“Lunch then.”
“As soon as I’m done with my errands, I’m going home to let Monster out, and then I’m taking an epic nap. Do you want a complete schedule for my entire week?”
Hayden laughs. “No need, I’ll just figure it out on my own.”
“Okay, stalker with no apparent job to go to.”
“I have a job. You know you looked me up.”
“Yeah, I did,” I admit. “A really fucking impressive one for a stalker, actually.”
“I notice you haven’t called the cops on me yet.”
“How do you know I don’t have an uncle in the mafia? Much more effective,” I say.
“If you did then I’d already be swimming with the fishes.”
“You have a point.”
“When can I see you?”
I heave a sigh. Tonight after my gig? Every night this week? Please. No, Mills. Bad Mills.
“You can’t. You’re a walking red flag,” I tell him. And the hottest guy who’s ever made me come.
“Tell me to leave you alone, and I will.”
Say it. Say it! Tell this guy to leave and he will! Call him on his bluff.
But…but maybe I don’t want him to leave me alone.
Maybe I like him following me around.
Maybe my judgment is clouded after that kiss—and all the other things.
He lets me walk ahead of him as I head toward the boutique pet store where I have no business shopping. I look at him over my shoulder and say, “I’ll DM you after my show tonight.”
And bless him; he lets me go.
“See you then.”
Hayden waves and heads into a coffee shop, texting someone on his phone.
Instantly, I’m jealous.
Who is he texting?
God, I ought to have my head examined.
It’s a good thing I do stand-up because a lively audience is like good therapy, except I get paid for it.
chapter
six
Hayden
I pause to buy a coffee that I do not need so I can lag behind and give Mills the space I do not want to give.
