Kasie had been pacing for over an hour in her hotel room, agitated and lost in thought. The events of the past few days replayed in her mind like a reel of film she couldn't turn off. Work had been the usual whirlwind—busy, stressful, and full of meetings. However, there was a parallel occurring here, something that she could no longer ignore. Jake.
It wasn't just his charm or his intelligence that had begun to unsettle her. It was the way he'd changed how she saw things. It was that gradual change in their relationship–those times when he'd made her feel seen, heard, and understood. But at least as much so, it was the way he seemed to pick up on things about her that she hadn't even consciously realized about herself.
It started with those small moments. The way he'd complimented her on her ideas, how he'd included her in conversations without her having to fight for a seat at the table, and the way he seemed genuinely interested in her thoughts—her true thoughts, not just the professional ones. But there was one thing that kept nagging at her—the way he'd looked at her during their last few meetings. The look in his eyes when they spoke was. different. There was the type of gaze that raised her heart rate and her mind went hazy.
No, she couldn't afford to be distracted by this. She had worked too hard to get where she was, and she wasn't about to let a fleeting attraction throw that off course.
However, when she reached for her phone in order to look at her messages, she saw a text from Jake. It was simple, to the point, but still managed to make her pulse race:.
"Hey, we're heading out for dinner with the team. You in?"
Kasie hesitated. She could feel the weight of the decision hanging over her. She could remain inside, hide in her own little house, and stay away from the tension that had been growing between them. She could join them, be present, go for it and we'll see where it leads her.
She typed back quickly: "Sure, I'll join."
Dinner was a very lively occasion, with chatter, grins and a lot to eat and drink. It was at one of those rare moments—when the noise of the restaurant dimmed and the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them—that Kasie found herself looking at Jake in a way she hadn't before. His infectious laugh, his easy confidence, and the way he made her feel like she was part of something bigger than herself—his presence was magnetic.
In her, there was a strong admiration for him. But as the evening wore on, Kasie couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. It was not only his usual charm, there was other thing about it that was different now. She caught herself noticing the subtle way he leaned toward her when they spoke, the way his smile lingered a little longer when their eyes met.
She couldn't ignore it anymore. There was something between them.
As the dinner started to wind down and people began to break off into smaller groups, Kasie found herself standing up, ready to leave. But before she could make her way to the door, Jake caught her attention.
Kasie," he said, his voice "piercing" the din of the conversations at the other tables. "I'm heading back to the hotel soon. Want to walk with me?"
Her first instinct was to decline, to retreat back into the comfort of her own space, where things were safe, predictable. But something in her shifted as she looked at him—something she couldn't quite place. Maybe it was the warmth in his eyes, or the way he made her feel like she wasn't just another person to him, but someone worth paying attention to.
"Sure," she said before she could overthink it. "Let's go."
The walk back to the hotel was quiet and the cool air around them like a cocoon. The streets of Denmark were quiet, the soft hum of the city faint in the background as they strolled side by side. The silence wasn't uncomfortable; in fact, it felt... easy. They need not use any words to fill the void between themselves. But every now and then, their eyes would meet, and Kasie couldn't deny the flutter in her chest.
Jake," she replied, cautiously, after a while. "You know, I've been thinking."
He turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. "About what?"
"About everything, she said, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "About how we've been working together all this time, and how much we've both changed. I don't know... I suppose I did not imagine it to be this way.
Jake slowed his pace, taking in her words. There was a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Yeah, me neither. But I think you've changed too, Kasie. You've let your guard down a little. I've seen it."
Kasie stopped walking, her heart racing. "I haven't—"
He also came to a halt and turned around to face her, with a steady and unyielding expression of his gaze. Yes, you have," he murmured, a peculiar note of gravity colouring his words. "And I've noticed. You're not just the workaholic I first met. There's more to you. I think... I think I'm starting to see the real you."
Kasie swallowed hard, her mind racing. She could feel the tension between them, building with every passing second. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words stuck in her throat.
Before she could react, Jake stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. He reached out and gently touched her arm, as though grounding her in the moment.
And then, without another word, he leaned in.
Right then a bloom of warmth shot through her as their lips connected, first tentatively then with slow caresses as if measuring the distance. The kiss was gentle yet passionate, as if both of them were scared by what it might reflect, but they could not resist it. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, locked in that moment. It wasn't just a kiss—it was everything they hadn't said to each other, everything they had been avoiding.
She had just kissed Jake, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Jake's eyes searched hers, as if looking for some sign of regret or hesitation. But all Kasie could do was smile, a soft, knowing smile that spoke volumes.
"I think I've been falling for you, Jake said quietly, his voice still thick with emotion.
Kasie nodded, her heart in her throat. "Me too," she whispered back. "I think I have too."
And there, for that brief second, with the city reflected in their common horizon, bathed in city lights, and the cool air washing through the leaves, Kasie understood that this was just the start of a far more intricate and magnificent process than either of them had supposed.