One Wild Night

Mia's offer hung in the air, a question mark defying the usual boundaries of their friendship. Jeff, ever the pragmatist, blinked a few times, processing the unexpected turn of events.

The sudden shift in Mia's tone sent a jolt through Jeff. Her earlier vulnerability had transformed into a quiet confidence that left him flustered.

The air in the room crackled with a tension that had nothing to do with the threat of Henry as Mia stood by the bed with her gaze fixed on Jeff.

Jeff ran his fingers through his hair, torn between wanting to protect her and wanting to explore whatever feeling bubbled within him.

"Mia," he began, his voice a husky murmur, "are you sure? I wouldn't want to make things… uncomfortable."

Part of her, the cautious side honed by years with Henry, wanted to take back her offer and retreat. But another, more daring part, the one awakened by laughter and shared moments together, felt a tug towards the shared warmth of the bed.

Mia bit her lip, her gaze flickering between Jeff and the inviting expanse of her bed. Fear of Henry gnawed at her, but a new, unfamiliar warmth bloomed in her chest whenever Jeff's hand brushed against hers. The thought of him sleeping on the cold floor fueled a strange protectiveness within her.

Her gaze held his, a silent challenge that both scared and exhilarated her. "Positive," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Unless you're afraid?"

The playful jab sent a spark down Jeff's spine. Afraid? The only thing he was terrified of was letting her down.

"I'm not afraid of anything," Jeff assured her.

"Good, then it shouldn't be a problem," she said, and then shrugged, "besides, you know, with Henry lurking around, maybe a little extra security measure wouldn't hurt."

Jeff chuckled, the sound surprisingly warm. "Security, huh? Alright, security it is. But just so you know, as I warned, I might take advantage of that close proximity."

Mia's cheeks burned a familiar shade of red. "I can handle it," she retorted, trying to sound braver than she felt.

He raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "We'll see about that," he said as he placed his pillow on the bed.

Mia's eyes followed his movements but she didn't budge from where she stood.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff offered a lopsided grin. "Do not worry. We each get half the bed. No cuddling, no funny business," he assured her as he set the speaker on the nightstand and turned on the music, the low hum of music replacing the pounding in his chest.

Mia nodded, biting her lip nervously. The air crackled with unspoken tension, a silent dance neither of them seemed willing to break.

Finally, Jeff made the first move. He gestured towards the bed. "Ladies first."

Mia smiled as she got on the bed and slipped under the covers, leaving just enough space for him to join her.

He joined her on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly with his weight. It was a small movement, yet it felt monumental in the charged atmosphere.

Jeff took a deep breath, his heart hammering against his ribs as the scent of her shampoo washed over him. As he settled beside her, their bodies brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through him.

They lay there in a tense silence, neither daring to move due to the intimacy of the situation.

Mia's gaze darted towards Jeff, then quickly flicked away. Her cheeks burned a shade hotter than the apple pie cooling on the counter in the kitchen.

Jeff could feel the heat radiating off her body, a tangible reminder of the woman beside him.

"You know," she said, her voice barely a whisper, "I don't mind the cuddling," she said, a nervous tremor in her voice.

The statement hung heavy in the air as Jeff glanced at her. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, his own voice thick with unspoken desire.

Mia swallowed, Her cheeks were flushed and her heart pounded a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she gave him a nod.

Jeff, sensing her apprehension, offered a reassuring smile. "We don't have to do anything we are not comfortable with," he said softly as he looked into her Hazel eyes.

As she gazed back into his eyes in that moment, the fear of Henry seemed to recede, replaced by a different kind of anticipation.

"I'm comfortable with it if you are," she said quietly, and with a slow nod, Jeff pulled her into his arms, the embrace strong yet gentle as she molded her body willingly to his.

Mia could feel the heat radiating from Jeff's body, a comforting presence that chased away the lingering chill of fear.

The air buzzed with unspoken words and unspoken desires. Jeff cleared his throat, breaking the silence between them.

"So," he finally managed, his voice rough with suppressed tension, "what kind of nightmares are we chasing away tonight?"

Mia hesitated for a moment, "More like a stalker," she murmured, a hint of fear creeping back into her voice.

Jeff's hand hovered over hers. Her fingers twitched, then hesitantly intertwined with his. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice low and reassuring. "You are safe with me."

Mia squeezed his hand, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. In that moment, nestled beside him, the threat of Henry felt distant. All that mattered was the warmth of his touch and the promise of safety etched in his gaze.

"What did you think of the script Donald sent for Bryan?" Jeff asked, wanting to distract himself from all he was thinking.

Mia couldn't help but let out a surprised laugh. The question, so mundane in the face of the situation, was a welcome distraction. "Honestly? It was terrible," she confessed, a smile playing on her lips.

Jeff feigned shock. "Terrible? But it had explosions and a talking dog!"

