My mother always said home was not a place but rather a person. Her logic was that it did not matter where you chose to live. It was all about the people you had around you.

If my mother's philosophy was right, then I had no home.

I removed my seatbelt and turned to the driver before delivering "Thank you for the ride, Lurch."

His reply is not heard because I quickly get out of the car and closed the door. I made it a few rocky steps before my knees started to feel like jelly.

My legs gave in, and I was about to drop to the floor like a sack of potatoes until two arms caught me.

Stone once again hoisted me up so that I returned to being carried bridal-style by him. He held me closer than the first time. His grip was secure and comforting.

"Be careful." He gritted out, his jaw continuing to tick.

He carried me like I was weightless as he made his way up the one flight of stairs.

"Am I not heavy?" I mumbled into his chest.

"I lift weights four times the heaviness of you daily for a warm-up exercise."

I tilted my head and mumbled in astonishment "Really?"

"You are as light as a feather." He remarked, a hint of amusement to his deep voice "Maybe because you are so small."

"I’m not that small!" I argued as he gently set me down at my front door.

His hands remained on my hips in support as held me up and questioned "Do you have your keys?"

I brought my hands up to my chest and squeezed my boobs. I felt my phone in my bra but not my keys.

"Kermit has my keys." I whispered in realisation.

"You left your keys in the car?" Stone summarised.

I nodded before bending down. I felt my butt brush his leg as I turned over the doormat and retrieved my spare key.

"That was a close one." I laughed in relief as I jiggled the keys happily.

The tendons in his neck looked like they were going to snap as he rubbed his hand along his stubbled jaw and cursed.

"You keep a key under the mat?" His voice grew deeper and more vexed as he lowered his head and scolded "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"It’s okay." I told him before I started fumbling with the lock on the door "A few people have told me that if I got kidnapped then the kidnappers would end up returning me in the first few minutes because I am so annoying."

Silence hung in the small space between my body and the huge muscular one.

"Not funny." Stone grunted, "Not funny at all."

I pushed the door open and went stumbling inside. I was about to dive headfirst onto the floor, but Stone caught me for the hundredth time and lifted me up.