Should I climb the fence and see if he had another door behind the garage? Maybe it was open, and I could sneak inside quickly. But…what if he had a dog?
Focus. If there were a dog, it would be barking by now.
Gathering my powers, I laid my hands flat on top of the fence. I was going to lift myself up, hook one leg on top, when I heard a noise behind me. Every hair on my body rose.
Holy shit, I’m going to prison tonight.
“Who are you?” A very deep, very male, very cold voice said behind me.
Everything inside me froze.
Run!
But my limbs were frozen. Legs weak, I let gravity take over and lower me to the ground, tripping when my foot missed the stump. I squealed, grabbing the fence to maintain my balance. All the jostling loosened my hat, spilling my hair down my back.
I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me.
Silence.
“Who are you?” he repeated. There was still suspicion in his tone, but this time, there was also…curiosity. And that curiosity killed the cat.
Slowly, painfully, I turned around. And I realized…I was the cat.
I knew he could see me. Where I had been grateful for the porch light earlier, now I hated it. It illuminated my face in all its glory for him.
He, however, was surrounded in darkness. I couldn’t see his face, but I could make out his shape. He was tall, his shoulders wide and muscular.
There was something awfully familiar in the way he leaned against the truck. As if I had met him before. His posture told me he was unbothered, like he had made himself comfortable watching a show. Suddenly, I had the urgent need for him to reveal his face in the light. At the same time, I dreaded it.
Do I know him?
He straightened and stepped forward. I backed away until I bumped against the fence behind me. I was gripped by the moment. I wanted to look away, but I was transfixed.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. This time, his voice was like velvet. Teasing.
An uneasy feeling took over me. I’d heard his voice before.
“Tell me,” he said.
Tell me.
Why was that so familiar?
And then…he stepped into the light.
All the blood drained from my face. A horrified, strangled noise came out of my throat.
Not him! You gotta be shitting me.
Someone told me I wasn’t supposed to get punished for my sins until I die. I’m not dead yet! Then why, oh why?
His smile was infuriatingly cocky. His eyes locked onto mine as he kept coming toward me.
“Stay where you are!” I yelled.
He didn’t even pause. Not one bit. Instead, the smile on his beautiful mouth widened, showing his white teeth.
“Stop!” I warned again.