Page 41 of Reckless Storm (San Francisco End Game #3)

Reed

A flash goes off as Hayley shovels food into her mouth and she groans grumpily. “Why do they always take photos while I’m doing some weird pose, and you look perfect. Every article I see of us makes me cringe.”

I lean in close and grab her hands until she glances up at me. “Want me to destroy the camera? Because you know I will. For you.”

A beaming smile lights up her face as another flash goes off, and I have no doubt it’ll be a better shot this time.

“That was sweet.” She squeezes my hand.

“Well, you do keep telling me I’m a sweet guy.”

“You are.” She nods, scrunching her nose sympathetically. “There’s no escaping it. But now I know there’s more to you than meets the eyes.”

“Got to keep some parts hidden.” I wink and she giggles until she stops abruptly and frowns.

“What happened?” I spin around to see what she’s looking at but I’m met with an empty street through the window.

“Nothing. I’m probably being silly.”

“It’s not nothing. You're pale.”

Hayley raises an eyebrow and I reluctantly smile. “More pale than usual.” Since it’s winter here, Hayley’s lost part of her tan and she’s constantly complaining about it, despite still being beautiful.

“I saw a guy in a red jacket out the front just now. And when I looked up, he ran.”

“What was he doing?”

“Nothing. But I saw him outside my apartment yesterday. And last Friday. I assumed he must live there, but now he’s here .”

My body tenses though I hide it, needing to keep Hayley calm. “Do you recognize him?”

“That’s the thing; I’ve never seen his face. He always has a scarf pulled up to cover his mouth and his hood pulled low.”

I clench my fists beneath the table while my expression remains stoic. “Do you think we should go to the police?” I ask quietly, my eyes locked on her face to catch her reaction.

She’s still staring outside, but when I mention the police, her gaze shifts to mine. “No. I don’t have to bother them with this. He’s just an overexcited fan.”

“He’s what?” Fuck . A fan? I was thinking of an ex that wanted her back, or the paparazzi. My mind did not go to a stalker. “You think it’s the same guy that sent you the flowers?”

“What?” She shakes her head. “No. No .”

“Hayley?”

Her shoulders drop and she sighs until a small smile plays on her lips. “Not here.”

“Not here?” Jesus . Okay. I smile back at her and jump up to pay, not even waiting for her to finish. If she thinks I’m letting this go, she’s wrong.

Taking my lead, Hayley gulps down the last of her coffee and gets up, linking her fingers through mine when I reach her. “Shall we walk?” she asks.

“Yep. There’s a quiet garden not too far from here.”

“A garden? Perfect.”

We walk in silence for the few minutes it takes to find the place I was talking about, and the second we’re through the gates, alone—just like I expected—I turn to Hayley.

“Do you have a stalker, Hayls?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No, but you’re thinking it, aren’t you?”

She sighs again, glancing down at the bracelet I gave her, spinning it around her wrist.

“I don’t know. I didn’t until today. He’s a fan. Most of his letters have been nice. And even the one with the flowers wasn’t that bad. But now I—”

“He said that you’d make the perfect couple .”

“And maybe we would.” She smirks, playing it down. “I don’t know him.”

“Hayls.” My voice grates in frustration but when she frowns I regret it. “Sorry, I’m—”

“Worried, I know. But you shouldn’t be.” She grabs my hand again before dragging me over to a bench and sitting me down.

“This is all part of the job,” she begins as she settles beside me, her soothing tone attempting to reassure me while I try not to groan. “It happens. Probably a lot more often than we hear about and—”

“We’re going to the police, Hayls. Even if they laugh at us. Please . It will put my mind at ease.”

“Ugh. I’m sorry I told you.”

“And here I was thinking we promised no secrets.”

“We did, but I honestly didn’t think it was a big deal, until I saw that coat.”

“Then I’m glad you saw it. No more holding back. Okay ? This relationship may be fake, but I still fucking care.”

“I know. I promise. No more holding back.”

A fter spending two hours at the police station, we walked out no better off than when we walked in. We handed over the letters, but other than the handwriting, they didn’t have much to go on. Just like Hayley predicted.

And while I still feel better about it, I’m at a loss for what to do next.

“I promise, I’ll be okay,” Hayley insists over and over.

