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Mason just laughs, returning to his task.

He’s not wrong. Auggie is…something else.

Something I’ve never experienced before.

Caring. Attentive. Considerate. Funny.

I could go on and on.

There’s this pull I feel whenever I think of him. Like this invisible string that tugs on my heart and wants to carry me to him. And then there are the little sparks I feel whenever we touch.

It makes me want to stay.

The thought is both exciting and terrifying.

Could I stay?

I’ve been looking over my shoulder for over a year now. Chad has only ever caught up to me once, and that was well over six months ago. But I learned my lesson from that one near miss.

Never get comfortable. Never relax. Never get attached.

Be alert, be smart. Stay safe.

Yet here I am, breaking every precaution.

For the first time in years, I have friends. I have a job I genuinely enjoy.

I feel safe.

Because Auggie makes me feel safe.

And I adore my boyfriend for giving me a peace I’ve been robbed of for so long.

Boyfriend? Is he my boyfriend? When did I start thinking of Auggie as my boyfriend?

Somewhere between him being a gentleman and a passion-filled beast.

A hot flush rushes through me.

What if I stayed?

Even as happiness fills my chest over images of what a life here in Ravens Hollow could be like with Auggie, a small voice whispers caution.

My mind recounts every incident since my arrival here. The accident, the flood, the break-in. And that feeling that someone is watching me.

I mean, most of those were accidents or random acts of the universe. My own paranoia easily fuels my anxiety about being found.

But Chad found me once.

What’s to say, if I stop moving, he won’t find me again?

For the first time since I fled my home, I’m conflicted.

Do I stay, or do I follow the strict rules that have kept me safe and hidden?

Before I can spiral further, a pleasant tingle runs up my spine.

When I look over my shoulder, I see Auggie. His long strides eat up the distance between us. His arms wrap around my waist as he pulls me close, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.