“You are a good person, Olivia…” I trailed off, realizing I didn’t know her last name. “What’s your last name?” I whispered.
She laughed. “You aren’t going to use this information to stalk me online, are you?”
“Sweetheart, you forget who you’re talking to. If I wanted to stalk you, I already have more than enough information to go on.” I shook my head. “Wow, that sounded creepy. And I promise not to stalk you online or otherwise.”
I respected her too much to invade her privacy like that. And I wanted to hear about this woman from her own lips.
“Ditto,” she said. “And my last name is Hayes.”
“Olivia Hayes,” I said, finally getting a more complete picture of this woman. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Connor James.” The way she said my name had my cock jerking to attention. He wanted to meet her too.
“So… I know that you have a cat named Luna and no siblings. What do you like to do in your free time?” I asked before adding, “Besides read.”
She laughed. “Man, I am predictable.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” I said, knowing how much I craved routine, stability. It was a big part of the reason I’d joined the navy. My life up until then had lacked constancy. But over time, it had become suffocating. Cole Security struck the right balance—giving me both the structure and autonomy I needed. Plus, it paid a hell of a lot more.
“My friends and I enjoy trivia nights. I love baking and walking along the ocean.”
That was a big clue—she lived near the ocean. But that didn’t narrow it down much.
“Surfing?” I asked. I’d gone a few times with Mark, but it wasn’t really my thing.
“No. I’m not really an adrenaline junkie.”
“Ever done anything…crazy?” I asked, though I was more interested in her bedroom adventures than the ones outside it.
What was it about this woman? How could I be so attracted to someone I’d never met, never even seen? It was crazy.
“Well…I did start talking to this guy on the phone I met over the internet.” I could hear the smile in her voice, and I fought back my own.
“How’s that going for you?” I tried to strike a relaxed tone despite being eager to hear her response.
“Pretty good, so far.”
“Yeah?” I laughed, enjoying the sound of her voice in my ear. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine she was in the room with me instead of…wherever she was.
“Do you still live in California?” I asked, going off her Stanford answer.
“Yes. Born and raised. Though, I’m not your typical California girl.”
I furrowed my brow. “What does that mean?”
She let out a deep sigh. “Just…forget I said anything.”
“No. Wait.” I sat up, the duvet cover rustling beneath me. “Explain. Please,” I added.
“I’m not—” she huffed. “I’m not thin or blond. I don’t have hair that hangs down my back in beachy waves.”
For someone who seemed to have so much confidence, she’d faltered when it came to her appearance. Did she not think she was pretty? Because from everything I’d learned about her, I could only conclude that she was beautiful.
“You’ve told me a lot of things you aren’t, but you haven’t told me what you are,” I said. “And even without seeing you, I know that you’re beautiful.”
“Connor…”
“What? I mean it. From what I can tell, you’re always thinking of other people. Whether it’s Spines for Soldiers or your charity work, you care. Hell, I wish there were more people like you in the world.”
