Page 91 of Texting Dr. Stalker

“Wow, you did? That was just for shits and giggles.” He chuckled, injecting some much-needed light-hearted energy into this very heavy conversation. “Okay…so you were with her last night and she didn’t recognise you. Interesting. Told you the Clark Kent effect was real.”

“There’s no way in hell I’d risk it without my mask.”

“How long were you with her?”

“Four hours, I guess. Got there at two, left at six. But I crashed hard, Col. The second she fell asleep on me, I was out cold thanks to being awake for so long. I don’t know if she sneaked a peek while I was unconscious. I have no idea how I ended up wrapped around her. Maybe I did something inappropriate in my exhausted state? Maybe I touched her? Can you molest someone in your dreams by accident?”

“I’d hardly call it molesting if she’s asking you to sleep with her.”

“This is so fucking bad.” I groaned and let my head fall back on the headrest. “What do I type back?”

“Wait, you haven’t written back yet? Jesus, way to give the poor girl a complex.”

“You’re not exactly helping! Just tell me what I should do.”

He fell silent for a bit before huffing. “No idea. It’s your call how far you’re willing to go. There’s a big difference between messaging her as X and sleeping with her as her hidden neighbour. Like you say, it could blow up big time. And I still think you shouldn’t do it for your own mental health.”

I trembled and clutched my steering wheel. “Exactly. There’s no way I can do it. No way I can ever go that far.”

“Then I guess you have your answer. Let her down as easy as you can. I hate to admit it but maybe you’re right and you should end it.”

Images of Sailor so freaking scared last night came to mind. All her rambling messages to distract herself from her fear. I didn’t want her to live like that anymore. I wanted her to laugh and dance and be the flower fairy next door that always followed in Melody’s footsteps.

“As much as I should, I can’t walk away. I’ll just…I need to figure out a way to keep things platonic.”

“Good luck with that.” He cleared his throat. “I’m about to head into the gym. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Thanks for helping with this, Colin. Truly.”

“Meh, what are friends for? If one isn’t used as an accessory to a stalker/identity crime at least once in their friendship, can they truly say they were friends?”

I managed a laugh before I hung up and stared at the messages from Sailor. I couldn’t stop reading that last line:So, my totally brutally honest confession is…I want you to sleep with me.

The clinical part of my brain did its best to untangle the emotional part of my heart. If she was healing, it was natural to reclaim the parts of herself that were almost stolen. Sex was a part of her healing. I couldn’t give it to her personally, but…I could help in another way.

The idea exploded without warning.

Don’t be ridiculous.

You can’t do that.

It could backfire so bad.

But not any worse than sleeping with her under a false identity.

Snatching my glasses, I shoved them back on so I could see without the typical fuzz, and then went online shopping.

* * * * *

With a groan, I slipped out of my car and stretched out the kinks in my spine.

Luckily, I’d finished my shift and had been free to go home. No emergencies. No overtime. I couldn’t remember being as exhausted as I had been the past few weeks. All I wanted was an ice-cold beer, some takeout, and to crash into oblivion on my lounger on the back deck.

Only…I had to go and retrieve a cat from my neighbour. The same neighbour who asked me to sleep with her. I had to look her in the eyes and pretend I didn’t know she was actively trying to move on. I had to lie to her face when all I wanted to do was drop to my knees and grant her every wish.

Moving toward her driveway, I clutched my car keys.

I…I needed a moment.

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