Hunter laughed when he opened the door to the room, a laughter that echoed with a hint of mischief. “I think you're going to hate this.”
I approached, and upon seeing the interior, I understood the reason for Hunter's laughter. The room was a disconcerting blend of exaggerated romance, filled with details that only a love-struck couple could appreciate. Swan-shaped towels, rose petals carefully scattered on the bed, and soft lighting contributed to the intimate atmosphere. However, Hunter and I were far from being a couple.
“I'm not staying here,” I declared firmly, knowing that the scene did not align with the nature of our relationship.
Hunter, still smiling, defended the choice as if the romantic extravagance of the room were a joke. “It's better than sleeping in the car.”
Hunter's humor didn't infect me. “Do you find this funny?” I asked, finding no reason to laugh.
Hunter, despite seeming to find some amusement in the situation, conceded to my stance. “Okay, okay. It may not be funny, but you know I'm right.”
My eyes found the bed, a tempting but illogical proposition in that tense moment. The storm continued its symphony outside, and the idea of temporary refuge was becoming more appealing. However, the price to pay was a room with an aesthetic that seemed lifted from a cliché romance.
Hunter began to undress, completely disregarding the awkwardness of the situation. “What are you doing?” I asked, one eyebrow raised.
“I'm changing clothes,” he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “Do you always ask obvious questions?”
Keep calm, I thought. “Change in the bathroom,” I suggested, avoiding eye contact.
“Why?” Hunter questioned with a cheeky smile. “There's nothing about me that you haven't seen before.”
My patience was tested, but I maintained composure. “I'll go to the reception to see if they have extra sheets and blankets. When I come back, I hope you're dressed,” I stated, making it clear that everything had its limits, including him.
Unfazed, Hunter made an ironic comment. “Don't set too many expectations, Fierce.”
I left the room, determined to ensure that, at least, we would have privacy and suitable comfort for our peculiar situation. At the reception, I requested some extra sheets, briefly explaining that the room fell short of our expectations.
Armed with extra sheets and blankets, I returned to the room, intending to establish a clear boundary between the reality of our mission and the strange twist of fate that had thrown us into a romantic room.
Upon entering the room, I found Hunter, now dressed in black sweatpants and shirtless, displaying his defined chest. A direct gaze and a mischievous smile escaped his lips when he saw me enter.
“I'm dressed,” he declared, as if his personal exhibition were sufficient.
Keeping a neutral expression, I placed the sheets and blanket on the bed. “You're half dressed,” I observed, maintaining distance.
Hunter, relaxed, retorted, “It's more than much to manage.”
Without losing the serious tone, I commented, “Zora certainly wouldn't mind seeing you like this.”
Hunter shrugged, displaying a casual charm. “I think that's what she likes most about me. Anyway, why bother with these things?”
My attention turned to the immediate task. “I brought the extra sheets and blankets to make a makeshift bed on the floor,” I explained, seeking to establish some normalcy amid the peculiar situation.
In his laid-back style, Hunter reassured, “Don't worry. If that's the issue, I'll let you sleep in the bed. I'm not a king. Well, I am, but not the haughty type who won't share a bed... you know... you get it, right?”
I rolled my eyes, familiar with his ways. “I know I'll sleep in the bed. I brought the sheets for you.”
Hunter raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You didn't have to bother. I'm a werewolf; I like to keep skin contact with the ground.”
“As you prefer,” I murmured, concealing the irony in the words. “Do as you wish, Your Majesty. I'm going to take a shower. Won't be long.”
Hunter nodded in agreement, and I moved toward the bathroom. The hot water promised, at least, to relieve some of the tension that hung in that unconventional room. Fate, in its peculiar irony, had placed us in that location, and now it was a matter of dealing with it in the best way possible.
I was in the bathroom, finishing my shower as the storm continued outside. The relaxing sound of water ceased when I turned off the shower. The warm mist enveloped the room, and as I looked at myself in the mirror, I noticed fatigue reflected in my eyes. Brushing my wet hair, the moans from the room caught my attention.
I donned my robe and left the bathroom, ready to face any other peculiarity that the night decided to offer me. Upon entering the room, I found Hunter sitting on the floor, frantically changing TV channels. I couldn't help but ask directly what he was doing.
“What are you doing?” I inquired, watching him.
Hunter, with the most innocent expression he could muster, replied, “Nothing.”
I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “I heard moans. You're not watching... adult videos, are you?”
Hunter made an exaggeratedly innocent expression. “Of course not.”
“You were watching an educational video, Hunter. Now I know they're adult videos,” I stated, exposing his supposed secret. “Hand over the remote, Hunter.”
“I'm not giving it up,” Hunter said, resisting.
He refused, initiating a chase around the room. The struggle for control turned into a frenzied race until, finally, I managed to wrest the remote from Hunter's hands.
“Gotcha,” I declared, smiling.
However, Hunter didn't give up. He approached and demanded the remote back. I ran around the room, trying to avoid his advances. The playful chase continued as I attempted to change the channel, and Hunter blocked my movements. We ran, laughing, through the room until, surprisingly, Hunter managed to catch me and threw me onto the bed.
Thinking that he had won, Hunter placed his body over mine and proclaimed his triumph. “Gotcha.”
I looked at him with a mixture of surprise and challenge, ready to reprimand him for his childish behavior, when suddenly, before I could say anything, Hunter leaned in and kissed me. The momentary surprise was replaced by an inexplicable sensation as we lost ourselves in that unexpected and emotion-laden moment.