“Will… will you come back to visit me again?” I stuttered. “I enjoy having you… having you here with me.”

He froze.

For a moment, he just looked at me. Then he arched an eyebrow, as if he couldn’t imagine that his company was pleasing.

“Please... I feel safer when you're around,” I added.

My confession came out of nowhere. I immediately realized that, subconsciously, I had wanted to say it.

But when I actually spoke the words aloud, I realized ...