Chris lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His arms were folded behind his head, but his mind was anything but relaxed. The events of the day swirled in his head, especially Linda's laugh under the swing and her wide-eyed awe at the island setup.
Across the room, Linda lay on her side, her head propped up on one hand. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, her thoughts equally tangled. The easy intimacy of the date had opened a door she wasn't sure she was ready to walk through.
"So," Chris began, his voice breaking the silence. "That was fun, huh?"
"Yeah," Linda replied, turning onto her back to mirror his position. "You really know how to turn a fake engagement into an experience."
Chris chuckled softly. "What can I say? I'm thorough."
They both fell silent again, the tension in the room growing thick. Neither of them wanted to address the unspoken pull between them. Instead, they pretended it wasn't there.
"You know," Linda said suddenly, "your singing was terrible. That humming during the dance? Completely off-key."
Chris laughed, relieved at the lighthearted jab. "Hey, I was improvising! You didn't seem to mind at the time."
"I was being polite," she shot back, her lips twitching into a smile.
"You? Polite? That's rich," Chris teased, turning his head to look at her.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them said anything. Linda's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away, focusing on the ceiling fan spinning lazily above them.
Chris cleared his throat. "So... any thoughts on how we're going to break this off after the holidays?"
"Still working on it," Linda said, her voice tight. "We'll stick to the 'broken relationship is better than a broken marriage' story. Should be enough to pacify them."
Chris nodded, though his stomach twisted at the thought. "Right. Sounds like a plan."
Another silence settled over them, but this one was heavier. Linda shifted uncomfortably, her thoughts drifting to her suitcase. She remembered the lingerie Chris's mother had given her during their last meeting-a bold and incredibly awkward gift meant to "spice things up."
The memory made her cheeks flush. *What kind of mother gives her son's 'fiancée' lingerie?* Despite knowing the engagement is fake, she thought, biting her lip. But now, for some inexplicable reason, the idea of wearing it crossed her mind.
She glanced at Chris, who was now fiddling with his watch. *Would it be stupid?* she wondered. *Would he laugh? Or... would he like it?*
"Everything okay?" Chris asked, noticing her sudden silence.
"Huh? Oh, yeah," Linda said quickly, shaking her head.
Chris raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You seem... distracted."
"I'm fine," she said, a little too fast.
Chris smirked. "If you say so."
Linda turned to face him fully, her tone defensive. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Chris said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "You just seem like you're lost in thought. Care to share with the class?"
"Not really," Linda muttered, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in the pillow.
Chris laughed softly. "Fair enough."
As the minutes ticked by, Linda's mind kept circling back to the lingerie. The idea felt ridiculous and bold, but also oddly tempting. Part of her wanted to take the chance, if only to see how Chris would react.
Finally, she sat up abruptly, startling him.
"Everything okay?" Chris asked again, sitting up as well.
Linda hesitated, then swung her legs off the bed. "Yeah. I'm just... going to the bathroom. Don't wait up."
Chris watched her go, his brow furrowed in confusion. But as the door closed behind her, a small smile played on his lips.
*She's up to something,* he thought. And for the first time that night, he didn't mind the uncertainty of what might happen next.