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But what’s the likelihood of that?

Still freaked out from being immersed in a horror game and catching the damp chill of the night air from the thunderstorm earlier, I opened my mouth and forced words through my tight throat.

“You are unfamiliar to me, so before I open this door I have to ask, are you a serial killer?”

Yeah, my conversation skills rock.

The man turned toward the door, but his height prevented me from seeing any defining features. The deeper voice on the other side answered, “Um, that’s a new one. I’m not, but I don’t know if you’re going to take my word for it.”

“Shit! You make a good point. Well, let me ask you this? Are you here to use my phone because your car broke down and your mobile ‘died’?”

My dumb ass used air quotes as if he could see me. To be honest, I’m surprised I’m still alive.

The stranger huffed out a snicker. The sounddid notsend flutters of pleasure through me.

“Are you always this suspicious?”

My head nodded up and down before I slapped my forehead and replied, “I think that’s what an untrustworthy, immoral man would say, using reverse psychology to make me feel guilty for being unhelpful, which would make me lower my inhibitions and let you inside.”

The man had the nerve to laugh, a deep, throaty, sexy sound. He asked, “You read that in a book, right?”

“Well, I didn’t read it, per se, I heard it in an audiobook from a retired FBI agent about how following your instincts could save your life and the only reason I listened to it is because both of my sisters refused. I admit, it scared the poop out of me, but if I can keep them safe, I would do it again.”

“That’s fair, I suppose. But no, I’m not here to harm you and I’m not a criminal. I heard a scream and thought it was a woman in distress, so I wanted to check.”

My hesitation forgotten in that moment, I jerked open the door and glared at the chest in front of me.

Sometimes I hated being short.

I gulped as my gaze traveled upward until I met amused gray eyes, one eyebrow raised in question.

“I knew that would do it.” The tall man who I would love to climb said.

“Shit, did I say that aloud?”

Another chuckle and I forced myself to look up again.

“I would ask what you thought, but I believe you told me everything I needed to know when your eyes took on a sudden twinkle as you looked me up and down.”

I groaned.

“So, did the scream come from here?”

A breath huffed out of my chest and I said, “Yes, I forgot to close my door before I began the recording session, but you still shouldn’t have heard me, um… scream like a perfectly respectable twenty-four-year-old man.”

“Well, I was speaking with Mrs. Chang and she mentioned you left one of your windows open.”

“Oh,” I held up a finger, “excuse me one sec?”

I rushed up the stairs, grateful Ri forced me into signing up for the total conditioning class we took three times a week, and I shut and locked my bedroom window. When rain clouds rolled in before dawn, I’d lazed in bed and listened to the drops pinging off the roof.

As I jogged back down, I noticed him leaning against the doorjamb, looking casual.

Although I’m shorter than the average man at five and a half feet tall, I estimated my visitor at a foot taller. He wore a tight, white and gray henley, emphasizing the warmth of his golden skin and the muscle definition underneath.

But what my eyes focused on now that I put some distance between us was the trimmed tawny beard that emphasized the cut of his jaw and… oh, thank the gods above for creating this man for the lowly people of this earth such as myself to look upon; the loose, messy bun tied on the top of his head, strands sticking up in all directions.

Despite feeling the complete opposite, I went for unaffected yet casual and blurted out, “I would say on a typical day I’m not like this,” I waved my arms around, as if my exaggerated movements would explain, before I continued, “But, yeah, I won’t start off with a lie between us.”