29. Hotel on the road

Mia Miller

I approached the window, trying to get a phone signal to check on how my son was doing, but without success. There was no signal in this godforsaken place. The frustration built in my chest, making me even more anxious. Lorenzo was the only thing I could think about at that moment.

"I've already told you, he's fine," Ethan's voice pulled me out of my trance, his calmness contrasting with the storm inside me.

He walked to the bathroom without waiting for a response, and I felt a wave of discomfort. I didn’t want to be alone with him, especially here, in such an isolated place with so many mysteries surrounding his life. That alone showed me how weak I was when it came to him, how his presence affected me in ways I didn’t want to admit.

My eyes landed on the bedside table, where there was a closed bottle of wine and a solitary glass beside it. I didn’t even know where the wine was from, but I knew I needed it. My mind was overwhelmed, and I felt an urgent need to relax. Maybe alcohol would help calm my nerves and push away the swirling thoughts.

I had been through so much lately: the loss of my father, Lorenzo’s kidnapping, and to make matters worse, the only person I considered my best friend simply disappeared. I was alone.

"Yeah, Mia Miller, luck was never on your side," I thought to myself, trying to suppress my frustration.

"Can you get my towel?" Ethan's deep voice interrupted my thoughts again, sounding like a gentle but firm command.

I heard him move away from the door, and I hesitated for a second before getting up to grab the towel. With each step toward the bathroom, I felt the tension rise. I handed him the towel, trying to avoid any eye contact, but the moment our gazes met, my body reacted. My heart raced, and it felt like the air around us became denser.

Ethan’s lips were slightly wet, his hair dripping with water, and the atmosphere started to feel too hot, suffocating. There was something about him... something almost primal, pulling me in. And I couldn’t fight it.

"Thanks," he said with a hoarse voice, biting his lip lightly.

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and forced myself to look away. Even though I had seen Ethan without clothes before, I knew that it shouldn’t happen again. But it was hard to convince my body of that, especially when instinct seemed stronger than reason.

I knew this wasn’t right, but the attraction growing between us was impossible to ignore. With each encounter, the tension intensified, and here, isolated, it felt like the line between danger and temptation was growing thinner.

The loud sound from outside startled us. My eyes widened, and I instinctively turned to Ethan, who was already standing, alert and still in just a towel. His gaze fixed on the window for a second, assessing the situation. I slowly got up from the chair, feeling my body tense.

“What was that?” my voice came out in a whisper. "Could it be the pursuers?"

Ethan placed his finger on my lips, signaling for silence. In one swift motion, he pulled me to the corner of the wall, making me stand even closer to him. I could feel the heat of his body through my clothes, and his woody scent invaded my senses.

"Stay quiet. It might be the ones following us," he murmured, keeping his eyes fixed on the door.

My heart beat so fast that it felt like it would leap out of my chest. We were there, pressed against each other, almost not breathing, waiting for the next move. My mind was trying to rationalize what was happening, but the rising heat between us was impossible to ignore.

Ethan held me by the waist, his arm firmly around my body in a protective way. Even with the tension in the air, I felt a current of energy between us that had nothing to do with the danger outside.

The noise repeated itself, a dry sound of something moving. Ethan tensed, and I held my breath. We stayed like that for a few more seconds until he slowly relaxed.

“I’ll check,” he said softly, letting go of me and moving cautiously to the window.

I followed him with my eyes, still nervous. Ethan peeked through the curtains, observing outside. He let out a sigh, almost relieved.

“It’s just a coyote.” He turned to me, and a playful smile appeared on his lips. “Looks like we’re losing it.”

Relief spread through my body, and without being able to hold it back, I nervously laughed. Ethan did the same, chuckling quietly as he walked back toward me. Our gazes met, and suddenly, the laughter died in my throat. The air between us grew heavy again, but this time with a completely different tension.

I stared at him for a moment and realized how close we were. The proximity, the heat, the scent... everything seemed to amplify my senses. Ethan took a step forward, and I felt my body lean slightly in his direction, as if something was pulling me in.

His eyes darkened, and without hesitation, he ran his hand over my face, caressing my skin with his thumb. My heart started racing uncontrollably again, but this time, for a different reason.

“You tease me, Mia,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Before I could think or react, Ethan moved closer, and his lips found mine in an intense kiss. I felt a wave of heat course through my body as my hands instinctively moved up to his chest, feeling the tense muscles under my fingers.

For a moment, everything disappeared—the danger, the doubts, the secrets. All that existed was his touch, the taste of his lips, and the electricity flowing between us.

He pulled off my shirt, and I knew that at that moment, I wanted to be his, and I would be.