Page 142 of Texting Dr. Stalker

She stiffened as I wrapped my arms around her and embraced her close.

Sighing heavily, I pressed my mask-covered lips to her hair. “I’m sorry for upsetting you. I didn’t mean to explode like that. That isn’t me. I’m not that guy. I think…I think you’re drawing out a lot of suppressed emotions, and I have no right to take them out on you.” Kissing her through my mask, I pulled back and cupped her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to scare you, Lori. Like I’ve said countless times, I willneverhurt you, even if I’m in a bit of a mood.”

A single tear streaked her porcelain skin.

I rubbed it with my thumb. “Forgive me?”

Her fingers wrapped hesitantly around my wrists, burning me with electrical currents.

“Forgiven.” Sniffing, she gave a watery smile. “But you’re only proving my point that you’ve done whatever it takes to help me, but you haven’t letmehelpyou.” Fierce determination filled her pretty face. “I wouldn’t be a good friend if I let you walk out like this. You’re the one hurting tonight, X. Not me. What will it take to let me take care of you?”

I went to pull away.

She dug her fingernails into my wrists. Her gaze dropped to my mask and her lips quirked into a sad little smile. “What would it take to let me kiss you, just once?”

My body flatlined.

My heart went berserk.

Highly inappropriate humour made me reply, “General anaesthesia would probably do the trick.”

She didn’t respond for a second, but then a soft laugh escaped. “You’re saying if I found some chloroform and knocked you out, I could have my wicked way with you?”

Rolling my wrists to remove her grip, I shrugged. “I wouldn’t be able to say no, would I?”

“Alright.” She let me go and crossed her arms with a nod. “Nana taught me how to make a few sleeping tinctures. It might take a few hours to kick in, but if you drank an entire vial, you would be drowsy enough for me to take advantage.”

I sagged against the doorframe between the living room and kitchen. “It wouldn’t be taking advantage, believe me.”

“Then why don’t you let me help?” Her gaze dropped to my jeans where my erection hadn’t gone down despite the mess of my heart. “Why are you being so stubborn about this?” She stomped her foot adorably, reminding me of a younger version of her when I’d called her Lori and pulled her pigtails.

God, even those memories hurt.

“How about you box up my dessert, and I’ll go? I’ll accept your thank-you in the form of sugar.”

“Unfortunately, that choice is no longer available.” She pouted. “The ice cream has melted and ruined it.”

Arching my chin at the rest of the cake on the countertop, I smirked. “No problem. I’ll just have a piece of that instead.”

“Tell you what…” She moved toward the cake in question and picked up the knife she’d used to slice two pieces. “I’ll serve you anotherifyou eat it here.”

I sighed heavily and pointed at my mask. “And we’ve circled back to the fact that I can’t eat and I’m not taking this off.”

“I agree, that is an issue. But I think I’ve figured out a solution to that little problem.”

My eyebrows knitted together, the squeeze-on fake piercing tugging uncomfortably. “You have? How?”

Flashing me a smile, she tossed the knife back down. “Wait there.” Darting from the kitchen, she headed toward the back of the house where the laundry matched the floorplan of my place. Unlike mine, where I’d installed a drying rack that came down from the ceiling and tucked away all the machines in slim-line cupboards, Sailor’s was cramped with bamboo shelving holding copious amounts of creams and concoctions thanks to Melody’s business.

She came back with something colourful in her hand.

I eyed her suspiciously as she dropped the item on the countertop. “Ta-da!”

Plucking the black silk ribbon, I hefted the surprisingly heavy eye mask. A motif of a butterfly with its two wings spread out to cover someone’s eyes glimmered with iridescent purples, blues, and blacks. “I’m confused.”

Taking it from me, she rubbed the thick padding. “Nana imported a bunch of these to sell with her essential oil blends. The interior is filled with absorbent micro beads that hold the scent of lavender for sleeping or peppermint for headaches. It also entirely blocks out light and vision. You can’t see a damn thing with it on.”

I stiffened. “Y-You’re suggesting to blindfold yourself?”

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