Page 112 of The Stalker

As she walked to the sink to rinse her dishes, she saw that Hayden was still sitting on the sofa. He looked up as she walked by, but he didn’t approach her. Instead, he simply watched her the whole time she was dealing with her dishes.

It was disconcerting to have him observing her, and any time she glanced in his direction, he caught her eye. When she was done, she turned to face him. She was struck by how beautiful he was, and remorse flooded through her that she couldn’t be with him in the way he wanted her to be.

He smiled at her and asked, “Want to watch Skyfall with me?”

The question was innocent enough, but their previous conversation hung in the air between them. It wasn’t the obvious desire in Hayden’s expression that scared her as much as her own all-consuming need for him.

Now is definitely not a good time to watch a movie with him.

Despite her knowledge of that fact, she said, “Okay.”

Hayden had already closed the blinds on the bus to the outside light, so it was semi-dark inside. He settled himself on the sofa with his back to the end of it and his legs stretched along its length.

Tatiana sat near his feet and turned to face the screen that dropped down from the ceiling of the bus at the end of the sofa.

Bond was trying to stop the bleeding of another agent when Hayden said in a low, seductive voice, “Come here, Tati. It will be more comfortable if you sit with me.”

She turned to look at him and he had his arms held wide for her to sit on his lap.

Hell to the fucking no.

Her heart raced as she considered it. Everything inside her screamed that it was a bad idea, but she also wanted to do it more than anything in the world.

“We’ll just watch the movie. Nothing else, I promise,” he murmured, even though she could see the dark desire in his eyes.

My fucking ass, you’ll ‘just watch the movie’ wrapped in Hayden Vega’s arms.

It was this thought that caused her resolve to crumble, though. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted something in her life.

She moved over, sat herself in his lap facing the TV, and leaned back against his chest. He wrapped his arms low around her waist, avoiding any of her erogenous zones, but it was as erotic as if he’d placed his hand directly between her legs. Her entire body was on fire and burning for more than this.

You can’t. You can’t. You can’t. Are you even listening to me?

It didn’t stop her from wanting it, though. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the television in front of her, completely unseeing the film as it played. All she could focus on was Hayden and the points at which their bodies touched.

She felt totally at ease in his arms, and it was as though the world had righted itself simply from her being in the place that she belonged.

But you don’t belong here, Tatiana. I know it feels that way, but it’s not right.

She struggled against the feeling because her brain screamed at her that it wasn’t right, despite the fact that nothing had ever felt more right in her life.

Hayden softly stroked her stomach with his thumb and whispered in her ear, “Relax, Tati. We’re just watching a movie together. Nothing more.”

“This doesn’t feel like just watching a movie together, Hayden,” she murmured.

“Well, it is. Trust me. I am determined to keep you here, and I won’t risk doing anything to fuck that up. So just enjoy the movie.”

She didn’t know whether ‘here’ meant watching the movie with him or on the contract altogether, and she wished she could see his face to assess which it was.

Probably both. Hayden has made it blatantly obvious that he wants you as more than a bodyguard.

She felt guilty for the amount of pleasure that she got from knowing that he wanted her, but she allowed herself to relax into his embrace. Her face was resting next to his now, and she felt him smile as Bond raced across the screen in front of them on a motorcycle.

The next two hours were probably the most enjoyable hours of her life. She paid little to no attention to Bond as he unfurled the plot against M. Instead, she focused solely on Hayden and the feeling she got from being with him.

She pushed her guilt and fear out of her mind, and instead, she chose to simply enjoy this time with him. When the credits began to play, he squeezed her tightly, and she sighed in contentment.

“Did you enjoy that one?” he asked.

---