Arthur had me take my rain boots off by the door and led me upstairs. The air was warm and soft and I could smell wood burning, he must have lit the fireplace. I followed him up the same staircase I had climbed just the other day, water droplets fell off me and would hit the metal with a soft ping.

I was starting to shiver now, I was so cold. Arthur opened the door for me that led to his room. His lights were off, but dozens of candle littered the floor and basked a soft honey glow across the room. His bed wasn't made neatly like before, but looked like he had just gotten up from it. The curtains were pulled back and the rain and wind beat furiously against the glass.

A bowl of hot food, I couldn't tell what it was, rested on a pile of books next to his bed. A beer bottle was on the window sill. He must've been in the middle of dinner when I knocked. I watched as he went into his closet reaching up to a clothes pile. His grey sweater rose up slightly and I could see his tattoos on his hip.

"I have a towel here and some clothes for you," Arthur told me turning back towards me.

I accepted the black towel, throwing it over my shoulder, and a pair of black sweatpants, grey socks and a large muted yellow tshirt.

"Do you have anything smaller?" I asked looking up at the 6'4" man.

"Silly me, because it's everyday that I have an extremely small woman at my door soaked to the bone. Let me just go find the stash of clothes that'll fit you perfectly," He deadpanned.

"Uh, wow, sarcasm much?"

"You can change in the bathroom it's through that door," he pointed across the room and I had to fight back the want to tell him that I knew that already.

Closing the door behind me I set the clothes on the counter and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was matted to my face and stringy, my face was red and my lips were slightly blue. I pushed my hair behind my ears and examined the scar along my jaw. It was a dark bluish purple color, all my scars

Did this in the cold. A cold chill wracked my body and I immediately began to strip.

After wrestling with my soaked jeans I finally got them off. Afterwards I dried and put on some lotion I found under the sink. Shit, even my underwear is soaked. I took off my panties and un-clasped my bra setting them on the edge of the tub. They would dry quicker than anything else I hoped. I had to roll his socks a few times at the heel and do the same with the sweat pants before I tucked them into the socks. The sweatpants had a drawstring and I happily pulled it tightly tying it at my waist. They hung low on my hips, but it'd do for now.

The shirt was gigantic and I noticed that it didn't cover me very well. The neck large and stretched out so it fell far and revealed a bit more cleavage than I would like. This is going to have to do for now, I sighed running the towel over my damp hair. I left the towel on the rack and opened the door slightly. Arthur wasn't in the room. I frowned and opened it further.

Downstairs I could hear commotion in the kitchen. I followed the noise to find Arthur stirring something in a pot on the stove.

"I left the wet clothes in the tub, you don't happen to have a washer and dryer do you?" I asked getting a whiff of chocolate. He must be making hot chocolate.

"Nope, I go to the laundromat,"

"Of course you do," I muttered. The storm couldn't last too much longer could it? I moved from inside the doorway to look out the window across the room. The window overlooked the small garden outside.

"I could call my friend Leslie to come get me, I just need to charge my phone. Do you have a charger?" I asked looking over my shoulder at him.

"I don't have a phone,"

"Do you even live in this century?" I joked as he handed me a cup.

"It's hot," he warned turning the stove off he leaned against it with his arms crossed.

"Thank you," the hot chocolate coated my tongue with a velvety nutty flavor,"Wow, is there nutmeg in this?"

"Why did you knock on my door?" Arthur's voice was deep and I looked up to see him studying me closely. His eyes slightly narrowed and I fidgeted under his gaze.

"I was on my way to the barber shop when it started to rain," I explained.

"That's not what I asked,"

My heart started to beat faster and faster under his gaze.

"Why did you come here-,"

A loud crash of thunder tore through his sentence and the power cut out with a loud whirring noise. Arthur groaned and I blushed at the sound, happy the power was out.

"I'll go check the generator outside, go upstairs and get warm it's going to get really cold from here on out," He said. I could see the outline of his body as he walked out of the kitchen.

I heard the door slam,"Who doesn't have a generator inside?"

