“Do you see me in this future of yours?” she asked.
No hesitation. “Yes.”
Her throat worked when she swallowed. The steam thickened between us. The noise from the other tub faded to a dull hum in the background. For the first time in months, my chest felt… light. Just warmth and the quiet acknowledgment that I wanted something beyond dominance and damage control.
She moved closer until her legs bracketed mine beneath the water. “You’re not as hard as you pretend to be,” she murmured.
I smirked faintly. “Careful.”
She leaned in, fingers curling against the back of my neck. “I don’t see armor right now.”
“You’re the only one who gets to see all of me.”
Her lips brushed mine. Slow. Unrushed. No urgency behind it. Just connection.
The kiss deepened gradually, water shifting around us as she climbed into my lap. My hands found her waist automatically, steadying her against me.
I didn’t push. Didn’t claim. Just held.
Her forehead rested against mine when we broke apart.
“This feels dangerous,” she whispered.
“Why?”
“Because it’s so easy.”
I almost answered. Then my phone buzzed on the deck chair beside the tub. Once. Twice. Three times in quick succession. I ignored it.
Mila’s gaze flicked past my shoulder. “Do you need to get that?”
“Not tonight.”
It buzzed again. I swore under my breath and reached for it.
Drew’s name appeared, and I scanned the message.You need to call me. Now.
“What?” Mila asked.
“Nothing.”
The signal bars at the top of my screen flickered. Dropped. Came back.
The trees beyond the deck shifted in the wind again. Mila’s posture changed slightly. She glanced toward the dark stretch beyond the railing. “You ever get the feeling someone’s watching?”
My head snapped up. I scanned the tree line automatically. Black silhouettes. Movement from wind. Nothing distinct.
I glanced back at my phone, debating on returning Drew’s missed call. The reception dropped completely. No service. Then Theo’s music cut out mid-song.
“What the hell?” he yelled from the other tub.
Jax stood immediately, water sloshing over the edge. Power flickered once from the house behind us, then steadied.
Mila’s fingers curled against my shoulders. “Luke.”
“I’ve got it.”
I set her gently back into her seat and climbed out of the tub, water streaming down my back. The night air hit colder now.