“Maybe I am desperate.”

Gasping, I jumped and backed away, tripping on the top stair of my porch. I put my hand to my chest and stared at the dark figure sitting on the wicker chair beside the front door. I should have felt relieved when I recognized him as Stranger. But I didn’t. My heart rate continued to rise, and fear gripped me. I looked to the street and thought of running.

“It’s okay,” he quickly reassured me. “I would never harm you. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“What are you doing here?” I snapped, hating how much my voice was trembling.

“I went back to see you, but you were already gone. At first I thought you’d left with a man, but I spoke to your friend, and she said you’d taken off alone. I wanted to make sure you’d come home safe.”

“You spoke to Emily?”

Though it was too dark to see his face, I could see his head nodding.

I dropped my hand from my chest and crossed my arms. “What are you doing here?” I asked him again.

“Do I really have to say it?” His voice was soft now, and it made my nerves die down a little.

“Yes,” I told him, sternly. “You do.”

He let out a light chuckle, and his body leaned forward so that his elbows were propped on each knee. His face was geared in my direction, and even though I couldn’t see his features, I could feel the heat of his gaze on me. “Like I said, maybe I am desperate.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but he beat me to it. “Are you going to let me in? Or are we going to sit out here in the cold instead?”

“Maybe you’re going to sit out here in the cold, alone,” I bit back, still feeling the anger from having the scare of my life.

“After what you said to me earlier, I believe you.”

It was quiet for a few moments. He was obviously waiting on me to decide, and I didn’t know what to do. My mind was too busy warring with itself, and it was telling me to keep him outside. I didn’t know his intentions. I didn’t know what he might do if I let him in. I was momentarily frightened of him, and I didn’t want to be another statistic with a headline on the internet that read, “Stupid girl lets dangerous man inside home because he’s hot! Tune in at 6pm for details of her grizzly murder!”

“Get off my porch for a minute,” I told him.

To my surprise, he immediately stood up. In the darkness his frame appeared large and ominous. I tripped down the steps again, keeping a safe distance from him as he followed. Under the moonlight now I could see his face. He looked amused, his mouth set into that wicked smirk.

“Keep going,” I told him. He backed away from the porch, until he was edging toward the driveway. “Stop.”

When he stopped, I watched him while I hurried back up the porch steps. I stuck the key into my front door and opened it. With one arm moving inside the house, I turned the porch lights on. I felt a lot better with them on. Like I was somehow cloaked in safety. It was stupid to think so, I knew that.

“Now what?” he asked, that voice taking on a bit of humour.

I frowned at him. “Is this funny to you?”

His smirk broke into a full blown grin. It made him look so beautiful and normal. I almost felt silly doing this. “It is, little lady.”

Little lady.

My heart pounded fast again, this time for another reason.

“What’s scaring you exactly?”

I cocked a brow at his question. “Are you really asking me that?”

“I just don’t know what I’ve done. I don’t have any tattoos, or piercings. Save for my phone, my pockets are empty. I haven’t sworn at you, or stoned you. What is it that’s scaring you about me?”

“You could be dangerous,” I simply stated.

“Not to you,” he replied steadfastly. “Not to anyone, really, unless they inflict pain on me. I’m just like any other person.”

I believed him. Still. I wouldn’t make this easy for him.

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

“Ben.”

A normal name. “Ben what?”

“Costigan.”

Ben Costigan. I wanted to try that on my tongue and see how it sounded. I liked Stranger’s name. “How did you know my address?”

“Because I wanted to.” Yet another answer that wasn’t an answer.

“Look,” he then said, taking a slow step forward, “I can tell you’re a very cautious woman. I’m only here to talk to you. I promise. Call your friend up. Tell her I’m here. Give her my name and description. Whatever will make you feel safer around me. Hell, you can even invite her over if you don’t want to be alone with me. I’ll wait right here until she’s come around.”

“Why do you want to just talk to me?”

“Because I want to get to know you.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

Because I’m… me, was the answer I didn’t say aloud. What the hell was worth knowing about me?

I pondered his words for a minute. I knew I was being extra cautious because of my attack nine months ago. I was always looking for the unexpected in situations that weren’t as complex as I’d made them out to be.

“Hey Claire,” came a voice nearby, pulling me out of my thoughts.

My neighbour, Miles, stood on the edge of his lawn, looking over at us. This was my first time seeing him in weeks, and it was a little awkward.

“How’s it going, Miles?” I asked him.

He looked over at Ben suspiciously before answering, “Yeah, good. Came home last night.”

Oh really, the sarcastic part of me wanted to say, I hadn’t noticed with all the lights, music and people going in and out of your house!

He always threw parties when he was home, and that was the one downfall to having Miles as your neighbour. You barely slept a wink on the weekends.

“Welcome back,” I said to him disinterestedly. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Just wondering if you’re alright,” he replied, looking from me to Ben.

Ah, he was checking up on me. Despite what a nuisance he could be from time to time, it put me at ease he cared enough to check on my wellbeing.

Ben’s face fell after Miles said those words. “She’s fine,” he told him through gritted teeth.

“I’m asking her,” Miles retorted, glaring at him. “And if you’re bothering her –”