Harem Survival System: Stranded On An Island With Beautiful Women-Chapter 17: Cool Off!

She spun around in an instant, her sharp violet eyes locking onto Lucas, who stood a few feet away with his hands tucked into his pockets.

He had that damn smirk again, the one that made it look like he knew something she didn't.

Her glare hardened. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas shrugged. "Stretching my legs. You know, taking in the view." His gaze flicked to the dumbbells. "Didn't expect to see you sneaking off to lift weights in secret, though. That's dedication."

Nina exhaled through her nose, unamused. "I don't train in secret. I train in peace."

Lucas chuckled. "Same thing when you don't tell anyone."

She clicked her tongue, crossing her arms. "What do you want?"

Lucas took a step closer, his eyes casually scanning her athletic frame. Unlike some of the other girls, Nina wasn't delicate — her body was built for endurance, for movement.

And yet, she still had a softness to her.

A balance of strength and femininity.

"Maybe I'm just impressed," Lucas admitted, tilting his head. "Most people are taking it easy right now, eating, relaxing. But you? You're out here lifting weights on an empty stomach."

"Because I have discipline," she countered.

Lucas raised a brow. "And no one else does?"

Nina didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she bent down, gripping the dumbbells and effortlessly lifting them, curling each one with perfect form.

Lucas let out a low whistle. "Damn. No hesitation."

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She continued lifting, ignoring him at first. The burn in her arms was familiar, almost comforting. But then —

"You worried about something?" Lucas asked, his voice suddenly quieter.

Nina's movements faltered for just a second.

Not enough for most people to notice.

But Lucas did.

Her jaw clenched slightly, and she put the dumbbells down, exhaling slowly before giving him a side glance.

"If you're not worried," she finally said, "you're not thinking ahead."

Lucas leaned against a nearby rock, studying her. This wasn't just about strength training.

It was preparation.

A way to fight off the what-ifs running through her head.

He understood that more than he let on.

But instead of pushing, he kept it light. "Well, I guess I should be honored that you're taking survival so seriously."

Nina scoffed, wiping sweat from her brow. "This isn't about survival, Lucas. It's about not being weak."

Lucas hummed. "And yet you still carry all that weight on your own."

Lucas didn't pry. Instead, he stepped past her, his shoulder barely brushing against hers before he picked up one of the dumbbells.

Nina raised a brow. "You lift?"

Lucas smirked. "I dabble."

He curled the weight effortlessly, though she could tell he wasn't just showing off — his form was surprisingly decent, controlled, precise.

She watched him for a moment, then crossed her arms. "Hmph. Not bad."

Lucas flashed her a grin. "High praise, coming from you."

She rolled her eyes but didn't stop him when he continued lifting.

For a while, they worked in silence, the only sounds being the waves and their controlled breathing. It was comfortable, in a way neither of them had expected.

Lucas glanced at her again, this time less teasing, more curious.

The rhythm of their lifts became almost synchronized, the soft clink of dumbbells rising and falling in tandem.

The ocean breeze helped, but it wasn't enough to keep the heat from settling into their skin.

Lucas stole a glance at Nina between reps.

Sweat glistened on her toned arms, trickling down the curve of her neck and soaking into the fabric of her top.

The damp material clung to her, outlining every sculpted muscle, every subtle curve that made her both fierce and feminine.

She must have noticed his eyes lingering because her cheeks darkened. Just slightly.

Not enough for most people to catch.

But Lucas wasn't most people.

She exhaled through her nose, gripping her dumbbells tighter. "Focus on your own workout, Lucas."

Lucas smirked. "Can't help it. You're a little distracting."

Her brow twitched, but she didn't bite. Instead, she adjusted her stance, continuing her reps like he wasn't even there.

That only made her more interesting.

Lucas kept lifting for a while longer, keeping the conversation light.

They bantered about who had the better endurance, about whether fishing counted as a workout (Lucas insisted it did), and even about who could run faster if they were ever chased by something on this island.

"I'd leave you in the dust, Lucas."

"Yeah? Guess we'll have to test that sometime."

Still, despite her usual tough exterior, he could tell the heat was getting to her.

Her breathing had shifted — more controlled, but heavier.

Sweat continued to bead on her forehead, trailing down to her collarbone before disappearing beneath the fabric of her shirt.

Lucas caught a single drop sliding down the slender curve of her waist, vanishing beneath the band of her shorts.

For the first time, Nina hesitated.

It was brief — just a moment, barely even a pause — but it was there.

And that was all Lucas needed.

Without breaking stride, he dropped his own dumbbell with a dull thud, stretching his arms with an exaggerated sigh.

"Man, it's getting hot out here," he mused, already walking toward the shore.

Nina barely spared him a glance, though he could tell she was aware of his movement.

Still pretending to casually cool off, he knelt by the shallows, letting the crisp water rush over his fingers before scooping up a handful.

Then, without a single word of warning, he turned on his heel and splashed it right at her.