Pale Stranger (PALE Series) Read Online Free PDF

moment of undressing him with no intention of redressing him, but that wasn't his meaning. He donned the same dark trench coat and fedora hat I'd first seen him in, and stretched out his arms before me. "What do you think?"
    "I think you have some serious problems," I told him.
    He chuckled and dropped his arms. "I'm aware of that."
    "So what happens if you don't make all these battle preparations?"
    "Then the sun wins the battle and I'm laid up for a few days with severe burns," he replied.
    I cringed. "Ouch. But this will help you avoid that misery, right?"
    "Perfectly," he assured me. "Now I'll show you the grounds."

CHAPTER 4
     
    Benson led me downstairs and down the hall away from the front door. He stopped in front of a door on our right. "This is my office. Care to have a look now or later?"
    "Later. If we wait too long you may melt in that coat and there'll be nothing but a pile of sunblock left," I teased him.
    He smirked and led on through the back door and out onto a large porch. It covered the entire back of the house, and there was a roof over us that slanted down to a large field of green grass that stopped at the edge of the corn and wheat fields around the property. Clumps of trees provided shade, and each one had their own bench that wrapped around the trunk. A winding path of gravel led from one bench to the other.
    "It's simple, but I don't need much else but shade," he explained to me.
    "It's a heck of a lot better view than what I have," I replied.
    He raised an eyebrow. "What's the view like from your windows?"
    "A bunch of other dingy apartment buildings with a fine view of a street corner frequented by prostitutes."
    Benson cringed. "Any hope through those windows?"
    I shrugged. "I see a lot of pigeons demanding food, but the alley cats usually scare them away."
    "Sounds lovely."
    "It's home."
    "Are you sure you won't reconsider moving in temporarily with me?" he persisted.
    I shook my head. "I'd only have to go back to my apartment in a week, anyway."
    "You're so sure of that outcome."
    "I'm just being pessimistic. Leads to less disappointment that way," I countered.
    He smiled, but there wasn't any warmth in it. "That just hides the disappointment. You can never really escape your hopes and dreams."
    I didn't like this mood; it put a cloud over us that warned of rain from my eyes. I gently pushed my shoulder up against his and smiled. "So is your profession as a philosopher or a businessman?"
    Benson chuckled. "A little of both, but since the philosophy won't support me I'm forced to be a businessman."
    I stepped out onto the green grass and glanced back at the fine old house; it didn't look so creepy from the back. Maybe I could convince him to turn it around. "Judging by the house I'd say you were pretty good at it."
    "When you have little else to do but sit inside all day you have to focus your mind on something other than the window," he replied.
    I noticed he still stood on the porch like a boy afraid to step his toes into water. I stepped up to the porch and held out my hand. "Come on, you need your walkies."
    He raised an eyebrow. "Is this how you treat all your employers?"
    "If I can get away with it."
    "And you believe you can with me?"
    "What are you going to do, fire me?"
    "Good point."
    Benson took my hand and I pulled him out into the sun. "See? Not melting or bursting into flames," I pointed out.
    "You're not the one wearing the heavy coat," he countered.
    "Then let's take a short walk over to that shade tree, fill up your tank of coolness and get to the next one." I yanked him along by his hand, and he followed with a laugh and a good step. He wasn't an invalid, just cautious about his archenemy, the sun. We reached the first bench, but neither of us sat down. Benson stood at the edge of the shade and looked out on the sunlight; his eyes had a sad look to them. "How long have you been like this?"
    "All my life. It's a genetic condition where the sun causes blisters and severe