One Wild Night

From the corners of her eyes, she watched Harry, clad in a crisp white shirt and a navy blazer, wrestling with his tie, the silk stubbornly refusing to cooperate.

The resort had arranged a special evening for couples, a chance for them to mingle, connect, and learn.

The resort's "Couples Mingle" event might have been a good idea in theory, but something about Harry's demeanor all day nagged at her.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't put away the feeling that Harry was bored and restless, and for some reason it hurt her to feel that way.

"Are you enjoying the vacation, Harry?" Jade asked, glancing at him through the mirror.

They had agreed to always keep the communication line between them, so she saw no reason why she should keep feeling upset and wondering what was on his mind when she could just ask him directly.

Harry, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone, paused. "Of course," he replied, a touch too quickly. "These views are incredible, the food has been fantastic..." He trailed off, the silence stretching between them.

She took a deep breath as she put the hairdryer down and turned to face him. "Honestly, Harry? You don't seem that into it. Are you bored already?" Her voice was soft, laced with a touch of worry as she held his gaze.

Harry's stomach clenched. Was it that obvious? He mused when he heard her question and the thoughtful frown that creased his brow disappeared.

His expression softened as he rose and walked towards her. Stopping in front of her, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

"No, no. It's not that," he assured her, his voice sincere. "I just... I've never really taken this sort of vacation before. It's a bit strange, you know? Restless, even. It's not about you…"

"Oh, please don't use that line. It's usually a break up line," she cut in and he chuckled.

"I could never break up with you. You know that. I'm just trying to say, I love you and I absolutely enjoy your company. I just feel like an addict having withdrawal symptoms right now. I've never stayed away from work for this long," he admitted, kissing the top of her head.

"I shouldn't have insisted that you leave your laptop behind. Is there like a rehab center for workaholics? We need to sign you up there immediately," she said with mock urgency and Harry chuckled.

"You're amazing, goddess. This whole vacation is amazing. I just need a little time to adjust to not being needed every second of the day," he confessed.

Jade's expression softened. "But I do need you every second…" Jade giggled when he wriggled his brows suggestively.

"Do you?" He joked.

"I understand you, love. I do," she said, her voice laced with sympathy. "I guess it's a big adjustment for you. But this is supposed to be a break for you, Harry. Relax. Let go. We're together, that's all that matters. Try to enjoy it for me. Can you?"

Harry squeezed her hand. "You're right. Sorry I'm ruining the mood," he conceded, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

A smile tugged at Jade's lips. "Just a little," she teased, leaning up to peck him on the chin. "But you know how to fix that, right?"

"Sure. And I will. Just give me a little patience," he promised, leaning down and brushing a soft kiss against her chin, causing Jade's body to tingle.

Jade nodded. She knew how dedicated he was to his work. She rested her head against his chest, a small smile tugging at her lips.  "Patience," she murmured. "I can be patient."

Harry leaned down and brushed his against her ear. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice sending a shiver down her spine.

Not stopping, he kept kissing her ear and nibbling on it, causing heat to spread over her body, "Harry," she called in a cracked voice and then cleared her throat as she stepped away.

"You have to stop. And I need to finish dressing up else we will be late and make a bad first impression," she reminded him.

"Only your impression of me matters to me," Harry said as he kissed her ear and she giggled as she pushed him away playfully.

"We both know if I let you continue this way, we are going to end up in bed and won't be going out… no, Jonas! Keep your distance," she threatened, and he laughed.

"Alright. Alright. Do what you need to do, and let's go see what they have planned out for us," Harry said as he stepped back to let her finish up.

When she was done with the hair and her makeup, she rose to face Harry.

"Wow," he breathed, his voice husky with appreciation. "You look incredible."

Jade blushed, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Thank you," she said, twirling a bit to show off the dress. "Do you think it's too much?"

"Absolutely not," Harry denied, his eyes lingering on the way the fabric clung to her like a second skin.  "It's perfect."

"Just because I'm curious, how important is this dress to you?" He asked as he took a step closer, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear.

Jade grinned, "Why do you ask?"

"Am I allowed to rip it off you when we come back?" He asked, and giggled as her blood swam hot with a heavy dose of lust.

"It depends on what follows. Are you just going to rip it off? Or do you have plans to go all the way?" She drawled with a flirty smile and Harry chuckled.

"I intend to travel all the way," he said as he held out his arm to her, and she giggled as she let him lead her out of the suite. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Twenty minutes later, they stepped out onto the resort balcony, the breathtaking view of the sunset stealing Jade's breath away. The "Couples Mingle" was being held on a specially decorated platform overlooking the ocean, fairy lights twinkling like stars against the twilight sky. Around a large, circular table sat about fifteen couples, a mix of ages, colors, and backgrounds, all dressed in their finest vacation attire.

