Page 4 of Off-Limits

Damn, just like that? I thought it was going to be harder, that she was going to corner me until she got the truth out of me. But she surprised me, in a very good way.

Relief washes over me, and I can't help but grin back at her. "Great!" I exclaim, turning back to the movies. "So, what do you feel like watching? Something light and funny, or maybe a good action flick?"

Mia leans against the TV cabinet, watching me with an expression that's hard to read. "How about something classic?" she suggests after a moment. "Something we both know by heart."

I nod, considering her suggestion. "Deal," I say finally, pulling out a well-worn copy of The Princess Bride. "But only if you promise not to quote every line along with the actors."

Fat chance she's going to do that. We both know that it was a joke.

She laughs softly, and for a moment, it feels like maybe—just maybe—we can make this work. Two weeks under the same roof, with nothing but old movies and each other for company. It's going to be tough, keeping my hands off her when all I want is to pull her close and show her just how much I've wanted her all these years. But I can do it. For what's better, I can do it.

"Uhh, but first, I need to do something," she says suddenly, turning away from me. Before I can ask what that might be, she's already halfway up the stairs, her bare feet padding softly against the carpet. Where's she going and what is it that she needs to do that's so important? I need to know.

I watch her go, my eyes lingering on the sway of her hips and the way her cutoff shorts reveal just a hint of thigh with each step. It takes an effort to tear my gaze away from her retreating form, but I force myself to focus on setting up the movie instead.

As I'm grabbing some popcorn from the kitchen, I hear Mia's footsteps overhead again, followed by a surprised gasp that makes me freeze in place. "Jake?" she calls down after a moment, her voice laced with confusion and something else, something that sets my heart racing.

I set the popcorn bowl on the counter and make my way back into the living room, looking up just as Mia appears at the top of the stairs, her face pale and eyes wide. "What's wrong?" I ask immediately, concern etched in my voice.

She takes a few steps down, her hand gripping the banister tightly. "It's... it's just that," she starts, then hesitates before finishing, "my room is gone."

I blink at her, not quite sure I heard her right. "What do you mean, 'your room is gone'?"

She gestures helplessly toward the top of the stairs. "I went to check some stuff in there, and... it's a gym now," she says, as if that explanation should make perfect sense.

A laugh bubbles up in my throat before I can stop it, equal parts amusement at her disbelief and relief that whatever had caused that look on her face wasn't something truly terrible. I'd thought someone had gotten inside and was going to hurt her.

"Oh, Mia," I say, shaking my head as I climb the stairs towards her. "Your parents converted your room into a home gym while you were gone."

Her mouth falls open in shock. "What? Why?"

Why? The reason's pretty simple. Did she really think they would just keep her room exactly as it was?

I shrug, reaching the top of the stairs and standing close enough to feel the warmth radiating off her body. "Maybe they thought it would be more useful than having an empty guest room," I suggest, trying not to notice how good she smells, like shampoo and something sweetly floral that makes my pulse quicken.

Mia crosses her arms over her chest, still looking disbelieving. "But where am I supposed to sleep?" she asks, her voice taking on a slight edge of frustration.

I swallow hard, suddenly very aware of the fact that we're standing alone in the dim hallway, mere inches apart. It would be so easy to reach out and touch her—just a simple brush of my fingers against hers, or the curve of her waist—but I force myself to keep my hands at my sides instead. I'm not that kind of man, I tell myself.

"There's always the guest room," I say, gesturing towards the door at the end of the hall. "Which means... we could share."

The words are out before I can stop them, and as soon as they hang in the air between us, I regret saying them. Mia's eyes widen slightly, her lips parting as if she wants to say something but can't quite find the words.

I backtrack quickly, trying to salvage the situation. "Or not," I add hastily. "That was just a joke."

I can see the frustration building in Mia's eyes as we stand here, the tension between us palpable. She's trying to keep it together, but I can tell she's at the end of her rope. The conversation earlier, combined with the revelation about her room, has clearly taken a toll on her.

"I don't want to watch movies anymore," she snaps, her voice tight and tense. I'm not surprised. I figured she was going to say that. "I just want to sleep… somewhere, wherever that's going to be tonight."

Her words sting more than I'd like to admit. I thought this would be a good way to distract her from everything going on in her life right now, but it seems like all I've done is make things worse.

"Okay," I say softly, holding up my hands in surrender. "No problem. You can have the guest room—"

"No," she interrupts, her voice sharp as glass. "I don't want to share a room with you, Jake."

The words hang heavy between us, and I can't help but feel like there's more to them than just her anger at the situation. It feels almost... personal.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair as I try to figure out how we've ended up here. One minute, we were planning a movie marathon, and now... this. "Fine," I say, hiding some of my frustration. "You can take the couch downstairs."

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