Page 20 of Hayden's Stalker

“Really? Why?” she asks casually.

There’s no way this woman doesn’t know how interesting her life is, but if she wants an answer, I’m more than happy to give it to her.

“Just, everything about you. You’re nothing like what I expected, and I know that I said that yesterday, but the more things you tell me, the more interesting you are. I’d love to know your history.”

Tatiana is cringing when she finally turns to look at me. “Sorry, no can do.”

“Oh, not that,” I tell her quickly.

I don’t want her to think I’m prying for the information she told me yesterday was classified.

I’m sure there are plenty ofotherthings she could tell me, so I say, “I mean. Where did you grow up? What’s your heritage? Anything you can tell me up until the point where you can’t tell me things.”

She doesn’t answer at first, and I think she’s not going to, making me realize how badly I want to know more about her. I’m sure she knows everything about me, so it’s only fair that she tells me something about herself to level the playing field.

I’m about to say this when she finally speaks. “I was born in Russia. My family moved here when I was four, because my dad is from California, and he wanted to come back home.”

“Do you speak Russian?”

“Da,” she says quickly, then laughs, “Obviously. You speak Spanish.”

“Si.” I grin at her as I mimic her response. I’m curious how much she knows about me, so I ask, “How did you know?”

“I’m the best.” She shrugs, and I’m disappointed that she doesn’t expand further until she adds, “Sebastian also speaks Italian.”

I gape at her because Seb doesn’t speak Italian in public unless he’s with his family. So his Italian heritage isn’t a readily known fact about him, given he’s got his dad’s last name of Fox.

“Okay, nowthatI’m impressed by. Wait, did you find out all about us or something?”

I finish making her coffee, stirring in the two sugars she requested, as she nods at me. “Yeah, I did my research.”

“Clearly, if you know Sebastian speaks Italian. Not many people do.”

I wait for her to add something else, but she doesn’t. She obviously doesn’t want to tell me what her sources were. Although, it’s not like you can’t find out a shitload of stuff about me from a five-minute Google search.

“You moved to California when you were four, and you speak Russian.” I repeat what she told me, committing it to memory, and ask, “What else?”

She busies herself with putting away the things she used to make herself peanut butter toast, and I carry her mug as I trail her to the dining table. I set it down on a coaster next to her, and she dazzles me with her bright smile as I sit next to her.

“I went to school. Did some martial arts training and gymnastics as extracurriculars. Studied at college, then started my career.”

I look at her, waiting for her to continue, but she doesn’t. She stares out the window in front of us, very obviously not looking at me, as she takes a bite of her toast.

“Armed forces of some kind?” I guess.

I’m not sure if she’ll even answer this question, but she nods as she swallows her food. “Yes. Armed forces of some kind.”

She’s still not looking at me, and her answer was pretty cagey. I’m pretty sure she’s not going to give any more information, but I can’t resist trying.

“Ground, air, or sea? But, I feel like I’m reaching the end of your tether.”

I’m hoping she might answer at least this question. I don’t know which branch of the armed forces I can see her fitting in the best. Maybe the air force? I try to envisage it and almost have to groan at the thought of her in a uniform.

“Yeah, once we reach my career, I stop talking. Sorry.” She smiles at me, her cheeks flushing red, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman more beautiful than her.

I force myself to focus on the conversation instead of her beauty. “And I read your contract, so I know that you won’t talk much about your specialist security stuff, either.”

“Well, I started a business doing specialist security, and have an amazing mentor in the field. Then, one day, he recommended me to this guy named Cooper, and I took a contract to protect this super-nosy rock star,” she says with a wicked grin.

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