“I can explain everything. I can apologize more. We can even leave the door open, so you have an easy escape route, if you need it. I promise,” I say with a mischievous grin.
Still, she hesitates. “Scouts honor,” I say, holding three fingers up in the traditional salute.
Katherine rolls her eyes at me and tentatively steps forward. I move out of the doorframe and allow her ample room to enter. I inhale the faint scent of lavender and jasmine from her hair as she passes.
She walks through the small foyer and whips around to face me. I leave the front door open, as promised and lean against the edge of the wall by the old coat rack.
She turns and narrows her eyes on me.
“So? What do you have to say for yourself? I know it’s been you that’s been stalking me,” she fires at me. “How have you been getting into Pearson House?”
I notice there is slightly less of an edge to her voice now that she isn’t freezing.
“Oh well that’s an easy one,” I reply. “For all of that renovation work you did, replacing the old hardware, painting the exterior of the house… you never once thought to change the locks.”
She just stares at me for a moment, probably in utter disbelief. Her full, rosy lips form a perfect little O. It’s sexy as hell. But seconds later, Kat finds her words.
“Really?!” her voice a screech in the stillness of the house. “So, because I didn’t think to change the fucking locks after my fatherkillshimself, that gives you the right to continue to use them to invade my privacy?! What the hell, Zayn? I was terrified.”
Her face is screwed up in anger as she advances toward me.
It’s honestly kind of adorable.
But I press my lips together to hide my smile.“Look, Doc,” I counter, “I’m sorry, okay?”
I show her both of my palms in a display of surrender. “You’re absolutely right. I should have been more forthcoming with you. About the fact that I still had access to the house, and about my intentions.”
“And what exactlyareyour intentions?” she demands.
Her eyes flit around the small room, betraying the first sense of curiosity I have seen from her since this interaction began. Her eyes land on a few leatherbound copies of my first edition books sitting on a nearby shelf. She quickly pulls her gaze away and directs it back to me. Books are in her soul, same as mine. I can feel it. See it there in her bright and curious, almost longing look.
Fixing her with a gentle smile, I again decide to answer honestly.
“My intentions are to honor my word to Mr. Pearson and continue looking after Pearson House. That includes staying close to you and making sure that you are safe out here all alone.”
And to make you mine, I think.
But I don’t say that part out loud. Not yet anyway.
“Ok,” she begins, breathing deeply, “so you made a promise to my father. That’s… weird. But I get. But then why pretend to be someone else in my therapy office earlier this week? Did you think I wouldn’t remember you or something?”
Fuck, so she had recognized me. I hadn’t been sure.
“Ah yes, that. Well, you see… I wanted to reintroduce myself to you, and I thought it would be best to do so on your turf. I thought it would be a nice way for us to reconnect, meet formally.”
“That is so fucking,weird,Zayn!” she heaves out. But I notice some of the tension and anger leave her face now, as she takes in more of the shelves of books that surround us.
Baby, you have no idea.
“The fake name? Why?” she inquires.
“Oh well that was just for fun, Doc,” I reply.
She shakes her head back and forth in obvious annoyance.
But then she adds softly, “Of course I remember you. I grew up seeing you out here every summer.”
My heart surges in my chest.And you left me every fall.