Upstairs I watched him from the window fiddle with a latch on the shed before getting it open. He disappeared into the dark little building and I turned my attention back to his room. I sat in the middle of his bed with one of the blankets wrapped around me and mossied through the titles of his books.

'1,000 Leagues Under The Sea' caught my interest along with other books that all had to do with aquatics, and water species. I frowned, why does he like the ocean so much? There were books on whales, sharks and sea turtles too.

"I see you made yourself at home,"

The sound of his voice made me jump,"Oh my God, you scared me!" I held my hand to my chest trying to collect myself to see Arthur leaning against the doorframe. His silhouette illuminated by flashes of lightning. I could have sworn his eyes were glowing.

"You make a habit to go through strangers things?" He growled pushing off the doorway, in three quick strides he was in front of me plucking the whale book from my hands. His body was pressed close to mine as he leaned in,"Like the other day when you thought I wasn't home,"

My heart jumped from my throat just as I let out an audible gasp. He knew I was in here?

"Wh-,"

His voice next my ear was low and husky as he whispered, I could feel a tingle down my spine,"I recognize your perfume," he took in a breath and I could feel him smelling my hair.

He was so close to me and then so far away, I opened my eyes to see him shutting the door behind him his voice lingering in the air between us,"Go to sleep and then get out,"

My body was wrapped up in his blankets, my back against the wall, my eyes trained on the door and my body enveloped in his scent.

I was jolted awake and sat up, heaving. My reoccurring nightmare was worse and more traumatizing. For a second I didn't know where I was. The room was still dark, it must be late morning, and the rain had died down to a drizzle.

Arthur's words still echoed in my mind and I shot out of bed tripping over my rain boots, I recovered and shoved my feet inside. I quickly found my phone on the window sill and checked my clothes in the bathroom. They were still wet...I suddenly didn't feel safe in this house not with the way he spoke to me last night.

I squared my shoulders and opened the door, thankful the door didn't creak. I made my way downstairs, Arthur was asleep on the floor next to the fire place. The walk home walk was long and cold, but I was glad to be in my bed with a fully charged phone.

I knelt down and pushed a pack of paper towels further to the back of the bottom shelf, to make room. As I was working on restocking the shelf I heard the bell ding at the front of the store.

"I'll be with you in a moment," I called out.

I brushed the dust off my knees and readjusted my ankle boots as I stood up,"Ok, Ingrid next to do on your list-,"

I was interrupted by a familiar voice and I looked up to see,"Arthur?"

He stood before me in a forest green cable knit turtle neck, dark brown jeans and brown leather boots, his long hair was pulled messily into a bun. If he didn't freak me out I'd be attracted to him completely, but after what he said and how he looked at me last night it left a sour taste in my mouth.

"You left these," he held up a plastic bag.

"Oh," I closed the distance between us,"Thank you,"

"Ingrid, when I said to go to sleep and get out I didn't mean leave in the middle of the night," He told me raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well I just listened to what you told me," I said walking away from him,"I went to sleep and got out,"

Arthur's footsteps were loud against the old worn wood as he followed me to the front of the store. I set the bag on the counter.

"I wasn't being myself, my guard was up," he told me.

I spun around laughing,"Your guard was up? Against me? I'm 5'2" and barely 130lbs, Arthur. You can't tell me your guard was up when I was the only one there, it sure as hell wasn't towards me," I deadpanned.

His face was pretty stoic before his lips pulled back and he laughed.

"You think you're the reason my guard was up? Someone as insignificant and as puny as you? I shouldn't have even let you in, but I did," He kept laughing, must be hilarious to him, but to me I found it insulting. He walked towards the exit,"Have a nice life, Ingrid," he waved as he left the store. I watched him walk away my anger bubbling up with every step he took.

"I fucking hate that guy," I mumbled.

"You hate him, but yet he's returning your clothes, underwear and all? What did I miss?" Leslie said as she went through the bag.

"Shut up, Leslie. I'm taking a break," I groaned walking towards the back.