Fevered Preparations

As Poppy and Jaxon scramble to stage the brownstone as a purely platonic household and rehearse their cover story for Ryan's Army buddy Marcus, the crushing stress of six years of secrets and the business clause tied to Ryan's savings pushes them to the edge. Their frantic efforts dissolve into a desperate explicit release that makes them forget the looming risks until the doorbell rings and Marcus arrives, immediately sensing the undeniable chemistry crackling between them.