Page 30 of Fanged Desire
“A pleasure to be back!” Hunter strolled to the counter like she owned the place, flashing a lazy smile that radiated Hollywood charm. “I’m an old friend of Esmeralde’s. I thought I’d pop in for a catchup while I’m in the city.”
I hung back, feeling like an awkward tourist in a luxury resort.
The woman’s smile faltered for only a moment before her eyes blinked with a faint, dazed sheen and she nodded – perhaps taken in by Hunter’s confidence? Or maybe just baffled into submission. Hell, that smile had worked on me, so who was I to judge?
“Oh, Ms Flawne won’t be in for a little while,” the receptionist hummed, flipping through the logbook in front of her. “But you’re welcome to hang around in the meantime. Feel free to enjoy the amenities.”
Hunter sidled up to me with a grin and a raised brow. “What do you say? Care for a swim?”
I crossed my arms, indignant and out of my comfort zone in the fancy establishment. “How exactly does lounging at a spa help us find my sister?”
She shrugged, completely unbothered by my skepticism. “Come on, you could probably use a break after what happened outside the club. And we’ve got time to kill until ‘Ms Flawne’shows up. Might as well enjoy ourselves.”
She mimicked the receptionist's pompous airs and graces when mentioning ‘Ms Flawne’, and I sincerely hoped the poor girl was out of earshot of the mockery.
I hesitated, but there was something in Hunter’s eyes – something playful, almost teasing – that made it impossible to say no. And maybe I did need a break. Or maybe I was just curious to know what she looked like in a swimsuit.
My mischievous accomplice’s grin widened as if sensing my buckling resolve.
“Have you ever had the pleasure of wallowing in a heated pool –” she pulled out a sleek black bank card, waving it under my nose, “ –fullypaid for by yours truly.”
“No, but I guess today’s the day,” I muttered, shaking my head with a deep exhale as she directed me toward the changing rooms.
Minutes later, I found myself slipping into a large, luxurious pool surrounded by stone tiles and warm, swirling steam. The water, I had to admit, was heaven – hot enough to ease the tension from my muscles but not so hot that it burned. It was a bathtub, but bigger. All I needed was a glass of wine.
“So, this is our first lead?” I asked skeptically, melting into the warm water like a bar of soap.
Across from me, Hunter slid into the pool with a fluid grace that was enviously unfair. She offered me one of her infuriatingly calm grins to boot. “Yup.”
I opened my mouth to protest, then shut it again. It was becoming increasingly clear that questioning her would get me nowhere. Instead, I watched her through half-lidded eyes, trying (and failing) to convince myself that I was lookingrespectfully.
Her swimsuit clung to her body in ways that made it impossible not to notice the smooth lines of muscle. Her dark hair was damp, curling slightly as it stuck to the nape of her neck and floated around her shoulders as she adjusted the strap of her swimsuit – and even that simple motion carried an elegance that made it seem like she belonged in a runway shoot rather than a spa pool.
I quickly looked away, pretending to be very interested in the ripples of water.
“This is... surprisingly nice.” I had to admit it, leaning back and letting the heat work its magic.
“Told you.” Hunter’s reply was low and smug.
The warmth and the soothing quiet, it all felt rather dreamlike. But Hunter’s presence was impossible to ignore. I found my eyes drifting back to her, tracing the way her shoulders moved just beneath the water's surface.
Her gaze was coy when she caught me looking, a little playful, like she knew exactly what was on my mind and was enjoying watching me rationalize it. “Liking the view?”
The heat in my cheeks was instant and I quickly glanced away, though it was too late to pretend I hadn’t been gawking. Caught, I couldn’t stifle the nervous laugh that slipped out.
“So...” I said, changing the subject before I embarrassed myself further. “Are you sure you’re not a mermaid?”
Hunter laughed, a deep, easy sound that echoed off the tiled walls. She shook her head, peddling water. “I would’ve made aterrible mermaid. Hell, I used to be terrified of bathtubs as a kid.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the strange confession. “Bathtubs?”
Hunter gave a small shrug, her expression momentarily shadowed. “Yeah. Long story.”
There was something in her voice, an undercurrent of old pain she seemed uninterested in revisiting. The moment passed quickly, her usual playful smirk sliding back into place, but I felt like I’d caught a glimpse of something raw.
But it was gone in a heartbeat, and I was left wondering if I’d even seen it at all.
Floating closer to her without really meaning to, I tilted my head. “You surprise me,” I murmured, louder than intended.
