Page 111 of The Stalker

He said it incredibly casually for how remarkably inappropriate his words were. The effect it had on her was immediate, though. She was wet again and more than ready to do the thing he now had her imagining, too.

Okay. Pretending it didn’t happen isn’t an option. Apologize. Make it clear you’re a complete professional despite the peep show.

She swallowed heavily and set aside her bowl, ignoring her intense desire to fuck him, and said as professionally as she could, “Yes, I do want to apologize for that. I tried to call out, but you couldn’t hear me, obviously. I should have left at once, but I was caught off guard. I’m sorry.”

Hayden didn’t say anything in response right away. Instead, he took his time looking at her. He swept his gaze over her body more than once before looking in her eyes again.

“Don’t be sorry. It was far more enjoyable to masturbate with you there in person than in my head,” he told her in a low, husky voice.

Professional. So professional. Have I mentioned that you got too close to your client?

Tatiana scrambled for something quasi-professional to respond with and managed to say, “Nonetheless, it shouldn’t have happened, and I’m sorry.”

Hayden stared at her for a while, and his scrutiny was uncomfortable. She felt as exposed as he was the previous night, and it was as though he was looking directly through the façade to the truth behind her words.

He’s not buying what you’re selling.

She met his gaze and pretended to herself that she really believed it. That she hadn’t masturbated while thinking about him twice since she’d watched him do it.

“I see it now,” he murmured softly.

Tatiana blinked at him. “See what?”

“The more turned on you are, the harder you try to convince me that you’re not.”

Hayden watched her with obvious interest as he said it. She could tell he was watching for her reaction and she couldn’t stop herself from giving one. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded in her chest as she realized he had found the truth. There was no hiding it from him, and she didn’t know what to do about that.

Walk away. From this conversation. From this entire contract. Leave him in the hands of someone who can be professional and keep him safe, which is clearly not you.

The pain at the thought of walking away from Hayden was intense, but if she were being brutally honest with herself, it was what she should do.

Hayden frowned at her and asked, “What are you thinking, Tati? Why do you have that look on your face?”

She couldn’t answer him, not truthfully. She needed space to think, and she couldn’t do it with him staring at her.

Walk. Away.

Tatiana leaned down and picked up her coffee cup, as well as the bowl of granola. “Thank you for making me breakfast. I appreciate it.”

She started toward her room, and Hayden said, “Tatiana, don’t go. Talk to me.”

“I can’t, Hayden,” she said in a choked-up voice.

She closed the door to the room behind her, sat on the bed, and swallowed heavily, surprised by how much this was hurting. As hard as she’d tried to resist Hayden, he’d gotten under her skin.

I’d like to point out that you have not tried very hard at all to resist him.

She hated herself for how true that was. She’d paid lip service to the idea of remaining professional while hugging him, kissing him, and masturbating while thinking about him on basically a daily basis.

It left her in a quandary. She couldn’t leave, but she couldn’t stay, either. Not if she was unable to ignore her desire for Hayden. Not if he was going to keep tempting her to indulge in it instead.

She took a sip of the coffee he’d made for her. It was rapidly cooling, and she knew she’d need it to get through the day. So she drank the rest of it and finished off her granola before putting the empty bowl and cup on the floor.

She needed to go rinse them, but she didn’t want to see Hayden right now.

Tatiana? Do you think that not wanting to see your client might be more than a small problem for this contract?

She cringed as the thought occurred to her. She couldn’t avoid Hayden. Otherwise, she really did need to break the contract. She picked up the bowl and cup, then opened the door to her room.

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