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“Oh.” She hops off the counter and
covers herself back up with the towel, unfortunately. “You still drink it black?”
“Yup.” I lean against the doorframe as I sip my coffee and watch her get her own cup ready.
I wish I had a table. What a weird thought. It would sure be nice to enjoy a leisurely breakfast with Emily, though. We could cook waffles together, make eyes at each other while we eat, return to the bedroom for Round Three….
No. I don’t have time for any of that. I have no idea what’s happening to me.
“I have classes today,” Emily says.
I frown. I don’t like the thought of her going on her own to campus, but she’s a grown woman. I can’t stop her.
“I could see about getting you a police escort.”
She makes a face. “No, thanks. I don’t want to be the weird girl who overreacted and ruined everyone’s day by having a cop follow her around.”
“At least make sure you’re not walking anywhere alone. I’ll feel a lot better knowing you’re safe.”
She nods. “I can do that.”
I try to think of how to broach the subject of her staying over again tonight. The problem is I don’t know anymore if I want her to stay because it’s a reasonable safety measure, or because I selfishly want to keep her around.
Fuck, I’m in over my head.
“There should already be someone checking out your place now,” I say. “They’ll be reporting in with me soon. Maybe they’ll find something to help figure out who your stalker is. Do you have any ideas?”
Emily shakes her head. “Just the hope that it isn’t anyone I know. But they must have met me somehow, right? It’s such a creepy thought. I might’ve smiled and shaken his hand without any clue that he was capable of this.”
I cringe. “Try not to upset yourself over it until we know more. No point worrying.” Except now I’m worrying. I hate the thought that this creep knows Emily. Didn’t she say he shouted at her on campus yesterday? Fuck, I won’t be able to focus all day thinking of her there, worrying she’s vulnerable.
“Are you sure you need to go to class today?” I ask. “Maybe you could take a sick day.”
She smiles and shakes her head. “That’s not how classes work. Jobs have sick days. Pre-med classes just have falling behind and getting bad grades. I’ve already missed one lab report, I can’t afford to miss anything else. Too big a slip and I’ll be done for.”
I take my coffee cup to the sink and rinse it out. “And you call me intense. You’re going to blow them away in med school.”
She looks pleased, then doubt clouds her expression. “I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder how much I’m really capable of. I want it so bad, but my mom thinks I should just give up and stop wasting her money.”
“Your mom is an idiot. You’re learning to save lives. That’s the least wasteful use of money I’ve ever heard of.”
“Thanks.” She wraps an arm around me and rests her head against my shoulder. “I really did miss you.”
I have no idea how to respond to that, so I take her coffee cup as soon as she’s done and clean that, too.
With the kitchen cleaned up, the only thing left to do is dress and leave, but I’m not ready to let go of Emily yet.
My cell phone rings. I curse at the interruption and let her go.
Emily winks at me then heads to the bedroom. “I’m going to get dressed.”
“Sure, I’ll just take this out here.” I step into the living room and click answer.
“Hey, Peter. It’s Ross. We’re at the place you asked us to check out.”
That means Emily’s apartment. “What did you find?” I tense as I wait for the news.
Ross pauses. “It’s, umm, a little worse than you thought.”
