Tess paused for a moment, she stared at the old lookout tower in the distance. The small, rusty communication tower stood stubbornly against time and decay, her little secret shelter every time a smuggling job dragged her outside the quarantine zone. Far behind her, she heard your stumbling steps as you clumsily made your way up the steep hill, slipping slightly on the loose rocks. Tess chuckled softly, not bothering to turn.

—“Tired already?”—she called out, amusement thick in her voice.—“Too much cardio yesterday, maybe?.”

You rolled your eyes, cheeks heating up as you caught her glancing over her shoulder with that crooked smirk. She was enjoying this way too much. Damn Tess… always finding a reason to tease you. And damn your brain for flashing back to those moments—her hand, her breath. You shook the thought away and climbed the last stretch until you stood beside her. Tess shifted her backpack strap, turning just enough to give you a small, dangerous smile.

—“Come on, not far now.”—she murmured.—“Just a few more kilometers. Be positive. When we get there… I’ll give you a gentle massage.”

You side-eyed her. Yeah, right. You knew exactly what her so-called “gentle massages” meant. A shiver ran down your spine—part dread, part expectation.