Hunter opened a chest, exposing swords and daggers. He laughed, the sound equal parts disbelief and exultation, then threw the next one open to find more relics embedded with gemstones.
“Come look at this,” I said, walking to a spot where five large tapestries were propped up against the wall. Grabbing the hem of the antique fabric, we revealed a colorful scene framed by a rich decorative border of scrolling foliage of a woman on horseback alongside two huntsmen, a pack of dogs trailing after them, a landscape with palm trees and vines, and a clearing in the trees revealing a flotilla of ships out in the sea. Even in the semi-darkness, it was stunning.
Hunter picked up a dagger and weighed it on his palm as he studied it. The unpolished metal shone. Hunter lifted his head, and his glistening eyes found mine. “Sydney, we did it.”
My chest expanded with pride and thrill. Not only because of what we discovered tonight, but because in the short few weeks, I’d changed so much that the old me wouldn’t recognize me now. And I wouldn’t have done it without Hunter.
I was physically and mentally stronger (spending many hours in the sun was cruel for the skin, but the abundant boost of Vitamin D was much better for my mental health than sitting in my dark office in front of a 24-inch iMac). I was living an adventure (not by choice, but I loved it now). I got a new haircut (sort of by choice). Most importantly, I took a risk of having feelings for someone I knew had no place in my other life. Not because I didn’t want Hunter in it, but because he stated he wasn’t going back from the start. This was his home now. And my home was Florida. And it wouldn’t have been fair for me to convince him to leave. Just as it wouldn’t have been fair for him to convince me to stay. My eyes burned with tears.
“What’s wrong?” Hunter’s eyebrows pulled together, and he dropped the dagger. “You don’t look happy.”
I pulled a smile. “Oh, I am happy.” The happiest I’d have been in a very long time.
“Then, why are you crying?”
I snorted and wiped my eyes, scraping my skin with dirt. “Because I’m really happy. Look at yourself. You are crying, too.”
“Come here.” Hunter stretched out his arm, and I took his hand. He drew me close, and in an instant, my body melted into his. “This is all because of you, Wonder Woman,” he whispered into my hair. “Thank you for being so incredible.”
He pulled away just long enough for me to see his face in the dim light. His lips parted, and his eyes searched mine. I stood stock-still, waiting. My heart pounded in my ribcage, no doubt its sound reverberating inside Hunter’s chest. The emotions flooded me the way he stared at me.What?I wanted to ask. What is it?But Hunter pulled me back into him and let out a deep sigh. “Only two riddles left to solve.”
A heave of disappointment wrenched at my heart. It made no sense for me to dare him to say something that would abso-fucking-lutely mess with my future judgments. That wasn’t what he was going to say earlier. Was it?
ChapterTwenty-Two
Later that evening, as the last sunbeam dissolved in the ocean, we finished our dinner near a small fire on the beach like a married couple, happy to be in each other’s company after a hard workday. Monday, with his yellow eyes barely open, faithfully waited for me to share a leftover piece of fish, while Tuesday chased small crabs at the edge of the water unbothered by the sneaky waves which once in a while touched his feet.
“Today is incredible. I still can’t believe it,” Hunter said. He had changed into a clean pair of shorts, and I wore his light green T-shirt and my bikini bottoms. “I wish Edward were alive.”
Hunter couldn’t stop grinning all evening long and had all the right to do so. He’d finally found what he sought, and I was glad I’d played a role in it. And it did something to me. A wonderful feeling twirled through me and rooted itself in my chest. And I knew that moment that whenever I’d find myself on a beach in Florida or anywhere else, it would always bring me back here. To this month. To this day. To Hunter. The feel of the sand or the sound of the rolling waves forever would all be a living memory of our time together.
“He would be very proud of you,” I said, tossing orange peels into the fire. The flames flickered different colors as the fruit skin caramelized and caught fire, a smoky Old-Fashioned fragrance filling the air momentarily.Add this smell to that living memory too.
“I’m eternally grateful to you,” he said and kissed my inner wrist, stubble grating my skin, then his attention fixed on my face. He had that look again he’d had earlier. His expression was so vulnerable, unguarded, his parted lips on the verge of revealing a private secret. A wave of butterflies erupted in my stomach as if he had just confessed his love for me.
I let out an exaggerated sigh and waved my hand at him. “It’s a team effort. We work well together. Like we are Superman and Batman.”
He arched an eyebrow, smirking. “Did you use the Superman reference because Cavill is in it?”
“What? Oh, good grief. No. I didn’t even remember he was in that movie.”
That was a fat lie. My favorite part of the movie was when Henry was shirtless, in the rain, stealing clothes. I’d rewatched it countless times. Shoot. Maybe that wasMan of Steel. All the Henry Cavill shirtless moments blurred into one. (Okay, so shirtlessness was my Kryptonite)
“I’m glad I’m a few inches taller than him. Otherwise, I would be dying of jealousy and fear that one day he would swoop in and steal you from me.” Hunter gave me a cheeky grin, his dimples deeper than usual.
“You have nothing to worry about.” I laughed and rested my head on my pulled-up knees. I cataloged the man next to me on the beach blanket.
My crush on Hunter had developed into something that would cause pain in the near future. And maybe that was precisely what I needed as a reboot to my system. To let my heart soar high with feelings just to crash back down to earth. I could get over Hunter. Miami had close to half a million people. No doubt one of those people was a man just as kind and funny as Hunter, a jack of all trades who was also good-looking (which shouldn’t matter), taller than Mr. Cavill (whichalso shouldn’t matter), and aseriouslytalented lover (which Hunter really,reallywas).
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“I’m thinking we have unfinished business that we started in the lake, but someone had to be rude and blurt out the riddle answer.” Drawn by his gravity, I leaned in and brushed the tip of my nose against his. “What are you thinking about?”
A mischievous smile curved Hunter’s full lips, and his fingers pinched my T-shirt, tugging me to him. “How about I show you now.”
Our mouths explored each other as if we had never kissed before, our tongues teasing and coaxing for incalculable minutes until we were both ready to drown in sweet nirvana.
Hunter laid me on the blanket without breaking contact, settling on his left elbow. He hummed as he kissed me, and a sound sent sparking tingles across my skin. He bit my lips, then my jaw, his fingers going for my bikini and trying to take it off. I lifted my hips, helping him.
