Page 53 of Hayden's Stalker

I grab my keys and hold them out to her, pleased to be able to offer her the ability to drive a car like mine.

“Take care of my baby,” I say with exaggerated concern.

Tatiana takes them off me and stares down at them with wide eyes. She turns the key over and gives a soft gasp as she looks down at them. I’m fascinated by her every movement, and I follow the her thumb as she caresses the smooth metal on the Lamborghini key chain while she shakes her head in awe.

“What will you do to me if I crash it?” she murmurs.

I grin at her. “Make you replace it. Got a few spare million lying around?”

“Of course,” she laughs back at me.

“Well, have fun chasing down one of the sixty-two other people who own one and convincing them to sell it to you. I’ll kick a million in if you give me the pleasure of joining you on that mission. I think it would be fun to watch you very likely get knocked back sixty-one times,” I tease her, certain of what her next question will be.

“Why don’t you think I’ll be knocked back sixty-two times?”

I smirk as I think of my friend Jeremy, and I know without a doubt that he’d sell his Sián to Tati if this ever happened, so I joke, “Because I know someone who would sell one to you, but I’ll make sure they’re the last person on your list.”

“That’s evil!” she gasps.

“Let’s not forget that in this scenario, you crashed my Sián,” I tease her. “Shouldn’t I get alittleenjoyment out of your search for a replacement?”

“I didn’t know you had a mean streak, Hayden Vega. You learn something new every day,” she grins at me. She closes her fist around the keys and says in a determined voice, “Okay, let’s go.”

We take the elevator downstairs, and I enjoy watching her walk through the garage as much as usual. She has the regular alertness she carries with her at all times, but her eyes dart from sports car to sports car.

When we turn a corner around a pillar, and my Sián comes into sight, she jumps from foot to foot and squeals, “Oh my god, there it is!”

She’s been so capable and confident so far that I didn’t expect this reaction from her. It is, hands down, the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, and I can’t help but laugh because this woman never ceases to amaze me.

Tatiana’s cheeks go red, and I ignore my arousal as I say through a grin, “Yes, there it is.”

When we reach the car, Tati stops at the back of it, and her jaw goes slack as she takes it in before saying in a reverential voice, “This isamazing, Hayden.”

I get a flush of pride as I say, “Thanks.”

She lifts her hand to touch it, and I watch her walk around the car in a circle, occasionally raising her hand to trace some detail on it like a window or door handle.

When she reaches the front of the car, she says, “It’sseriouslyamazing.”

I chuckle again, a bundle of emotions in my stomach. Pride that she likes my car. Arousal because she’s as hot as ever. Concern that I’m thinking dirty thoughts about her again.

I enjoy watching her take in the car a little too much. She inspects every inch of it, telling me over and over how amazing she thinks it is.

“There’s just no other word for it. This car is amazing.” Tati trails her finger over the number sixty-three, and I smile at her.

“So I’m led to believe,” I tease her.

Her cheeks flush pink, and I feel bad when she gives her head a tiny shake before she focuses on the keys to unlock the car. I didn’t mean to ruin her enjoyment or diminish her in any way. She pulls up the scissor door on the driver’s side, so I take it as my cue to do the same and get into the passenger seat.

“These doors never fail to impress me,” she says as she drops into the low, orange bucket seat.

I smile at her because I feel exactly the same way. “You know what? They never fail to impress me either. My twelve-year-old self would die if he knew what I drove around in now. My dream car foryearswas the Lamborghini Countach, and the Sián is very similar.”

She closes the door and laughs as she stretches her legs out as far as she can. “Yup. I can’t even touch the pedals.”

I laugh with her before giving her instructions on how to adjust the seat. She feels around for the button and frowns before she twists to try and see it.

“Huh? You said it should be here, right?”

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