The room was dark, save for the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains. Linda lay on her side, her back to Chris, trying to calm her racing heart. She had felt his gaze lingering for a moment longer than necessary when she climbed into bed, and now every nerve in her body seemed attuned to his presence.
Chris lay still, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and longing. He wasn't sure how to process what had just happened. The playful banter between them had always been easy, but tonight felt like crossing into unfamiliar territory.
He shifted slightly, turning onto his side to face Linda's back. "Hey," he said softly, breaking the silence.
Linda didn't turn, but her voice came back just as quiet. "Yeah?"
Chris hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Why'd you do it?"
"Do what?" she asked, though they both knew what he meant.
"The lingerie," he said, his voice low. "Was it just to prove a point, or... something else?"
Linda bit her lip, unsure how to answer. She could feel the weight of his question, the vulnerability in it. Finally, she sighed and turned to face him, their eyes meeting in the dim light.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe I wanted to see how you'd react. Maybe I wanted to feel... different."
Chris's gaze softened. "Different how?"
"Like this whole thing isn't just fake," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her words hung in the air, and Chris felt his chest tighten. "It doesn't feel fake to me," he admitted, surprising even himself.
Linda's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. "Chris..."
He reached out, his fingers brushing against hers under the blanket. The touch was tentative, almost hesitant, but it sent a jolt through both of them.
"We don't have to pretend right now," Chris said, his voice steady. "Not here. Not tonight."
Linda searched his face, her defenses cracking under the weight of his sincerity. She wasn't sure if it was the intimacy of the moment, the lingering tension from the day, or the fact that she'd never felt quite this seen by anyone before.
Slowly, she shifted closer, their faces now inches apart. Her hand rested lightly against his, and for the first time, the distance between them didn't feel so daunting.
"This is dangerous," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Chris smiled faintly. "So is most of what we've done lately."
Linda laughed softly, the sound easing the tension just enough. She shook her head, looking away briefly before meeting his gaze again.
"Chris," she said cautiously, "I don't know what's happening here, but I don't want to ruin what we have."
"You won't," he said firmly. "Whatever this is, we'll figure it out. Together."
Linda exhaled, the warmth of his words settling over her. Slowly, she let her head rest against his chest, his arm wrapping around her instinctively.
For the first time in weeks, the tension between them gave way to something quieter, something neither of them could fully define. They didn't have all the answers, but in that moment, lying side by side, it didn't seem to matter.
Sleep came slowly, but when it did, it found them both smiling, their hearts a little less guarded than before.