Twelve miles was a short trip with a car.
They arrived back at Hunter's apartment complex in no time. Hunter hopped out and popped the trunk.
He grabbed the grill and the bag of leftover charcoal, intending to say goodbye to Mia right there.
But before he could speak, the sun-kissed mixed-race beauty stepped out of the driver's side.
"Let me help you," she said.
Mia reached for the ice bucket they had bought near the beach.
In the afternoon, Hunter had rented a small boat and some tackle to try his hand at fishing. Not only did he unexpectedly unlock the Fishing skill, but he also managed to catch two fish.
They weren't big—maybe three pounds combined—but they were enough for a meal. So, he'd bought a cheap bucket and some ice to keep them fresh.
"I got it. You should head home," Hunter said.
He lifted the grill bag with one hand and reached for the bucket with the other.
But Mia dodged his hand, grabbed the bucket, and started walking toward the apartment entrance.
Hunter blinked in surprise.
Watching her retreating figure—the sway of her hips, the curves accentuated by her beachwear—Hunter's mind flashed back to noon.
The feel of her skin under his hands as he applied sunscreen. The intimacy. The heat.
A fire ignited in his chest.
He swallowed the words of dismissal he was about to say.
They walked up the stairs in silence, one behind the other.
The elevator in this old building had died decades ago, and no landlord or city official cared enough to fix it. Fortunately, Hunter lived on the third floor.
As they climbed, Hunter's gaze kept drifting upward.
Specifically, to the peach-shaped curve moving rhythmically in front of him.
Maybe his stare was too intense, because Mia seemed to sense it. The flush on her cheeks deepened with every step.
"Wait a sec."
Hunter reached his door and pretended to fish for keys in his pocket, actually pulling them from his Personal Inventory.
He unlocked the door and gestured for her to enter.
Mia didn't seem to notice the hidden invitation in his eyes. She walked in with the ice bucket.
The moment she crossed the threshold, Hunter stepped in behind her.
Click.
He closed the door.
Click.
He locked it.
Mia set the bucket down and asked, "Hunter, where should I put the fish?"
"I'll handle it."
Hunter took the bucket from her. His fingers brushed against the back of her hand, and he felt a distinct tremor run through her body.
He opened the freezer compartment of the fridge, pulled out the fish, and tossed them in.
"You should wash your hands," Hunter said, setting the empty bucket aside. "Fish smell lingers."
Mia nodded and went into the bathroom.
Listening to the sound of running water, Hunter's mind wandered back to the beach. The image of her body, glistening with oil and sun, was burned into his retinas.
"Eighteen-year-old Western girls... truly in their prime," he mused.
Western women matured faster than Eastern women, though they often aged faster too. But right now? Mia was perfection.
Mia finished washing up and walked out.
"Hunter, I'm done."
Hunter nodded. His hands stank of fish too. He walked past her into the bathroom to scrub them clean.
Behind him, Mia opened her mouth.
She had planned to leave immediately. But for some reason, the words stuck in her throat.
"I'll tell him in a minute," she told herself. "If I'm too late, Dom will be furious again."
Suddenly, Vince's face flashed in her mind.
The man who had been harassing her since she was fifteen. Crude. Violent. Entitled.
Because of Vince, Mia had spent her entire teenage life isolated from boys her age. She hated him. She had complained to Dom countless times.
But Dom's response was always a chuckle or a light scolding. He didn't care.
Mia felt like a bird in a cage. And the one holding the key wasn't Vince—it was her brother.
Hunter walked out of the bathroom, drying his hands.
"What do you want for dinner, Mia?"
"I learned a few new Chinese recipes recently. Want to try?"
He extended the invitation naturally.
Mia shook her head. "No, I can't. I have to go, Hunter."
"If I'm late, Dom will get angry."
Saying it out loud made her feel a sudden, sharp sense of loss.
She forced a smile and waved at the handsome boy standing in front of her. She turned toward the door.
But just as she turned...
Warmth wrapped around her right hand.
Hunter had crossed the distance in a heartbeat. He caught her hand.
She spun around instinctively. Hunter was right there, inches away.
"Go back a little later."
His voice was low, magnetic.
His eyes were burning with a hunger that threatened to swallow her whole.
Mia's throat went dry.
She opened her mouth to refuse. "I..."
But before she could form the word, his face filled her vision.
His target was her lips.
Smash.
The moment their lips met, it felt like a bomb went off in Mia's brain.
Reason evaporated. Her limbs lost their strength. Her body temperature skyrocketed.
Hunter pulled back slightly, his lips hovering over her ear.
"Stay a little longer. Okay?"
His voice was hypnotic.
Mia felt like she had lost control of her own body.
Subconsciously, she nodded.
Then, she felt strong arms sweep around her waist.
Hunter lifted her off the ground effortlessly.
Outside, the wind might have been picking up, but inside the small apartment, a different kind of storm was about to break.
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