Summer's Surprise || MaAn ||

Chapter 3 | Anupama

I keep glancing over my shoulder, checking if he's still trailing behind me. I half-expected him to make a run for it at any moment, deciding that following a stranger down a dim resort path wasn't his idea of a great night. He agreed to this adventure way quicker than I'd imagined. In my mind, I'd already braced myself for a "no" and assumed my intriguing night with this stranger would be cut short. I thought he'd dismiss my talk about fate as pure gibberish.

To my surprise, the night was far from over. Maybe, just maybe, our night was about to kick into high gear.

"Remind me again where we're headed?" His voice carries a hint of uncertainty from behind me.

I step around a massive boulder blocking our path. "If I told you, I'd have to make you disappear." Flashing a sly smile over my shoulder, I can only see his face thanks to the brilliant full moon in the sky.

A quirk of his lip. "And I'm the one who got accused of being a serial killer?"

Shaking my head, I turn around and keep walking. "You were giving off some creepy vibes, the way you were intensely staring at them."

"I was lost in thought," he insists.

"Sure you were," I chuckle, making a sharp left toward our final destination. I have to brush away tree limbs, making sure none whack me in the face.

Anuj stays silent as he follows me the rest of the way. Finally, we emerge into a clearing, the moon bathing the scene in front of us in its soft light.

Our arms graze against each other as he stops beside me. "Wow," he breathes, his eyes tracing the body of water ahead.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I watch him closely, reminiscing about how I felt when I first stumbled upon this hidden cove.

"It is," he says, the moonlight reflecting in his hazel eyes.

I'd been on a run, needing to feel the uneven terrain beneath my feet to shed the stress of an uncertain future. My mom had been raving all day about the resort's fantastic gym, but that's not what I needed. Throughout high school, I'd been a cross-country runner, offered numerous scholarships from different colleges. But I turned them all down. After high school, I ran because I craved the exertion, not because I wanted to compete.

This trip was no different. There was a barely noticeable path through the trees and tall grass that led to this private cove, and somehow, I found it. When I walked into the clearing, I didn't hesitate to strip off my clothes and plunge into the water.

I'm itching to dive into the water again, escaping the Texas heat with a refreshing swim. But I stay put, my attention fixed on Holden.

Turning his body toward mine, he takes a step closer, standing closer than ever before. I'm not short by any means, always one of the tallest in my friend group, yet he still seems to tower over me.

"So, what's the plan, Anupama?" His voice breaks the silence from earlier as his gaze locks onto my lips.

If I tilt my head up, part my lips as a wordless invitation, would he kiss me? 

It takes all my willpower to resist the urge. I may not know him well, and our introductions were barely an hour ago, but it feels like I've known him forever. It's a dangerous feeling.

Taking a step back, I slip out of my shoes one by one. My fingers trace down my midriff, landing on the button of my shorts. I maintain eye contact as I release the button from its loop and slide down the zipper. Shedding my shorts, I kick them aside. "I was thinking we'd take a swim," I finally answer.

My stomach flutters when he doesn't hold back his appreciative gaze, roaming over every inch of my exposed skin. Suddenly, I feel the effects of the champagne. My head feels light, and there's a warmth to my skin that wasn't there before. It could be the alcohol, or maybe it's the way this enigmatic stranger is eyeing me like he wants to savor every inch of my bared flesh.

His fingers rise, unhurriedly undoing the buttons of his impeccably pressed shirt. "You do realize we were just at a pool, right?"

Stepping back, I feel the sand and pebbles crunch beneath my feet as I head toward the water, leaving him on the cove's beach. It's an unspoken invitation for him to follow me in.

My arms stretch wide as I step into the water. "Why swim in a pool when we have all this?"

"Perhaps fate prefers lakes," he muses, shirt sliding off his broad shoulders. Part of me wishes I hadn't retreated to the water so I could see him up close. Even from my vantage point, I can make out the chiseled contours of his muscles.

I laugh, not the least bit bothered by his gentle teasing about my earlier comment on fate. He's not being mean; it's more like he's flirting, igniting a dangerous game between us.

The lake water laps around my calves when he gazes down at his attire. "I didn't exactly come dressed for a swim," he notes, his khaki shorts more suited for eighteen holes on the golf course than a late-night dip.

Smirking, I wade into the water, kicking off the lake's bottom to go deeper. "Then don't bother dressing, Anuj."

Without waiting for a response, I swim away from him, trusting, hoping that he'll follow.

He doesn't keep me waiting for long. I feel his presence behind me before I see him. Turning around, I find him approaching.

Anuj stops in front of me, still able to stand in the water, unlike me. I have to tread water to stay afloat. "This isn't really my usual style," he admits, his tone tinged with melancholy. I'm curious about what's bothering him.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask, bracing myself for his answer. To be honest, this isn't my typical behavior either. I'm not usually this forward or trusting of a stranger enough to lead them into the wilderness. But with him, it feels different. I want this night with him. I want to discover what can happen beneath the stars, in this secluded lake, far from everyone else.

"I'll let you know later," he replies.

"What do you want to do now?" I'm confident enough to ask, sensing that in the privacy of this cove, and perhaps with the champagne taking effect, we've become bolder. My tongue darts out to moisten my lips, his intense gaze making them feel parched.

His long arm dips into the water, finding my hip. He pulls me closer to him, slowly, as if testing to see if I'd pull away from his touch.

Not when I want this so badly.

"I want things I probably shouldn't," he answers to my earlier question.

My legs wrap around his waist, giving me some leverage to stay afloat. "Tell me anyway," I insist.

Shaking his head, he glances anxiously over my shoulder. Even though his face looks uncertain, his grip on my hips is unwavering. "I don't even know your last name," he points out, avoiding eye contact.

I shrug, unbothered. "I don't care to know yours."

His frown suggests disbelief. "You don't?"

I shake my head. "No. You're Anuj, the mysterious stranger I met on this random summer night. That's all I need to know."

His eyes flicker to mine briefly. "So, we don't have to talk about tomorrow?"

I let out a hearty laugh. "Can we please not talk about tomorrow?" I get serious, making sure I have his full attention. "I only want to focus on right now. You, me, and the stars." I gesture to our serene surroundings. It's incredibly peaceful—the calm lake, the gentle rustling of trees in the wind.

Anuj's hand glides up my spine, his fingers brushing under my hair as they find my neck. He tilts my head to meet his gaze. "Then I won't have to regret this tomorrow."

"Regret what?" My curiosity gets the best of me.

His other hand molds my body closer to his. "This," he growls just before our lips crash.