Sterling by Dannika Dark Page A

I had an affliction. He was all I had in the world and I didn’t want to lose that.
    I shivered as the northern wind snuck up from behind and curled around my legs like icy fingers.
    Adam leaned on the door with one hand until it closed.
    “I won’t judge you, and I won’t leave you.” He remained in that position, with one arm resting over my head and the other around my waist. “When your hand was on my face it was as if you were charging me up, like an electric shock. How is it that you can do that?” His eyes narrowed almost suspiciously. “It was energy. I can still feel it.” He let go of me and flexed his fingers open and closed.
    “It’s not just my looks that changed Razor, there’s something else different inside of me. I don’t know what it is, how to control it or why it even comes out—but it’s there.”
    “I don’t want you to leave,” he sighed. “I want you here, feel me? You need someone to look after you until we figure this out.”
    We.
    That was Adam—always wanting to look out for someone. Perhaps it was that lost opportunity with his sister. I gave him a chance to walk away but he planted his feet firmly in the ground and folded his arms, ready to go wherever this little journey led him.
    “No more physical contact, it’s too risky and I have a feeling that I could have done more damage than curled your hair. Strictly plutonic, okay?
    His mouth crooked up in a grin and he stuck out his hand. “Deal. Shake on it?”
    I stuck out my tongue at him and sauntered off.
    “Don’t tempt me woman.” He growled.
    While his voice was laced with humor, I looked back and saw his sexy eyes hung on me heavily. Residual from our kiss no doubt, but something lingered on that expression.
    “Put on your shoes Romeo, and pack the ladder. We’re going to do spidey work.”
     

Chapter 6
     
    “Are you sure that your window is open?”
    I looked over my shoulder towards the dark empty street. “I usually keep it unlocked in the summer. I like a cool breeze. Are you sure no one is watching?”
    Adam glanced around my apartment complex. The cops would be one thing, but the last thing I needed was my neighbor, Mr. Harvey, pointing a shotgun at our asses.
    I nervously gripped the edges of the ladder and took a deep breath.
    “You’re good. Hurry up and don’t fall.”
    I’m not sure whose idea it was that I was the one to go up, but Adam was stronger and could steady the ladder better than I could. I bit my lip looking up at where it rested against the brick beneath my window.
    “Hold it tight okay? I don’t have nine lives.”
    “No, you have eight.” A grin distracted me a moment while his hands worked to steady the ladder.
    Halfway up, I realized two things. One: climbing was not a silent feat. Two: Flip-flops are not recommended. My toes grappled onto those shoes like grim death. I shot a worried look when Adam’s eyes gave me a reply: you can do this and hurry your ass up .
    I pushed the window up and threw myself inside as fast as I could, my legs still dangling of the ledge.
    Jesus I will never do anything like that again . Just then, one of my flip-flops slid free.
    The first thing I noticed was some of my things were gone.
    “Max?” I frowned where his food dish once was.
    After a couple of minutes, there was a light tap in the living room and I flipped the lock and pulled the door open.
    “Lose this?” he said, dangling my shoe between his fingers. I snatched it and victoriously displayed my ATM card.
    “Sweet, now you can buy your own panties.”
    “Try to be quiet, I have thin walls.”
    Adam was on it. Without a word, he slipped out of his shoes and turned off the light. I watched with amused curiosity as he closed the curtain in the bedroom as if he had done this kind of thing before. The man was a photographer by day and a ninja by night.
    “Hey, I’m not Helen Keller, I need some light.”
    A soft glow beamed from the connecting bathroom. Adam stopped short in the