She was caught off guard when she found a man, maybe in mid-twenties, cooking something in the kitchen.
He was tall, broad… muscular. Almost giving bodyguard vibes.
"Hello!" He waved at her with a friendly smile, "You must be Sienna. Hunter already told me your name."
Sienna walked to him with a hesitant smile, and he quickly introduced himself, "I'm Brian. Your butler… your chef and your…"
Sienna's smile vanished from her face.
Hunter hired a butler? Didn't she just warn him not to take any such decision without consulting her?
She didn't give Brian a chance to finish what he was saying and walked straight towards the only door that was in the living room.
Without thinking, she opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks. Hunter was shirtless and busy, talking to someone on the phone; his broad back was facing her.
When he heard the sound of the door, he paused. Then he slowly turned and looked at her.
Her breath caught in her throat.
The Greek God was wearing nothing except a towel that was wrapped around his waist that hung low…
Too low.
His hair was dripping wet. Water still clung to his solid, muscular body, and a water droplet glided down his chest, moving lower and vanishing into the V that formed just above the towel.
For a second, neither of them spoke. She was frozen in the doorway while he was watching her with the same calmness that was part of his personality.
Odd thing was, he was still wearing his dark glasses.
"I'll talk to you later," Hunter cut the call and lifted his gaze. His one brow arched up as he saw her walking to the middle of the room, gawking at him openly like a fool.
"Sienna?" He waved his hand, yet Sienna was having difficulty diverting her gaze.
"Are you alright?" He asked again and then started taking small steps towards her. She was now rooted to the spot, not knowing what to say.
Her breathing was getting labored.
The poor girl couldn't remember anymore why she got here in the first place. Like a schoolgirl, she started chewing her lower lip and looked down.
Hunter reached closer and placed his forefinger beneath her chin, forcing her to look up.
Her gaze again lingered on that well-toned chest.
"Crap!" She pressed her teeth together, trying to understand why her body was reacting this way to his looks.
"Menace!" He leaned ahead, bringing his face closer to hers, "Are you here to see my eye color?" He asked with a straight face, but Sienna got the mischief in his voice, "Care to blink?"
She needed to get away, or she could commit a crime… of touching him… of feeling his skin under her palms.
She quickly stepped back and then blindly walked to the window, trying to get as far away from him as possible.
"Don't be a jerk," Her voice came out a bit shaky, "I was here for…" She struggled to find suitable words.
The room might be big enough, but it felt small in his imposing presence. The window was giving a clear view of the sea.
"Wow!" She whispered as her focus shifted. Without giving a second thought, she opened the door right next to the window. The sea breeze rolled in, brushing her face, moving loose strands of hair.
She frowned and, without thinking, stepped outside. Maintaining the same confused look, she looked over her shoulder and met Hunter's eyes, who had followed her, "This…" She pointed ahead, puzzled, "This… There is an indoor pool too…"
Hunter nodded silently.
Sienna looked around and realized something.
"This room…" She walked past him and headed inside, "It's bigger, it offers a greater view, and is more beautiful… It has a pool too…"
Hunter folded his arms on his chest, trying to decipher what she was trying to say.
"I've decided," she lifted her chin, staring straight at him through his dark shades, "I'm taking this room."
Hunter's arms dropped by his side, "Excuse me?"
"Yeah. I'm taking this one. After all, I'm the one paying the rent. Right?"
Hunter was torn between irritation and amusement, "Menace?"
But she had already decided. She slipped out of the room, into the living room, and found Brian setting the table for two. That was when she remembered that Hunter was paying him too from her money.
"Brian!" She snapped her fingers, "Go and bring my stuff from my room," Brian paused and looked at Hunter in disbelief.
"I mean… from Hunter's room… now that room belongs to him, while this one is mine. Understand?" She then clasped her hands in excitement, "We can have an outdoor lunch too. What do you say, Hunter?"
"Goodness," She rolled her eyes, "Go and put a damn shirt on yourself… for God's sake. We have a lot to do."
***
"Are you sure, Lina?" Sienna sighed, leaning more into the plush couch of her room. Her feet were propped up on the ottoman, "I don't want anyone to trace your phone number."
"Don't worry about that, Sia. I'm dialing Dr. Jake's number. Stay on the line," After that, Sia waited.
Within a few seconds, Dr. Jake's voice came through the phone, "Hello? Dr. Jake here."
"Dr. Jake?" Sia called him sweetly, "It's me, Sienna Mason…"
The doctor must have recognized her because he went quiet when he heard her name, "What do you want from me, miss?"
His voice had taken a hard edge after she introduced herself. After all, she was the one who dragged him into this mess.
"Just a personal favor, Doc. I need you to get some papers signed by my father. Mr. George Mason."
For a few moments, there was silence on the other end. Dr. Jake cleared his throat and then tried to bring sternness into his voice, "What do you take me for, Ms. Mason? Why would I make him sign any papers?"
Sia didn't miss the tremor in his voice, "Because your career is at stake, Mister," She told him sweetly, "Do the job and I assure you, I'll save you."
"Ms. Sienna…."
"Listen, Jake. I know there will be a doctors' panel that will run an inquiry. They will try to find out if my consent was forced. I don't want you in any kind of trouble, Doctor. I'll make sure that I present myself in front of the senior doctors and tell them that I gave you permission with full confidence in you. I won't back off. You'll get money too… A handsome amount!"
He exhaled a sharp breath, "And if I don't go ahead with it?"
She smiled and raised her shoulder casually, "Then I'll tell them that I was mentally so disturbed and you somewhat forced the decision on me."
Lina, who was also online, placed her palm on her mouth to muffle her laughter. This version of her friend was new.
She was slowly turning into a blackmailer, and Lina was sure Sia must be feeling guilty about it. She never even hurt a fly in her life.
When the doctor didn't respond, Sia thought that he had cut the call, but then his voice snapped her attention back, "How can I trust you?"
"Do you have a choice, Doctor?" She asked him with a smirk.
He stayed quiet, maybe weighing her words and his options.
"Okay. I'll do it," He at last gave up, "Send me the fu*cking papers."
Sia raised her fist in the air, and her mouth formed the soundless words,
Yes! I did it!