Alicia stayed in the studio long after everyone else had gone to bed.
The night outside was silent, the city lights like scattered stars below.
She bent over a new sketch, her pencil moving almost on its own, but her thoughts weren't on fabric or design.
They were on him.
A soft sound behind her made her startle.
"Still working?" Michael's voice was low, warm, teasing.
Alicia turned, and her heart skipped. There he was, leaning against the doorway, shadowed but completely there.
"I… I can't stop now," she said, biting her lip nervously.
He stepped closer, the air between them charged, heavy with unspoken words.
"You don't have to," he murmured. "But maybe… sometimes you should take a break."
Alicia's pencil hovered mid-air.
"Take a break?" she repeated, trying to mask the rapid thump of her heart.
Michael didn't answer with words. Instead, he closed the space between them, a gentle hand brushing her hair back. His thumb lingered against her cheek, soft, warm, almost electric.
Her breath caught.
"I never thought… I'd see this side of you," she whispered.
"What side?" he asked, voice husky.
"This… the one that notices me. That cares."
Michael's eyes softened.
"I've always noticed," he said. "I just… didn't know how to tell you without scaring you away."
Alicia's heart fluttered, and she found herself stepping closer, closing the space she had always hesitated to cross.
"Then tell me now," she breathed.
He smiled faintly, leaning just enough that she could feel his warmth brush hers.
"Then now…" His voice dropped, softer, intimate. "I… like you, Alicia. More than I probably should. But I can't stop."
Alicia's pulse thundered in her ears.
She reached out, resting her hand over his, feeling the heat of his skin, the steady strength of his fingers.
"I like you too," she whispered, almost afraid to let the words escape.
The moment stretched, suspended in time.
No distractions. No designs. No danger. Just… them.
Michael's free hand gently cupped her jaw, tilting her face toward his.
Her eyes fluttered closed.
And then
A kiss.
Soft. Tender. Electric.
Long enough to ignite a thousand tiny sparks in their hearts, but gentle enough to leave them both breathless.
When they pulled back slightly, Alicia's forehead rested against his chest.
"You really are… impossible," she murmured, heart racing.
Michael chuckled softly.
"And you… are irresistible," he replied, burying his face in her hair for a moment.
Downstairs, Sophie peeked from the top of the staircase, a soft smile on her lips.
Adrian noticed, stepping beside her.
"You're watching them again," he teased gently.
Sophie blushed.
"I… I can't help it," she admitted.
Adrian's eyes softened as he watched her.
"You're going to fall for him too," he said quietly.
Sophie met his gaze, and for the first time, she felt a flutter she couldn't ignore.
Back upstairs, Alicia finally lifted her head, meeting Michael's gaze again.
"Does… this change anything?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head, a small, mischievous smile curling on his lips.
"No. It just makes everything… better."
Outside, the enemy paused, binoculars lowering slightly.
"Finally," they whispered, a hint of amusement in their voice.
But inside the mansion, nothing could break the warmth now growing between Alicia and Michael.
Nothing.