She reaches out to squeeze my jaw, trying to force a smile out of me when we arrive back at her apartment. “I’m not even going to be in the country for the next two weeks, and I’ll have security on me twenty-four seven.”

Yet another reason to frown—Hayley’s international tour. I knew this was coming—we spoke about it a couple of weeks back—but that was before things changed between us. At least, before they changed for me. And now…I’m really going to miss her.

“If they’d have waited a month, I could have come with you.” I pout jokingly, or maybe not so jokingly, but still it makes Hayley laugh.

“Want me to ask them?” she muses. “I could say… My fake boyfriend is in the playoffs and set to win the Super Bowl, but he’d like to come with me on the tour. Can we delay these little get-togethers—that definitely haven’t been planned for months—so he can come?”

“It sounds selfish when you say it like that.”

Her expression softens and she smiles. “You’re not being selfish; you’re being protective. But I promise. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Okay. So how do I fill my time while you’re away?”

“Practice, practice, practice. I need you to make the Super Bowl because I’ve never been and I’ll be back by then. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” A smile tugs at my lips, and Hayley’s eyes widen in satisfaction. “ Oh, yay. That worked.”

“It did.” I reluctantly smile again. “I promise I’ll get out of this funk while you’re gone. But it would help if you didn’t have a stalker.”

“You’re cute when you’re all pouty.” She tries to pinch my cheeks but I grab her arms, locking them by her side as I flip her onto the couch.

“Reed,” she squeals.

“Take it back.”

“Never.” She shakes her head as I tickle her waist, right below her rib cage. “ Jesus . Oh my God. No. I’m not taking it back. You’re cute. Adorable. My golden boy. Do your worst.”

I continue to tickle her until she plays dirty, reaching between us to rub my cock.

“Christ.” I pull back instantly and Hayley cackles triumphantly, her chest heaving as she catches her breath.

“The fuck, Hayls.”

“I had to do something to make you stop.” She bounces her eyebrows.

“You could have just asked.”

“ Oh . Yeah.” She stares up at me puzzled and I can’t help but chuckle. “I never thought of that. Sometimes I forget that with you, things really are that simple.”

My nose scrunches as I process that notion. “Ah. What—”

Hayley giggles as she cups my cheeks, gently this time. “That’s a good thing, Reed. Trust me. Relationships shouldn’t be complicated. People should be who they say they're going to be, and with you…I’ve got that. I just forget sometimes.”

“What happened?” I ask, my eyes boring into hers, pleading with her to see that I’m here, to know that I’m always willing to listen.

“What do you mean?” She frowns but she knows—she’s just delaying her response.

“What made you so wary of relationships? You’ve talked about your exes, but it’s always in a joking way. You’re an incredibly strong woman, Hayls, and nothing will change that. But you don’t have to be strong with me.”

She sighs and wriggles out from under me, pushing me away before she sits up.

Crossing her legs, she spins until she’s facing me, pausing before she speaks.

“I don’t think I ever took myself seriously enough when it came to love.

I always picked guys that were good for my image, or the ones I thought would be the most fun and adventurous.

I guess, because of that, none of them treated me the way I’ve come to realize I deserve to be treated.

I pity the man that comes after you, Reed.

He’ll have a hell of a lot to live up to. ”

She smiles softly and I force one in return, my stomach sinking. I should be happy about that. She deserves to be treated like a queen, and if I helped her to see that, I should be over the moon. But I’m not. And fuck—again... Why can’t I ever just be friends with a woman? Plenty of people do it.

Hayley changes the subject, and since she’s flying out early tomorrow, I head off shortly after, giving her some time to herself.

And the second I’m home, I crumble.

What the fuck is going on?

She’s supposed to be my fake girlfriend because I have feelings for someone else, and yet, I haven’t so much as thought of Bria for the past few days except when Hayley’s mentioned her.

I’m consumed by Hayley. Intrigued by everything she does. Desperate for more time with her. And that’s a bad place to be.

Her being away might be a good thing. It’ll give me a chance to sort my shit out. To get myself in a better headspace, ready for when she returns.

My part of the ruse may be over, but Hayley has a role to win, and I promised I’d be there for her. She’s going to get it. I have no doubt.

It’s time to get over whatever these feelings are.

I have a part to play. I can’t fuck it up.