Linda leaned against the bathroom sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her heart raced as she opened the small travel pouch where she had stuffed the lingerie after Chris's mother handed it to her weeks ago.
It was a deep crimson slip, silky and barely modest, with intricate lacework that left little to the imagination. She held it up, feeling the material between her fingers. It was undeniably beautiful, but the thought of wearing it in front of Chris made her stomach twist.
"What are you doing?" she muttered to herself, her reflection staring back with equal parts apprehension and intrigue.
The rational part of her screamed that this was a bad idea. But another part-the part that remembered Chris's tender smile and the way his eyes lingered on her during their dance-whispered that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't.
With a deep breath, Linda made her decision.
---
Meanwhile, Chris lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The tension between him and Linda tonight was impossible to ignore. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he couldn't deny how drawn he felt to her.
"Pull yourself together," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door creaking open. He turned his head and froze.
Linda stood there, framed by the soft glow of the hallway light. The crimson slip clung to her in all the right ways, the lacework highlighting her curves. Her usually confident demeanor was replaced by uncertainty as she hovered near the doorway.
Chris sat up, his throat suddenly dry. "Linda... what-?"
"I thought..." She hesitated, fidgeting with the hem of the slip. "I mean, your mom gave me this, and I figured... maybe it wouldn't hurt to wear it. For fun."
Chris blinked, struggling to find his words. "For fun?"
Linda crossed her arms, her cheeks burning. "If you laugh, I'm leaving."
"I'm not laughing," Chris said quickly, standing up. He took a hesitant step toward her, his gaze never leaving hers. "You look... amazing."
Linda's tension eased slightly, though her heart continued to race. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The room seemed to shrink as Chris closed the distance between them. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the silence crackling with unspoken tension.
"You didn't have to do this," Chris said softly, his eyes searching hers.
"I know," Linda replied, meeting his gaze. "I just... felt like it."
Chris chuckled lightly, his hand brushing the back of his neck. "You're full of surprises, you know that?"
Linda smiled nervously. "So are you."
The air between them grew heavier, the unspoken attraction now impossible to ignore. Chris hesitated, his hand twitching at his side as if unsure whether to reach for her.
Linda took a step back, breaking the moment. "We should... probably sleep," she said quickly, her voice uneven.
Chris nodded, though his eyes lingered on her. "Yeah. Sleep."
Linda turned and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. Chris followed suit, lying down opposite her. The tension in the room didn't dissipate, but neither of them dared to address it further.
As Linda stared at the ceiling, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd made a mistake. But when she glanced at Chris and saw the soft smile tugging at his lips, she decided that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't.