Page 8 of Falling for the Enemy

“I really can't thank you enough for doing this.”

I told Frank that it was no big deal, even though it was certainly not something that I had time for before, but I even went as far as to say that if he needed help in the future, that I would be there for him. I guess it was just something that neighbors say, but I meant it.

By the time Frank carried her out of the bedroom, I had her jacket and a few other things she brought with her with me. I gave them to her uncle, and he carried her over to his place. When I asked if he needed any help, he waved me off and said that he didn't. I felt like there was a lot to unpack there.

I had no idea why I was feeling anything for this guy, especially since he was rude and crude. Why was he practically making me fawn now? I didn't like the feel of it, and I didn't like the whisp of hope he gave me for the future. I was perfectly happy single, I reminded myself. The last thing I needed was more complications in the form of a man like Frank. A guy like him was too much work, too much headache. The best thing to do would be to stay away from him.

I went back to sleep and missed the sunrise [SS3] for the first time since I got there. My grandma had always found the sunrise on the porch a special place, which called to me. But not this morning.

This morning I wanted to hide underneath the covers and pretend like I didn't feel anything for Frank. I wanted to deny the dreams that I’d woken up to, him as the star. It was better if I kept my distance from a guy like him. I didn't know what it was, but I felt like I was in danger anytime he was near. What sort of danger, I really didn't have a clue, but I knew that he would be dangerous.

* * *

A few hourslater I woke up and the sun was already well up in the sky, and I was feeling better about the whole thing. It was easier when I lied to myself and refused to acknowledge how Frank made me feel. If I didn't acknowledge it, it didn't have to exist. Seemed like I was living a lie more than ever before.

I made some coffee and when I went to the porch, I was just as happy to be there as in early morning. I didn't see Frank anywhere, which was a blessing more than a curse. I wasn't sure if I was ready for this newfound friendship that we had. It was easier to deal with Frank when I was mad at him all the time. If I wasn't, then I saw him for what he was, and Frank was a devastatingly handsome man that I couldn't take my eyes off of.

He came out like on cue a little bit after I got on the porch, and he asked me if I slept well. It was a strange question; I didn't know why he was worried about anything that I did. I didn't know why he was over on my porch, a smile on his face, looking down at me like I was dinner. All I knew for certain was the word danger was coming up in the back of my mind again. This guy was just not someone I could get comfortable with. I’d lose myself for sure.

He didn't have a shirt on this morning and his hard muscles were on display. He made my mouth dry, even though I was drinking coffee, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He was perfect, the exact replica of what a man should look like.

It made me really look at him, the thought of his perfection. It didn’t change how we first met though, how jerky he had been to me. I had to hold onto that, not the boyish grin that made me want to swoon. Just because I did him a favor, didn’t mean that we were friends, or anything else for that matter.

“Do you ever wear a shirt?” I asked, snarky.

“Not when it's hot. Why, does it bother you?”

He said the last part with a grin, like he knew that it bothered me, and he also knew why. It made it hard to even look at him and I snorted, actually snorted and embarrassed myself even further. What was it about Frank that made me forget every kind of civility that I had learned growing up? It should be easy to be nice to the neighbor. I had been told he was a great guy. So why did the conversation go so awry?

“It doesn't bother me, it just looks tacky on your part. I thought you might want to know that.” I shot back.

“Tacky, huh?” Frank Francis[SS4] chuckled and nodded his head like he understood something that I did not. I asked him what he meant by that, and he laughed even harder.

“I think you might be one of the most uptight women I've ever met in my life. You’re probably one of those types that hasn't been rattled in a long time. Am I right?”

He might have been right, but I certainly wasn't going to tell him that he was. I was embarrassed to no end, and I couldn't believe that he had said such a thing.

“I get plenty, don't worry about that.”

Frank got serious for a moment and told me that I should. “You're gorgeous. I'm surprised you don't have a whole line of men outside your door.”

I thought he was making fun of me, and it just made me even madder, but he assured me that he wasn't, that he was really surprised that I didn't have a boyfriend, and I told him that I dumped my last one.

Frank got another big smile. “I see, so is it our chance now?”

I made an annoyed sound and I explained to him that it would never be our chance, because we were never going to be together. I got a response of how I was wrong.

“As soon as I saw you the first time, I knew that there would be something between us,” Frank assured me.

“There may be something between us, but it would be better if you stay away from me, and I stay away from you.”

Frank didn't like the sound of that. He told me that it would be hard for me to stay away from him. His confident and cocky demeanor didn’t help his cause.

He left not too long after that, telling me that he would see me again soon and I didn't know if I should be worried or happy about it. I think with all things Frank, it was the same, and I had no idea how to feel about it. One thing I knew for certain was that Frank was confusing. Hot and cold, or maybe it was me. I didn't know what it was, but he twisted me up in a way that most people couldn’t.

8

Frank

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