Mia rolled her eyes, a genuine smile gracing her features for the first time since they'd discovered the unwelcome visitor.

"We both know Bryan would never read that script past the first page. He won't take the role," Mia said confidently.

"I wonder what the screenwriter was thinking," Jeff said in amusement.

"I don't think the writer was thinking," Mia said and Jeff chuckled, a sound that sent a thrill of warmth down Mia's spine.

Maybe, just maybe, amidst the fear and uncertainty, there was space for a little normalcy, a sliver of laughter to push back the darkness.

Mia looked forward to a future where laughter and shared meals weren't overshadowed by fear. One where a man with kind eyes and a teasing smile offered not just protection, but maybe, just maybe, something more.

Away from there, while Lucy was waiting for Tom to join her in the bedroom, her phone buzzed with a video call. A smile bloomed on her face as she saw Sonia's name pop up.

Lucy's smile widened as she received the call saw Sonia's face glowing on the screen. "Hey, best girl!" Sonia greeted, her voice tinged with a tropical lilt.

Happy to see Sonia so excited, Lucy giggled, the sound echoing in the quiet room. "I've been waiting for your call all day," she admitted.

"Sorry, baby," Sonia apologized, her background a blur of palm trees and turquoise water. "We were too busy getting lost in paradise. Besides, I knew you'd be swamped at the office and didn't want to disturb you. How are you? Did you manage to see Mia?"

"Yeah. I was there yesterday. But I think she is doing just fine with Jeff by her side," Lucy said and Sonia arched a brow.

"Jeff?"

"Yeah. They seemed to be having fun and I interrupted their game. I didn't realize they were very close," Lucy said and Sonia narrowed her eyes.

Lucy wasn't the type to notice such things, and if she did, it meant Mia and Jeff had seemed closer than usual.

"They seemed very close?" Sonia asked and Lucy nodded.

"Yep. I just got that vibe from them. Especially Jeff. Anyway, Mia is fine. How are you? And how's our bun in the oven doing? Tell me about Paris!" Lucy's excitement bubbled over, eager to hear about Sonia's honeymoon adventures.

Sonia chuckled, "Alright, alright, settle down, you spinster!" she teased.

"Spinster? Seriously, Sony?" Lucy asked with a giggle.

"Well, isn't that what you are? Are you married?" Sonia asked with a grin, flashing her ring in front of the camera and Lucy laughed some more.

"Whatever. Just tell me about Paris," Lucy said and Sonia sighed dreamily.

"Paris is magical, Lu. The food, the sights, the people… everything is just so perfect. The only little challenge at first was communication, but we got someone to escort us. You know, like a translator. Makes things easier. And the little one seems to be enjoying the Parisian air too. No morning sickness yet, thank goodness!" Sonia said and Lucy laughed happily.

"Little wonder you seem so excited," Lucy said and Sonia tilted the phone to reveal Bryan, standing a couple of feet away from her with a glass of wine in hand.

"Say hello to my beloved husband," Sonia said and Bryan grinned at Lucy, waving enthusiastically. "Hey, Lucy! How's the fort holding up?"

Lucy waved back, a warm smile gracing her lips. "Holding strong, Bryan. Thanks for taking such good care of her."

"Just doing my duty," he winked.

"Well, you should be commended for taking your duty so seriously and doing a good job of it," Lucy said and Bryan grinned.

"I agree. Bryan has been absolutely amazing," Sonia said and blew Bryan a kiss, making him chuckle, while Lucy grinned.

"Enough of your romance. Do it in my absence. Are you going to tell me about the adventures or not?" She asked and Sonia grinned.

"You know I will. I have been making videos just for you," Sonia said and the couple of minutes melted away as Lucy listened to Sonia's detailed tales of their honeymoon adventures.

Sonia talked about the Eiffel Tower shimmering in the moonlight, the romantic walks along the Seine, and the mouthwatering culinary discoveries.

"I think that's enough for today. I need to go back to my husband. I will check in again tomorrow," Sonia said with a wink and Lucy laughed as she hung up.

Lucy felt a surge of happiness for Sonia. The glow in her friend's eyes spoke volumes, and Lucy knew this trip was exactly what Sonia needed.

Suddenly, the bedroom door creaked open, and Tom walked in, a tired sigh escaping his lips.

He had just finished chatting with Harry and was about to go in when Harry received Jeff's call, and so he had to stay back so they could discuss the way forward, since he would be the one handling Mia's case in Harry's absence.

"For a moment there, I thought you decided to leave with Harry," she said with a grin and Tom chuckled.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting for this long," Tom said and Lucy nodded as she got off the bed.

"I'm sure if it wasn't important you would have come in a long time ago. Plus I've been busy myself, so I wasn't idle. I'm very hungry. Let's freshen up and go have dinner," Lucy said and together they took off their clothes and headed for the bathroom.