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, a light buzz of conversation filling the air. An older couple, radiating a warmth that spoke of decades spent together, greeted them at the entrance, and after a brief introduction, they were all directed to the round table.

Harry offered Jade his arm, and they joined the circle, finding a seat beside a bubbly couple who had been honeymooning for a week.

The air crackled with a mix of nervousness and excitement as the resort manager, a jovial man with a twinkle in his eye, took center stage and kicked off the evening.

"Welcome, lovebirds!" he boomed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Tonight, we celebrate love in all its forms! Over the evening, we'll be connecting, having a brief seminar, and you all will be taking us on a trip down your memory lane as each couple shares the story of how they met and what made them fall in love. And we also have a couple of games and a prize for the winners," he said, and a murmur of anticipation rippled through the room.

The manager went on to explain the purpose of the event, encouraging each couple to actively participate as every activity there is meant to strengthen their bonds.

Jade felt a familiar flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She stole a glance at Harry, and he smiled at her, "Maybe we should tell them we are not married yet," Jade whispered to him.

"Why? Do you really think everyone here is married?" Harry whispered back.

"You don't think so?" Jade asked as she took another look at the couples around the table.

"Don't worry. You will find out soon enough when it is time to share their stories,"  Harry assured her.

The evening unfolded with a series of light-hearted prompts, each designed to spark conversation and connection. The couples took turns sharing their stories - how they met, their first dates, the moments they knew they'd found "the one."

Their stories ranging from childhood sweethearts to whirlwind online romances. Each tale was met with cheers and applause.

"I think I know what you mean. That story was made up," Jade whispered to Harry after a young lady in her twenties and her husband who seemed to be in his fifties shared their love at first sight story.

Harry chuckled, "How can you tell?" He asked, even though he agreed with her that the story was made up.

"Their body language is wrong. He is uncomfortable and she doesn't really seem to like him much," Jade explained.

Finally, it was Harry and Jade's turn. Harry, usually at ease in any social setting, seemed hesitant. He took a deep breath and squeezed Jade's hand, his touch grounding her.

"Her elder brother is my best friend. So, we met at their home," he began, his voice surprisingly nervous. "I had heard about her for quite some time from her brother, and then I went home with him on Christmas, and Jade ran down the stairs with a smile that could light up even the darkest of rooms, and…" He trailed off, his gaze finding hers.

Jade picked up the story. "And I tripped, and he caught me," she said with a playful smile, earning a laugh from the group. "He had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, but I had a boy friend so I couldn't stare at it forever as I wanted. So, later that night, I stepped out for fresh air and there he was, on the porch swing. I joined him and we talked for quite some time that night…"

"I knew there was something special about her and believed she was mine, but I had to wait four years for her to realize it," Harry said and Jade smiled at him.

"I'm glad you waited. Don't worry, I will make it worth it," Jade promised as she leaned in and kissed him.

As they finished, the other couples cheered, their faces filled with warmth.

When it was time for the couple games, the men were brought forward and made to sit with their backs to their partners, and each female were given a sheet of paper with ten questions about themselves and preferences.

The ladies were given five minutes to answer the questions, while the men were told the rules of the game.

"…One wrong answer and you're out," the anchor told them.

Each watched with a proud smile as the other men returned to their seats one after the other after failing the questions, while Harry answered all ten questions correctly, making him the winner of that round.

All the ladies around Jade cooed and congratulated her on having a very intentional and observant partner.

For the next round of games, the men were asked to loosen their ties and stand while their partners were asked to knot their partner's ties, and the fastest would be the winner.

Harry grinned Jade expertly knotted the ties and when she finished before everybody else, she let out a loud screech and did a funny dance move, causing everyone around to laugh.

At the end of the evening, Harry and Jade were declared the couple of the night and were awarded the latest MacBook and a free vacation ticket there whenever they wanted to come back.

As they walked hand-in-hand back to their suite, Harry holding on to the MacBook with his other hand, the sound of the ocean waves serenading them, Jade snuggled closer to Harry. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked, puzzled.

"For trying," she replied, gazing up at the star-studded sky. "For being here, with me."

Harry smiled, his earlier restlessness replaced by a newfound sense of peace. He squeezed her hand. "You don't have to thank me for that. I'm always happy to be with you. Besides, I enjoyed my evening very much," Harry said and Jade smiled.

"I'm sure you'd find the vacation more interesting now that you've connected with other men. And just so you know, you made me so proud. I was the envy of the ladies there," she said and Harry grinned.

"Does that mean I get to rip it off?" He asked, and she giggled.

"You can rip off whatever you want even in the closet," she promised and he laughed.

For Jade, the evening had been a revelation. It wasn't just about the breathtaking scenery or the gourmet food. It was about the love and connection she shared with Harry.