The morning sunlight streamed into the room, pulling Linda from a restless sleep. She blinked a few times, her senses sluggish until she realized she was curled against Chris. Her head rested on his chest, his arm loosely draped around her shoulder.
Her breath caught. *What the hell happened last night?*
Chris stirred, his hold on her tightening for a brief moment before he froze. His eyes fluttered open, locking onto hers.
"Morning," he said groggily, his voice huskier than usual.
Linda's face burned as she quickly sat up, pulling the blanket around herself. "Morning," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
Chris sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. The awkwardness between them was palpable, but beneath it was something neither of them wanted to address yet.
"So... that happened," Chris said, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Yeah," Linda said, still not looking at him. "It did."
Chris studied her for a moment. "Regrets?"
Linda hesitated. She knew he was asking more than the question implied. Did she regret letting her guard down? Regret allowing herself to be vulnerable with him, even if just for a night?
"No," she said finally, her voice steady.
Chris's lips curved into a small smile. "Good. Neither do I."
Linda finally glanced at him, her heart skipping a beat at the sincerity in his eyes. But before she could respond, there was a sharp knock on the door.
"Linda! Chris! Breakfast is ready!" Linda's younger brother called from the other side.
Linda groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Of course," she muttered.
Chris chuckled, throwing the blanket off and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Guess we're back to reality."
Linda watched as he stretched, his shirt riding up slightly to reveal a glimpse of his toned stomach. She quickly looked away, silently cursing herself for noticing.
"I'll go down first," Chris said, standing and heading for the door. He paused, turning back to her. "You okay?"
Linda nodded, offering him a small smile. "Yeah. I'll be down in a bit."
Chris nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he left.
---
Linda stayed in the room for a while, her thoughts swirling. She couldn't deny that something had shifted between them, but what did it mean? Could they really keep this up without complicating things further?
She sighed and stood, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. By the time she made her way downstairs, the house was alive with chatter. Chris was already at the dining table, laughing at something her younger sister had said.
He glanced up as Linda entered, giving her a warm smile. She hesitated, then returned it, feeling a strange sense of comfort in his presence.
As the family dug into breakfast, Linda's mother turned to Chris. "So, Chris, when are we going to meet your parents? You said they'd come over after Christmas, yes?"
Chris nearly choked on his coffee, and Linda froze mid-bite.
"Uh, yes," Chris said, recovering quickly. "We'll work out the details soon. They're excited to meet everyone."
"Good," her mother said with a satisfied nod. "It's important to get both families involved. After all, marriage is a union of two families, not just two people."
Linda forced a smile, her stomach twisting. She caught Chris's eye, and they exchanged a silent look.
They were in way over their heads, but for now, all they could do was keep up the charade and hope for the best.
---
Later that afternoon, Chris found Linda in the backyard, sitting under the mango tree. She looked deep in thought, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
"Hey," he said, approaching cautiously.
"Hey," she replied, glancing up at him.
Chris sat down beside her, the cool shade offering a brief reprieve from the midday heat. "You okay?"
Linda shrugged. "Just thinking."
"About?"
She hesitated before answering. "About us. About this whole... situation."
Chris nodded, leaning back against the tree. "Yeah, me too."
They sat in silence for a while, the distant sounds of her siblings playing filling the air.
"Chris," Linda said finally, her voice barely audible. "What happens if this doesn't feel fake anymore?"
Chris turned to her, his expression unreadable. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean," she said, meeting his gaze. "Last night... it felt real. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
Chris considered her words carefully before replying. "Maybe it's neither. Maybe it's just... us."
Linda frowned. "Us? What does that even mean?"
Chris smiled faintly. "I don't know. But I think I'd like to find out."
Linda stared at him, her heart racing. For the first time, she allowed herself to wonder if this fake engagement could lead to something real.
But for now, all she could do was take it one day at a time-and hope they didn't get caught in the process.