Page 30 of Hunter

The girl behind it—Patricia, her name tag says—looks up at me with wide, frightened eyes.

“G-Good afternoon, sir,” she stammers. Her voice shakes as she fumbles to grab the room key. It slips from her fingers, clattering onto the counter. She leans down to pick it up, but her trembling hands betray her. She drops it again. And again.

I inhale deeply, biting back a sharp remark. This is supposed to be a stress-free trip for her. I remind myself of the promise I made to keep things light, to avoid anything that might set Sophia on edge.

“Almost done?” I ask, glancing at her name tag. “Patricia.”

Her head bobs frantically. “Yes, sir. S-Sorry.”

“Good. Because I’ve just had a long trip, and I’d really like to start relaxing.” I force a smile, though the way she flinches tells me it probably looks more threatening than I intended.

“Of course, sir,” she says, rushing to gather the paperwork. Her hands still shake, but she manages to avoid dropping anything else this time. She launches into a rehearsed explanation of the room’s location, the food services number, and the schedule for the excursions I’d booked. I nod impatiently, grab the papers, and turn to where Sophia is swinging herself gently, staring down at the tiled floor.

“Ready to go?” I ask.

She looks up at me, her brows raised, lips pursed in a way that tells me I’ve already done something to annoy her.

“Did you really rent out the whole hotel?”

Ah. So that’s what this is about. I fight back a smile, nodding in confirmation.

Her scowl deepens as she stops rocking. “Are you insane? Why would you do something so…crazy?”

I step closer, placing my hands on her thighs to ground her, to pull her attention back to me. “Because I didn’t want anyone bothering you,” I say simply, my tone soft but firm. I grab her hands, my thumbs brushing over her knuckles. “Please don’t fight me on this. I want you to relax, to not have to worry about anything.”

I don’t add the rest: to not worry about people hurting you, stressing you out, or dragging you back to the place you’ve worked so hard to leave. I know Sophia, and if I say too much, she’ll take it the wrong way, twisting my protectiveness into something that feels like pity.

Her expression softens, and a faint smile tugs at the corners of her lips. She lifts one hand to my face, her palm warm against my cheek. I freeze, holding still, afraid any sudden movement might scare her off. This—her touching me willingly—is progress. I won’t do anything to ruin it.

But my treacherous eyes betray me, trailing down her face to her mouth. Her lips are so close, so inviting, but I force myself to stay still. She’s not ready. Don’t push her. The mantra plays over and over in my head like a warning siren. She’s been through too much already.

“Maxim,” she says softly, her voice carrying a spark I haven’t seen in her for so long. It’s hesitant but familiar, like the woman I fell for is still in there, fighting to resurface.

“It’s okay,” she continues, her gaze steady, even though I can see the flicker of nerves in her eyes. “You can kiss me.”

My heart stutters. For a moment, I don’t move, certain I must have imagined it, that I’m hearing what I want to hear, not what she actually said.

She takes a small step closer, her hands brushing against mine. “I’m not some damsel in distress, Maxim. A kiss isn’t going to break me,” she adds, her voice lighter, almost teasing, but there’s an undertone of vulnerability that keeps me rooted.

I open my mouth to say something, but no words come out.

Her hand reaches up, lightly resting against my chest. “Kiss me,” she whispers again, softer this time, but with a conviction that leaves no room for doubt. And then, she closes the distance herself, rising up to press her lips to mine before I can even react. The kiss is hesitant at first, as though she’s testing the waters, but the moment her lips meet mine, I’m lost.

My hand instinctively moves to cradle the back of her head, threading through her hair, while my other hand rests gently at her waist. I hold her like she might slip away if I’m not careful.

The kiss deepens slightly, her grip tightening on my shirt as though anchoring herself. When she pulls back, just an inch, her breath brushes against my lips, her voice barely audible. “I’m still scared, Maxim…but I need this. I need you.”

Her words hit me harder than anything ever has. “You’ll always have me,” I murmur, my thumb brushing her cheek as I search her eyes, hoping she knows how much I mean it.

For a few moments, we stand there, holding each other in the fragile quiet. The weight between us feels lighter, but I know it’s still there, lingering. Still, for now, this is enough.

Electricity crackles between us, igniting something raw and overwhelming inside me. God, the feel of her lips on mine—it’s like coming home after being lost in the wilderness for years. Her warmth, her softness, her everything else pulls me under. Ideepen the kiss, my other hand sliding down to her lower back, holding her as close as possible.

Then, a loud thud breaks through the haze.

Sophia pulls back quickly, her cheeks flushed a soft pink. She glances over my shoulder, her smile turning sheepish. “I think we should go to the room,” she says, her laughter light and teasing.

I groan in frustration, the moment ruined. Whoever dropped whatever it was better be glad I don’t know where they are, or I’d— But then I look at her again. She let me kiss her. She wanted to kiss me.

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