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“Well, I like you. So I’d love to join. If you’re okay with it.”

He heard the catch in her voice and felt like a fucking king.

“Yeah, I’m okay with that.”

“Then I’ll see you soon.”

He was smiling by the time he hung up, shaking his head. Whatever was happening between them, Hayden suspected that Min was feeling it, too.

CHAPTER14

MIN

Min couldn’t look away from Hayden as he made his way through the overly crowded bar. She had known he was tall but hadn’t realized how much he towered over others until he was using his solid shoulders to push his way through the packed room. He had thrown on a dark button-down shirt under his usual black hoodie, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows to show off the forearms she had secretly spent time fantasizing about. He had probably tried to do something to tame his curls, but the dark locks licked the air around him, creating a halo of dark energy. But his mouth was what caught her attention. It curved up on one side, almost imperceptibly. No one glancing at him would notice, but she had spent too much time studying his face since they had sat together on the train. There was something about that mouth that sent heat shooting up her spine.

Although, now that she shot a glance around the room, Min realized a lot of people had taken notice of him. In an interested way that made something curl in Min’s stomach. One woman in particular reached out in the crowd and let her hand stroke his arm as he walked by. Hayden didn’t even stop, just shook his head at whatever she was offering, his eyes on Min across the room. Her breath caught at his intensity. Breathing was overrated, anyway.

Brittany turned, following Min’s gaze, and even over the noise, Min could hear her wolf-whistle.

“Who isthat?” Brittany’s boyfriend, Robbie, turned to stare, as well as his brother, Gus. And now Min felt self-conscious, worried Hayden was going to feel all these people staring at him and hate it. She pulled her eyes away, tugging her hair nervously, jangling the bangles on her wrist. Her brain scrambled to think of how to explain Hayden to Brittany. Brittany had been her roommate in college, and they had immediately bonded over how much they both hated their RA. They had been best friends ever since, had both started streaming at the same time and had supported each other’s channels in a number of ways. Brittany was a fashion streamer, so she was always dressed to impress, changing her outfit to match the mood. Tonight, she had gone for the bombshell look, her winged eyeliner and low-cut blouse sending off enough Marilyn Monroe vibes to inadvertently cause a few breakups in the room.

The problem was, Brittany knew her too well. When the pictures of Min leaked, Brittany had called her demanding they go set Alex’s house on fire, her inner arsonist requiring a sacrifice. Luckily, Min had talked her into settling for getting drunk and burning his hoodies that he had left at Min’s place. But Brittany was loyal, cared fiercely about Min and would be instantly suspicious of men around her for a while. Min wasn’t sure she’d be able to lie to her.

But hell, she was going to try. “That’s… um… a friend?” She cringed at how her words came out. Even she would think she sounded suspicious.

Brittany’s eyebrows shot up as she realized how much Min was hesitating. Min could feel Brittany’s energy heighten as her curiosity took control, like she could sense the torrid details Min was keeping from her.

“Excuse me, are you saying that man eye-fucking you right now across the bar is a ‘friend?’”

Luckily, Min was saved from having to think of an answer when he was suddenly there, leaning next to her on the table, not quite touching.

“Minerva.” She tried to hide the shiver that ran through her at the sound of his deep voice, but he probably saw it anyway. God, had she just been with him at lunch? Because her body was reacting like it hadn’t seen him in months. She stood straighter, forcing herself to turn and catch his eyes, finding he already had a small smile on his lips.

The loud clearing of a throat had Min remembering that she was, in fact, in the middle of a group of friends and couldn’t just sit there and stare at this man she was slowly becoming obsessed with.

“Sorry, right. Hayden, this is Brittany, Robbie, and Gus. Friends, this is Hayden.” She left it at that, not even wanting to try to define her and Hayden’s relationship. Brittany was already dying for more information and would probably corner her in the ladies’ room later to demand answers. Which meant that unless Min wanted to face the inquisition, she was going to have to slow her drinking.

Hayden shook hands with everyone and then settled next to Min, not touching her, just leaning on the table. She felt a little disappointed at that but tried to shake it off and remember that she was the one who wanted to keep distance between them. She didn’t want him wrapped up in her drama with Alex. It was for his own good.

She told herself that even as she could feel her body leaning closer to him. God, she was fucked.

Robbie, Brittany’s boyfriend, threw Hayden a friendly smile. “Good timing, I was just gonna get a round. Whatya drinking?”

“If there’s a decent bourbon, I’d appreciate it.” Robbie turned to the bar, not bothering to ask the others since he already knew their drinks. Brittany homed in on Hayden, a predatory gleam in her eye that Min knew far too well. Min felt herself tense.

“So, Hayden. How do you know our Min?” Brittany kept her tone polite, but Min could hear the tension, the warning in her voice. Brittany was like a dog with a bone if she wanted information. It was one of the things Min loved about her. Just maybe not in this particular moment.

Hayden didn’t appear to sense the danger he was in. “We met at a business meeting in LA. Ran into each other on the train down here.” Brittany nodded, and Min was impressed. Everything he said was true, if vague, and still kept both their identities secret. He needn’t have bothered with Brittany, since she knew almost everything about Min, but still. It was nice to know he could keep her secret.

“You enjoying the con?” Brittany asked.

Hayden shrugged. “It’s definitely had some high points.”

Min looked away to sip the dregs of her drink, trying to hide the blush she knew was blooming on her cheeks. She could almost feel Brittany’s eyebrow raise.

“And what high points would those be?” she asked.

Min fought the urge to roll her eyes. Brittany’s question would sound innocent to anyone who didn’t know her. But Min recognized it as the same tone of voice Brittany had used when she found out Min knew the RA was cheating on her boyfriend and hadn’t told her immediately.

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