Page 74 of Hayden's Stalker

She cuts herself off and gives a tiny gasp, which is sexy as fuck.

“Do you imagine things about me often, Tati?” I ask, amused but honestly curious.

I’m also certain that she wouldn’t tell me if she did.

“No,” she says in a defensive tone, and I’m disappointed because she’s either telling the truth or lying to me, and I don’t like either option. “I just mean that I’m sure you’regood at plenty of things. Drumming. Singing. Cross-stitch, or something.”

I blink, surprised by her words for a second, before I burst into laughter. “Cross-stitch. I can’t say I’ve done much of it. I am good with my hands, though, so maybe I should give it a try.”

I watch for her response to my flirting, and I’m pleased when her eyes widen marginally and her tongue darts out to lick her lips.

She has the coolly professional tone again when she asks, “Jesse said he swept the room, but do you mind if I look around?”

I smirk at her trying to pretend she doesn’t want me. “Go ahead. If you need me, you know where I am.”

I walk back to the sofa and pick up my book. I open it and set the book on the arm of the chair, but I can’t focus on the story when I try to read. I’m too busy listening to Tati moving around in the bathroom.

When she comes back into the room, I don’t even bother to pretend that I’m actually reading, and I watch her move around the room instead. Eventually, she comes and sits next to me on the sofa. I get the enjoyment of having her near me, but I don’t break the silence, curious about what she’ll say when she eventually speaks.

“Douchebag or not, you have a boyfriend. So, flirting with me isn’t okay, you know,” she tells me while staring at the wall across from us.

I’m curious how she’ll respond when I tell her that I plan to end my relationship, so I say as casually as I can, “I’m breaking up with Blake tonight.”

“You are?” she gasps and whips her head around to look at me.

I’m pleased by her response, and I want to be as honest with her as I can, so I nod my confirmation while I consider how exactly to explain the way I came to this conclusion.

“I spoke to Brendan about it yesterday in my therapy session. Idodeserve better. It’s not because of you—well, it kind of is,” I admit.

Not because I want to be with her, but because she’s been the catalyst for me to see the kind of relationship I could have if I found the right person. My stomach drops as I realize how much I wish that person could be her.

I push the thought away and continue, “Yeah, I’ve been flirting with you, but it also just reminded me of what relationships should be like. When you get to a point where you’re relieved when your partner doesn’t come to an event, something is very wrong.”

“I’m proud of you, Hayden,” she says solemnly. “You know that this doesn’t change our situation, though, right?”

“Doesn’t it?” I raise an eyebrow at her, then joke, “Okay, I suppose not, but Iwillbe able to flirt with you guilt-free.”

“Have you considerednotbreaking up with Blake,” she parries.

“You’re that scared of me being single, huh?”

Once again, I watch for her reaction to my words and am not disappointed by her response. It’s clear that there’s more truth to her words than she’d like me to believe. Given how much sexual tension there is whenever we’re alone together, I have no idea how bad it’ll be once I am single. I’ll be grateful not to have to feel guilty for how badly I want her, even if we can’t be together.

Tatiana makes a thoughtful face and asks seriously, “Maybe we can find you a nice boyfriend tonight? Someone might come to the show who’s a really lovely guy and perfect boyfriend material. What do you think?”

I shake my head at her, and I’m unable to keep the obvious lust out of my voice as I tell her in a husky voice, “I don’t want him.”

“A nice girlfriend, then? There are probably plenty of wonderful women who would make amazing partners for you on their way to this concert right now. So many options, really,” Tatiana nods.

“I don’t want her, either. I’m going to stay single, and you’re going to wish I wasn’t for more than one reason,” I tease her with a grin.

Tatiana wrinkles her nose and says, “I’m not touching that with a ten-foot pole.”

I laugh and say, “Fair enough. Truth hurts, I guess. I’m going to read some more of my book before the soundcheck.”

I pick it up and shake it at her before I open it. At first, I can’t focus again. I’m too aware of Tati’s body on the sofa next to me. I read the first page four times and the second page twice before I finally manage to escape into the book.

I’m totally distracted by the time Tati interrupts me when she says, “It’s time for the soundcheck.”

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