A few weeks after leaving my jerk of a brother, I find myself broke and homeless. When I pick up a student ID, I think I've found my salvation. Little do I know that it would lead me to Graham Lang, who wants to keep me safe and to make me his... WORD COUNT: 10,000 Excerpt: I joke, "You should stop treating me this well. Otherwise, I might never leave." My words cause him to stiffen. Wait, does he think I'm being serious? Oh Lord, the idea of me mooching off him indefinitely must be freaking him out. I say quickly, "I'm joking. Once I find a job, I'll be out of your hair." He passes a jug of maple syrup to me. "You can take your time with the job search. There's no rush." I bet he's just saying that to be polite. I drench my pancakes in maple syrup, prompting him to ask, "Do you have dental insurance?" "Um, no..." "You shouldn't have so much sugar. Cavity fillings are expensive." I want to roll my eyes. "I'll floss and brush my teeth thoroughly later." Under his slightly judgmental gaze, I devour the breakfast like it's my last. Regret fills me when my plate and glass are empty. This might be the last decent meal I have for a while; I should've savored it. "Hey, you got syrup on your lip," he says. "Oh, thanks." Before I can reach for a napkin, he rubs his fingers over my mouth. My heart skips a beat. He's so close to me now. I can feel his warmth and catch his scent. He smells like soap and lemons. I expect him to step back now that he's wiped the syrup off my lip, but his fingers remain on the edge of my mouth. He stares at me like I'm a half-finished puzzle he's been studying for hours. "Olivia." His voice is soft. I wait for him to say something else, but he just continues staring at me, his fingers still on my face.