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“You’re finally catching on.” He chuckles, looking my way, chest rising and falling steadily, making my pulse rise. “It’s for your protection, Kayla.” He grows serious. “I want to be able to get to you, no matter what. I want to keep you safe.”
A lump lodges in my throat, but I fight it. These stupid emotions, this sinking feeling that I could possibly mean something to him. But nothing can happen between us, not when he’s still hiding.
“Right. For my protection,” I scoff. “You’re no better than everyone else, trying to cage me and treat me like a child.”
Grabbing the door handle, I push it open and march toward his place.
His heavy footfalls sound behind me, but instead of appearing by my side, he yanks my wrist hard and pulls my body up against his. His arm loops around the small of my back.
“Don’t do that.” His harsh, yet vulnerable tone makes me yearn for everything he has to say. “Don’t be mad at me. I don’t think about you that way at all, babe.”
His hand brushes down the side of my face, and my heart… It leaps, throbbing with pummeling beats. I place my palm over his hand, and my skin heats up instantly like he’s the warmth keeping the fire lit in my heart.
“The thought of something happening to you, and me being unable to get to you…” His words drown out in the pain I register in every word. “It’s why I did it. But if you want them back, I’ll give you the keys.”
He wanted to protect me. In his own messed-up way, he cares.
“No.” I shake my head. “Keep them.” I throw my arms around him and sigh. “You were gonna keep them anyway, weren’t you?”
He chuckles, curling his arm around me just a little tighter. “Ofcourse I was.”
I snicker, slapping him playfully on the chest before I pry myself out of his grasp and start toward his door. He sidles up beside me and grabs my small hand in his enormous one, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. But the weight of it, the enormity of its meaning, is beyond measure.
He freezes, both of us breathing heavy, both of us facing forward as though realizing at the same time that we both somehow mean something to one another.
Tingles rush up my arm as his thumb slowly rubs my skin, and my gaze widens, tears stinging my eyes. Because he doesn’t get it. He doesn’t comprehend what this small gesture just did to my soul. My chin trembles, and tears start to fall, dripping from my lashes. I try not to cry. I swear I try to fight it, but it’s too much. A small whimper escapes.
“Kayla…” He sighs, and it only makes me cry even more, trying my best to keep it silent, to keep him from seeing the weakest parts of me.
I can’t say anything back, all words lost to the breaking of my heart. Because I can’t fall for this stranger, this man who keeps more secrets than even I do. Yet somehow, I think I am. I think I have. I think I like my stalker. A little too much. And I think he likes me too.
Clearing my throat, I pull on his hand.
“Come on.” I throw on a lighthearted tone. “I want to see my gift already.”
But I fail to sound like I didn’t just cry.
He stays still, unmoving, holding my palm even tighter.
“You make it so easy to wanna kiss you.” He exhales roughly, causing my breath to still in my lungs.
“We’re not in a closet anymore,” I whisper.
“We can change that.” He yanks me to him again, like I’ve always belonged here.
“I think what would be better is for you to show me who you are and kiss me in the light.”
“Youarethe light, Kayla Jenkins. All I see is darkness without you.”
My heart unfurls with so many emotions. It’s moments such as these when I so badly wish to see him.
He clasps his hand over my cheek, the span of it holding the entire side of my face. We stay this way for a few moments before he pulls me forward, like it’s too much to be this way with me.
With my heavy sigh, we make it past the door he opens and into his home.
“This way,” he instructs, leading me past a side table with a small vase and fresh lilies.
The house is dark, except for a few flickers of light coming from the two lamps he left on.
