I know it was just the illness making me feel this needy but still. He turned at the door and gave me one last look. "I'm going after your car, I'll be back soon." See, mind reader.
Chapter 10
By the time I went to bed that evening, Thorn still had not been back yet. Well my truck was in the driveway, but I hadn't seen him. And dad said it had just appeared, he hadn't heard or seen anything either. "Jazz you okay, you need anything?”
“No dad, I'm just going to go to bed now." I felt miserable as I pounded my pillow into submission.
How was it possible that this one person had come to mean so much in so short a time? Why did I feel abandoned because he'd obviously found something else to do that was more important?
I fell into a fitful slumber sometime later, only to be awakened by the feeling of someone in bed with me. My heart gave a lurch of fear, until I heard his voice quietly in my ear.
"Settle little one it’s only me." Immediately my traitorous body relaxed back against him once more. "How did you get here, where's dad, does he know?” He turned me over in his arms until my head rested on his chest.
Somehow I knew this wasn’t one of his nocturnal visits, even though my eyes were still closed. He just felt more real and I could hear his heartbeat where my head laid on his chest.
“No, I came through your window, your father is not yet ready to accept what you are to me. We will take our time there I think, but you needed me here with you so here I am.”
“How did you know I needed you?”
“Because we're...connected.” I started to question him but a finger across my lips silenced me.
“One day soon I will answer all your questions I promise, but that's for later; for now just know that I'm always with you." He got settled in bed with me and for the first time since he’d left I felt whole again.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of his words, but when he wrapped me in his arms and drew me in closer for one of his craved forehead kisses, every thought vanished.
I fought to stay awake to enjoy the closeness, who knew what would happen tomorrow? Will he go back to his distance keeping, or will things change, what?
Sleep won out in the end and I was soon off in wonderland, as his scent washed over me, enveloping me in warmth.
When I awakened in the morning I was alone. I felt the bitter disappointment before my body alerted me to the fact that I was sick as a dog and another worry set in.
I dragged myself from the bed and into the shower in the hopes that some warm water might revive me, but no such luck.
I started getting hot and cold flashes and had almost passed out, when the shower door was pushed open forcefully, and he was there, grabbing me out from under the water. I got a quick glimpse of his sheet white face before giving into the darkness.
"Well how was I supposed to know she would go soak herself as soon as she got out the bed? I was just making coffee.”
“I told you to keep an eye on her, I was only gone for ten minutes because you forgot the nutmeg.”
“Son this is Havenhurst, ain't much call for nutmeg in these parts. I still don't know where the hell you found some.”
“That doesn't matter, what matters is that she could've been hurt.”
“Boy you're about to drive me up a wall, first you come downstairs at the ass crack of dawn like you own the place, and I'm still not too sure about this spending the night thing...”
“Chief, look at me." I watched through slitted, feverish eyes, as my father turned to Thorn and his shoulders rose and fell. "Well alright fine, you can spend the night but no hanky panky.”
“That's none of your concern, and I'm sure it would be rather embarrassing for your daughter to hear you speak like that. Jasmine, open your eyes."
Damn, how did he know, and why was his accent so strong this morning? It seemed like the more I heard it the stronger and dare I say, sexier it became.
His hand came down on my forehead as dad stood to the side watching with a worried frown. "What do you think Azarov, doctor?”
“No I will see to her, I've got what I need, you may go to the station.”
“Look here boy...”
“You're needed at work no?”
“Well yes....”
“And you have pressing matters to attend to, things you had to leave when you came home to take care of your daughter yesterday yes?”
“Uh huh, you seem to know a lot.” Dad sounded putout and none too pleased with this turn of events.