The sun had barely risen, but I was awake. I always woke up early, especially when I had the time to enjoy the solitude before everything got chaotic. I pulled back the curtains, the light streaming in over the breathtaking view of the woods. It was the kind of scenery that made everything feel... quieter, more peaceful. Too bad I couldn’t feel that peace.
My eyes flicked over to the bed across from me, where Mia was still fast asleep, her body curled under the blanket. Her breathing was slow, steady. She looked so damn innocent in that moment, so unaware of the tension building in the room. I didn’t want to look, but I couldn’t stop myself. Her pajamas had ridden up while she slept, exposing the smooth skin of her stomach, and, if I was being honest, a little more than I’d intended to see.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her body, the way the thin fabric clung to her curves. The way the soft rise and fall of her chest under her shirt made my mind wander to places I wasn’t ready to go.
I mentally cursed myself. Get it together, Tristan. She was Mia, the same girl who made my life hell back in high school, the same girl who hated me. But there was something about the way she was lying there, so unaware, so vulnerable, that made everything inside me tighten.
I shook my head and turned away. My body was betraying me again. I needed to stop thinking about her like that. She wasn’t worth it, none of this was worth it.
I dragged myself out of bed, my mind still swirling with unwanted thoughts, and went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. The water hit me with the cold shock I needed to clear my head. I focused on the freezing temperature, letting it take the edge off the tension that had been building in me.
But as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, I heard her.
She was in the middle of changing, and for some reason, my eyes locked onto her. She didn’t notice me at first, her back to me as she fumbled with her sports bra, lifting it over her head. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the curve of her back, her shoulders tense with concentration. I should have looked away. I should’ve done anything to avoid staring, but... I didn’t.
My breath caught in my throat as her body moved with casual grace. And then—god—she was putting on her jacket, and the way the fabric of her sports bra hugged her body was just... too much. The sight of her, so unaware, her body on full display, and the thought of what was underneath... It was enough to make my blood run hot. I had to get out of here before it became too much to ignore.
But Mia’s voice sliced through the room, cutting through my thoughts. “You’re staring, Tristan,” she said, her tone teasing but full of edge.
I snapped out of my daze, realizing I’d been caught. My face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation. “I wasn’t staring,” I lied, but even I could hear the hesitation in my voice.
“You keep looking, and your dick might get ideas,” she teased, her voice low, but with a bite that made my pulse quicken.
I couldn’t let her see how much that affected me. I turned away, trying to collect myself, to control the surge of lust and anger that seemed to flood me. “You’re full of yourself, Mia,” I muttered, trying to act unaffected.
But it was clear she could see through my facade, her eyes glinting with mischief as she smirked. I needed to get out of here before I lost it.
She didn’t stop there. “Maybe you should do something about it then,” she said, her voice soft but deliberate, her eyes never leaving mine as she trailed her fingers slowly across her shoulder, down to her chest, and then... I swear, her fingers brushed lower, right near her waistband.
The words echoed in my head, and I couldn’t stop the heat that spread through me. My body was already reacting—fuck. I was hard. She knew exactly what she was doing. And for a moment, I stood there, frozen, unsure of how to respond. My body wanted to take over, to push past all the boundaries I’d set for myself. But I couldn’t. Not like this. Not with her.
Mia, of course, didn’t miss the effect she was having on me. She took a step closer, her smirk widening. “Seems like someone’s enjoying the view,” she said, the words laced with something both playful and dangerous.
I took a deep breath, trying to force the heat out of my body. I didn’t want her to see that she had this kind of effect on me. “You’re not even worth it, Mia,” I said, my voice strained. “You really think I’m going to fall for this game?”
She stepped even closer, so close that I could feel her breath on my skin. I couldn’t move. My chest was tight with the intensity of the moment, and I knew that if I didn’t step back, something was going to happen between us, something I wasn’t prepared for.
But she didn’t back down. Her fingers trailed lightly over my shoulder, down my arm, and then across my chest. The simple touch sent a jolt of electricity through me. “I think you’re already halfway there,” she whispered, her breath warm against my ear.
I bit back a groan, my body reacting despite every warning bell going off in my head. I turned away quickly, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You’re insane,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.
But Mia wasn’t done. She watched me, her eyes glinting as she backed up a step. “You’ve got a thing for me, don’t you?” she teased, her voice a low, sultry whisper. “You’re just too proud to admit it.”
I couldn’t hold my ground any longer. “You’re unbelievable,” I hissed, my hands curling into fists as I fought to regain control.
Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked toward the door. “I’m going to take a shower,” she said, a sly grin playing on her lips. “Don’t peek, okay? I’m sure you’d love to.”
The audacity of her made my blood boil. I was furious, frustrated, and God—so turned on. But I knew better. I couldn’t give in. Not now. Not like this.
Still, as she left the room, I stood frozen, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. I didn’t want to think about her that way. I couldn’t.
But damn it, I could still hear her teasing, the way she had touched me. I couldn’t shake the image of her standing so close, with that smug look on her face, knowing exactly what she was doing to me.
I needed to get out of here.
I grabbed my phone and stepped outside, needing to get away from the cabin—away from her. I met up with some of my friends, trying to push all thoughts of Mia out of my head. But the conversation, unsurprisingly, turned back to her.
“So, how’s it feel to be stuck in the same cabin with her?” one of my friends, Derek, asked, a smirk on his face.
I stiffened, my jaw clenching. I wasn’t going to let them see how much I was struggling with this. “She’s fine,” I muttered, trying to downplay it. “It’s just another day of dealing with her.”
But of course, they didn’t buy it. They were all looking at me, watching me carefully, sensing the tension in the air.
“You sure?” Derek pressed. “You’ve been acting a little... different around her. Almost like you’re trying to avoid her.”
I laughed, but it came out more forced than I wanted it to. “Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, taking a long drink from my coffee. “There’s nothing going on between me and her. Just because we’re sharing a cabin doesn’t mean anything.”
But the thing was, it did. And Mia knew it. She knew exactly what she was doing to me.
After breakfast, I wandered back to the cabin, the air around me still thick with tension. My thoughts kept circling back to the moment when Mia had stood so close to me, her fingers trailing over my skin. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I wanted her, and I hated myself for it.
I stepped inside the cabin, ready to put everything out of my mind—but when I saw her again, something in me snapped.
She was standing near the bathroom, running a hand through her hair, wearing nothing but a towel. My eyes locked on her, my body responding against my will. I couldn’t help myself. She knew it too, knew she had this power over me.
“Didn’t you learn your lesson the first time?” she asked, her voice almost a challenge.
I stared at her, my chest tightening. Fuck.
I wasn’t going to give in. But I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out.