Page 146 of The Stalker

“Not unless you give it to her,” Tatiana pointed out.

Hayden opened his mouth to respond when there was a knock on the door and Gabriel called out, “Are you in there, Hayden?”

“Yeah, I am,” he called back.

“Can you come out here for a minute?”

Hayden’s eyes widened, and he said, “Uh, sure.”

He stood at once, and Tatiana followed him out, concerned that something bad had happened for Gabriel to need Hayden. The seating arrangements had changed, and Heather, Harrison, and April were all seated along the long sofa now, with Gabriel and Ariana standing next to one another near the entrance to Tatiana’s room.

Gabriel glanced over at Hayden and gave him a grin before saying, “Since everyone is actually in the same place at the same time for once, Ariana and I have something to tell you guys…” he trailed off, and several gasps rang out around the room before he said, “We’re having a baby.”

“Oh my god, congratulations!” Hayden said and stepped forward to hug both Gabriel and Ariana.

“I knew it!” Heather exclaimed as she jumped up from the sofa and quickly made her way over to throw her arms around Ariana. “Your bullshit excuses about not wanting to drink before ten don’t hold water when it’s ten in the evening,” she laughed.

There were lots of congratulations and people shuffling around in the cramped space. Tatiana gave the couple her well-wishes before slipping quietly into her room to give them a tiny bit of extra space. About half an hour later, Hayden knocked on her door again, and she let his friends out of the bus so they could all return to their own buses.

As she locked the secure door again, Hayden slipped his arms around her waist from behind. “I love you, preciosa.”

“I love you, too,” she said, smiling as she rested her head back against his muscular chest.

He led her over to the sofa, and she sat down on the leather, warm from the people who had recently been sitting on it. Hayden put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. She rested her head on his shoulder and inhaled his woody, aromatic scent.

“So, as I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted”—Hayden shook his head—“how do you think I’m going to give Heather proof we’re together?”

“Oh, well, if you refuse to go on the date with April. It’s proof for Heather.”

“What? Why?”

“Because she’s April Conway. You’d have to have a pretty damn good reason to not want to date her.”

Hayden chuckled and kissed Tatiana before saying, “I’m not interested in April, and I never have been. If I wanted to date her, I would’ve done it years ago. That’s reason enough to say no.”

“Or, you just say yes to the date, go on it to appease Heather, and tell her sparks didn’t fly. Your willingness to go on a date with another woman will throw her off the scent.”

Hayden didn’t reply immediately. He stared at the wall of the room across from them for a solid minute before saying anything.

“How important is it that my friends stay in the dark about our relationship?”

He turned his face to look at her, and she frowned at him as she considered it. If his friends knew, they would likely say something in front of the bodyguards. Clients rarely thought twice about the vast amounts of information they divulged in front of those around them. She’d heard all manner of private information in her time doing personal security.

“My biggest concern is the other bodyguards finding out. I think some already suspect something, but if I lose their respect entirely, it can make it difficult for me to keep you safe. At the end of the day, that will always be my number one priority. If they don’t respect me, and I have little doubt that knowing about our relationship would cause that to happen, they may second-guess my judgment calls. I can’t risk that happening.”

He sighed and nodded. “That makes sense. I just don’t like the idea of leading April on in any way, either. She’s a good friend, and I don’t want her to feel rejected if I don’t want to date her.”

“If it helps, I don’t think she’s into you. She’s either being pressured into going on a date by Heather, or she’s in on the plan to find out if we’re together.”

He raised his eyebrows at her. “How do you know that?”

“I’ve spent a long time studying body language. People tell whole stories with the things they never say aloud.”

“You never cease to amaze me.” He smiled at her and kissed her again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back before they got up and headed to their bed. Tatiana dressed in a nightgown and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

“Um, where’s my toothbrush?” she called out with a laugh.

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