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I turned at the abrupt use of my name.You sure it’s nothing for me to worry about?

“I felt like I was being followed. I don’t like that shit. Makes me itchy.” Cyrus remained by the door, almost as if he were waiting for something. An invitation maybe? I already let him into my home, so I wasn’t sure what more he was wanting.

I started wringing my hands in front of me, unsure what to do. If he was being followed, that could mean whoever it was knows where I live. So many thoughts started bouncing around in my mind. Who was this person? Should I be worried? Should I call the police?

“Hey.” Cyrus’s smooth deep voice brought my attention back to him. “Don’t worry, Ainsley.”

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly and nodded.Did you want a drink? I have beer, wine, water, juice.

“I’ll have what you’re having,” he answered, coming toward me.

I nodded, heading to the kitchen to grab him a glass of wine. Even though he didn’t look like a guy who drank it, I liked that we shared something in common.

Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, I pulled the bottle from the fridge and made my way back out into the living room.

Cyrus was sitting on the couch, looking at the book I was reading. “Jane Austen. Good choice.”

Sitting beside him, I poured a glass of the white wine from New Zealand I had fallen in love with, and handed it to him.

“Thank you.” He clinked his glass against mine and took a sip, his eyes never straying from mine.

My cheeks heated.

He winked over the rim.

Taking a sip from my own glass, I leaned back against the couch. Happy and content just to sit there in silence with him, I liked having him in my home.

“How long have you lived here for?” he asked, breaking the comfortable silence between us.

Placing the glass on the table in front of us, I turned toward him.A few months.

“There’s some heavy-duty security here,” he pointed out. “You even have a security system in here. You don’t see that a lot in apartments.”

I lived at the center for over a year but wanted to have something I could call my own,I signed slowly for him.I don’t make enough to buy a house. Jay and the other ladies who run the place, had their husbands look into an apartment building for those of us at the center that are ready to move out. They made sure it was safefor us. Angel, Jay’s husband, said that if he wouldn’t want his wife or kid living there, then it wasn’t good enough.It had been sweet of him to look out for me, like he did his own. Jay’s eyes had welled at that, and I was sure that if swooning was actually a thing, she would have done it.

“That’s good.” Cyrus placed his glass on the table beside mine. “I’m glad you have people looking out for you.”

Me too.I remembered back to our conversation, wondering if everything was actually okay with him.How is everything? I’m surprised you didn’t have plans tonight. Especially when it’s Friday.

What are you implying, pet?he asked, raising an eyebrow.

My body buzzed over the fact that he signed for me. I only shrugged, unsure as to how to answer him.

“There’s a strip club I usually go to with my brother, but I wasn’t feeling it tonight. He’s been in a mood, so I told him to go get laid.” Cyrus shook his head, running a hand through his dark hair. “He’s a stubborn ass though and won’t go after the one woman he wants.”

Sounds confusing.

“Yeah.” His eyes dropped to my mouth. “But enough about him. What would you spend your night doing if I wasn’t here?”

A smile pulled at my lips. Jumping from the couch, I headed to the TV stand and opened the bottom cupboard before pulling out the item I was looking for.

“You play video games?”

I laughed, nodding quickly.

His eyes widened a touch. “You laughed.”

My neck heated, the smile falling from my face.