Page 73 of Hayden's Stalker

I’m reminded of what I told her earlier in my music room. We’re both pretending right now, acting as though we don’t want to fuck when it’s clear that we both do.

Tati surprises me when she ducks out from under my arm and says in her coolly professional tone, “I should probably look around the venue. Jesse, can you stay with Hayden?”

It’s amusing that she seems to be struggling to pretend she doesn’t want to fuck me, and I can’t help but chuckle as Jesse says, “Sure.”

I watch her walk away, disappointed to be separated from her and with a chill of fear running through me now that she’s not with me.

“Shall we go to your dressing room, Mr. Vega?” Jesse asks calmly.

Guilt that I once again forgot his existence and gratefulness that he’s still here to protect me hit me at once, and I nod at him. “Sure. Let’s go.”

As we’re heading into the arena, another town car pulls up. Seb and I stop to see which of my friends it is, and I smile whenthe door opens, and Lita’s friend Becky gets out, followed by Heather and Harrison.

Becky strides over to us and stops next to Lita. “Holy shit, dude. Serenity isamazing. I’ll never get tired of seeing it.” She does a spin, and the pastel lilac dress she’s wearing flares out around her. “Do you like the dress?”

“It’s stunning. Nice work, Heather,” Lita says.

“Thanks,” she says with a smile at Lita.

I hug her and tell her, “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, darling.”

We talk for a few minutes before Gabriel and Ariana arrive as well. Harrison and Gabriel head over to see the fans, which I take as our cue to head inside the venue. Jesse leads me inside and to my dressing room. He does a sweep of the room, and I hover just inside the door as he does.

He comes back out from the attached bathroom and nods at me. “All good, Sir. I’ll be just outside if you need me.”

“Thanks, Jesse.”

I rummage through a bag on a table at the side of the room and pull out my book. I’ve got about an hour before the soundcheck, which is plenty of time to read. I’m sitting on the sofa at the side of the room when there’s a knock on the door.

“Come in,” I call out, assuming it will be Tati.

She walks into the room, her cheeks flushed red in an attractive way, and when she sees me, she bursts into laughter as she says, “Okay, for once, I didn’t expect that.”

“See? I’m not predictable after all,” I grin at her.

“Except that Ishouldhave predicted it from a bookworm like you. I’m just losing my touch, apparently,” she jokes.

I look her over and can’t resist teasing her, “Pick up your game, Tati. I, of course, accurately predicted that you would come in here looking gorgeous and say something about how I’m not allowed to say anything like what I just said.”

She shakes her head and says, “Hayden, you really can’t say stuff like that.”

“I nailed it!” I say, unable to keep a slight smirk off my face as I point out, “You said exactly what I said you would, and”—I pause, and my smile disappears as my gaze roams over her from head to toe, taking in her sexy body—“you always look gorgeous.”

Tatiana folds her arms in front of her chest. I don’t know if she’s doing it to try and put some kind of barrier between us, but it emphasizes her chest. Her breasts being pushed up and out on the shelf of her crossed arms.

“You know, you’re not very good at pretending,” she scolds me.

I put a bookmark in my book and set it down on the sofa next to where I’m sitting before I stand up and walk over to her. I look into her beautiful blue eyes and smile at her. The sound of her breathing increasing is delightful, and she stares up at me while the room fills with this sexual tension around us.

“I never said I was. Want to know what Iamgood at?” I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Being a pain in my ass?” she suggests.

I can’t help but laugh, and I tell her, “Amongst other things. Would you like a list, or would you like me to just show you some of the things I’m good at?”

“Neither. I can imagine—”

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