
His eyes flick down to the flowers on the coffee table, and he frowns. But he doesn’t say anything.
“Well, I certainly could use a few days off,” I say, exhaustion creeping in my bones. It’s been an interesting few days between work and walking the energetic furballs, and well, everything else. “I think I’m due a brain break.”
He agrees, his eyes flicking back to my face with a pensive look, but then turns his attention back to the TV.
We fall into a companionable silence as we watch whatever mindless action movie he put on.
We’re about halfway through the movie when Casey’s phone buzzes on the coffee table, and he picks it up to see who’s texting.
He lets out a sigh that turns into a tired growl as he rubs his hand down his face.
“It’s the shop. They want to know if I can come in for a couple of hours for an emergency repair.” He says it as a statement, but looks at me as if asking permission.
“You gonna be okay here by yourself if I go?”
The question kinda rubs my feathers the wrong way, but the earnest look he gives me tells me he’s genuinely concerned and I deflate.
“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll take another nap, I think.”
He nods, getting up to get ready to leave and part of me wishes he wouldn’t. But I don’t say anything because I know he needs the money as much as I do.
He hesitates though, as if he can see the words I don’t say aloud, leaning towards me, emotion flickering through his gaze.
Tension builds between us, taut and heavy. I find myself leaning toward him instinctively, as if he’s a magnet and my body has forgotten it isn’t made of metal.
I lick my lips, my mouth suddenly dry, and his gaze drops to them, before coming back to my eyes.
I can see his intentions before he acts, the look in his hazel eyes sharpening to something focused and intent, as he leans closer, the warmth and scent of him enveloping me and making me feel like I might combust at any moment.
I’ve never let myself feel this way around him, but with my walls crumbling after everything that’s happened, it suddenly feels right. His breath fans over my lips, and mine part to sip it in. All this time I’ve pushed him away, but now the lines are blurring, and I can’t remember why I ever drew them. I don’t care why. I just want to claim this, to claim him.
I can feel, rather than see, his arm reach out beside me, and I think he’s going to grab me and drag me closer still, but suddenly the tension snaps, the sound of the TV coming back in a rush, like a balloon around us popped.
Casey leans to the side of me to grab the sweater resting on the back of the couch behind me, then leans in and kisses my cheek, whispering, “I’m just a phone call away if you need me, Kal.”
The intention behind the words is clear, the reminder of how helpful he was this morning making my entire body grow warm, taut, needy. And I almost grab him to tell him to stay. Almost. But I don’t.
The door clicks shut, and the room suddenly feels a few degrees cooler, like a cloud passing over the sun.
Except for the spot where he kissed my cheek. That feels warm, the heat lingering long after I hear the door close behind him.
I lay on the couch a while longer after he leaves, staring at nothing and not really watching the TV, pondering my conflicting emotions, and his conflicting signals, until my eyes go heavy. Right as I’m about to drift off into sleep, the doorbell rings, startling me awake.
“No rest for the wicked,” I grumble, dragging myself to my feet. Exhaustion clings to me like wet clothes. “If this is a salesperson, I swear…” I mutter, moving to the peephole, in no mood for more peopling today.
But I’m not prepared for the sight on the other end. Broody, hair so light it looks white, eyes reflecting a dark navy blue… there’s only one person who fits that description.
