I pull Brynn onto the porch and kiss her as soon as the door closes behind us.

I can't help it. I know it's fucking foolish. But lust— and infatuation— makes people do foolish things.

I’m starting to think I could actually be in fucking love. For the first time in a long time. Which is sooner than I ever thought it would happen, because I never thought it would happen again.

And I never thought it would happen like this. Instant attraction. Instant love. Or at least instant deep like. On Hallo-fuckin-ween.

It doesn't make a lot of sense. But neither do a lot of things in life. So I don't fight it. I just go with it. And it feels so fucking good.

I’m in like with Brynn Elliot. It’s probably too soon to say love, but I’m in deep fucking like with her.

"Listen," I tell Brynn. "I know you have to go. You don't have a lot of time. But I want you to come back."

"But I…"

"I know," I tell her, putting a finger over her full, sweet lips. "You don't even know me. So that's why I need to tell you. I had to leave because the cops would probably arrest me if they came to Riley's house."

"Why?"

She's looking at me with those fucking gorgeous eyes of hers, wanting an explanation. I know I have to tell her, even though I never thought I'd want to talk about it with anyone.

But I’m not ready to tell her everything. Just enough so that she understands that I had to go but that I want to see her again.

"There was something that happened," I tell her.

She's still staring at me with those fucking eyes.

"In my past. It’s over now, but it still haunts me. And I’ve been determined to make it right ever since it happened. I might not be most beloved in man in the world by law enforcement.”

She can't comprehend it, and I don't blame her. I just pull her close to me.

"Just listen,” I tell her. “I’m telling you more than I’ve been able to tell anyone. Because I want you to come back. But I’m not at the point where I can talk about everything that happened."

"Okay," she says. "Sure."

"I have to be on my best behavior or I could be taken in for a very long time,” I tell her. “For something I did that I think was very just, but the law doesn’t always care about one’s motivations for doing things.”

"I see." She nods again. "So you couldn't have…"

"…been seen beating up some asshole clowns," I confirm. "Officially, I have to stay away from anything like that. But behind the scenes, I make things happen. The Desert Dogs and I, we protect this town. I promised I would protect you. And Caleb. And I will."

She looks up at me and I kiss her again, soft and gentle this time.

"I also felt I needed to tell you because I have a lot of enemies and I don't know if they're connected to any of this," I admit.

I hope she's not mad at me, but it feels good to get it off my chest.

"Don't be silly, Larson," Brynn says. "They're just chaos-creating clowns. There is no connection to what they do. If there was, then it could be related to me just as much as to you."

"How could it be related to you?" I ask.

"I don't know," she shrugs. "But Caleb's father is pretty crazy. And I got a weird vibe from Clay Tucker."

"Yeah, that guy was a real creep," I agree. "And he seemed to have a thing for you."

"You picked up on that, huh?" she asks, with a wink.

"I have to admit I was a little jealous. But I knew that the head cheerleader had to end up going home with the star quarterback. That’s just the way things have to work out."

She laughs, and I'm so glad things are normal between us.

"Don't blame yourself," she says. "Don't feel guilty. Because I could too. Or anyone could, really. I mean, it was at Riley and Jensen's house. Maybe it had something to do with them."

We look at each other.

"Jensen's mom does have some sketchy men in her past, that he's not made close friends with, to say the least."

"But it's over," she says. "It's nothing. I was just using Jensen and Riley as an example of how anyone and everyone might wonder if they did something to cause this. Any normal person would. But that's why the clowns do it. We'll just be giving in to them if we start thinking that way."

"The last thing I want to do is give into those punks," I agree.

"So let's not. Let's just focus on good things," she says.

Now that I put some of my issues out there and she’s been so receptive of them, I feel as if a burden has started to be lifted from me. A dark spell in my heart is beginning to be broken.

"All right. Done. Starting now I'm focusing on seeing you again. So when are you coming back to see me?" I ask.

"That depends," Brynn says, as Caleb opens the door and comes running out.

"Mommy!" he shouts, pointing at my bike. "Mo-to-cycle!"

"When can you come to New York?" Brynn asks me. "Because I think it's your turn next."