Page 25 of Stalker's Valentine

Too easily.

My girl had no idea what she was signing on for. Too sweet and innocent and naïve. And I was too much of a bastard to try and warn her away from my cursed ass.

Curses don’t exist,I reminded myself before pressing my forehead against hers. If they did, I would do anything to break it if it meant a lifetime of quiet, simple moments like this.

scarlett

. . .

I could feel my sisters’eyes on me while I ate, but I knew I couldn’t avoid the questions burning in their stare. I didn’t look up. I kept eating, trying not to look towards the phone I had set face down next to me. If I did, I would give away the fact I was seeing someone.

Merri. Merritt Hart.Merri and his beautiful eyes and the perfect way he cuddled me.

“What?” I finally broke down and asked, lifting my head to look at them. Sure enough, three sets of almost the same dark shade of brown as mine stared right back at me.

“What’s going on with you?” Olive asked.

“You look all… happy,” Raven added. “You look happy,” she accused.

“And I normally look like…”

“Daria reincarnated,” Coral cut in, and I couldn’t help myself, I giggled. Their eyes widened, and I rolled mine. “You guys, I’m allowed to be… cheerful.”

And deliriously happy. I had no idea how much life could change in a week. Every day started the same way since the morning after Merri and I had hung out.

I woke up to a good morning text that put a smile on my face. When I messaged him back, he’d call, and we’d talk while I got dressed and had my morning coffee. We texted throughout the day. Merri usually checked in or asked what I’d like for dinner. And around five, usually right on the dot, Merritt stopped by with dinner in hand.

Every single day for the last week.

It’d been exciting. Being around Merri felt like being home. It was easy. I couldn’t find another way to describe it. I’d never felt that comfortable in my own skin with someone who wasn’t family. And he had been right about something. He didn’t play games. Maybe it was because he was older and more in tune with what he wanted, but he didn’t hide the fact he wanted to be around me. I never wondered how he felt. He let me know. Hanging out at my place every spare moment we had. He’d even slept over on the couch the night before.

Everything was great except for two things.

One, and weirdly enough the one that bugged me the most, was the fact he still hadn’t kissed me. I understood that he wanted to be a gentleman, but I didn’t see how a kiss would hurt. I’d surprised myself by trying everything I could think of. Touching his arm, staring up longingly into his eyes.

And nothing.

I started to think it was me. Maybe that’s why I was twenty-five and had never been kissed?

The man had an iron will. I’d even hopped up on his lap last night before we went to bed and played with his hair and kissed his cheek. Sure, we cuddled and hugged. Talked and laughed. He’d even rub my shoulders.

But that was it.

The second issue was that the gifts kept coming. All with sweet notes signed by my secret admirer. I had no idea who they could be from, and I was starting to feel guilty. I was pretty sureit wasn’t Raven playing some elaborate prank. Heck, after the diamond stud earrings that arrived two days ago, I knew even if they all pulled their money together, all three sisters wouldn’t have been able to swing a prank like that.

Someone was out there.

Watching and sending me gifts.

It should have crept me out, but it wasn’t like the notes were creepy.

Whoever sent them would write things like they hoped I had a good day or told me how pretty I was. I knew it was stupid not to tell anyone, but the gifts had been coming two weeks now and seemed to vary. From small things like a packet of paper towels when mine had run out and I hadn’t remembered to pick some up, to diamond freaking earrings.

I knew it was stupid not to tell anyone.

Not to mention the guilt that had been mounting about not telling Merri. Maybe this person who was sending me things hadn’t noticed Merri coming and going? What if they didn’t care? I shivered and noticed Coral’s hand waving in front of me, her brows bunched

“What is going on with you?” she asked, and I frowned.

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