Chapter 451

"What are you doing here?" Hayden set down the papers he'd been holding.

I walked up behind him, letting my fingers brush along his chin. "I missed you."

Instead of smiling at my confession, he immediately sensed something was off. His hand slipped around my waist, and in one smooth motion, he pulled me onto his lap. "What's going on?"

Seeing the concern in his eyes, I playfully tapped his nose. "You always know when something's up, don't you?"

"Then don't keep things from me."

"Lena's left the country," I started, deliberately leaving out the part about Steve—for now.

He didn't look surprised, just gave a soft "Oh."

Hayden had this perfectly defined nose, and I traced it with my finger. "You're a guy, so you get how men think. Do men like it when women cling to them?"

"Is this a question for Lena?" He raised a brow, letting me mess with his face.

"Not just her. It's for me too... and for, like, all women everywhere."

"It depends on the guy," he said, dodging a real answer.