Branch and Mia spend the evening together and things get intense.

Branch was in the recliner looking at the ceiling with the tv on. He missed Poppy a lot and wanted her back he was watching his favorite show he was about to doze off when he heard a knock at the door.

He looked as he sat up and got up going to the door and opening it surprised to see Mia standing there wet.

She looked surprised and eyed his shirtless body once before looking up. ''Hey Branch.'' She smiled.

''Mia, what are you doing here?'' He asked.

''Well, I mostly came here to see Poppy. I have some questions about some of these files and she said she would be more then willing to help me.'' Mia answered stepping in.

Branch shut the door and turns around. ''Well, she is not here.''

Mia turned around with a raised eyebrow and got a giddy feeling. ''Oh? Where is she? I thought he'd have you on a leash.''

''No, she doesn't we are adults and trust each other.'' Branch snapped defending Poppy.

''Easy I was just joking.'' Mia raised up her hands.

''Since Poppy isn't here, I can help you.'' Branch said.

Mia went and sat on the couch as Branch sat next to her. ''So, what files do you need help with?'' He asked.

''What does transferring papers to higher up mean?'' She asked.

''Oh, well the papers must have got mixed up.'' He took to them from her as she leans over looking at them, but she took in his smell and got a small shiver.

''What do you mean?'' She asked.

''This is the reports from the other managers of the other bank branch's they were supposed to send it to us the CEO's and we read the numbers and type them in the computer. Here I'll show you.'' He got his laptop and came back over placing it on the coffee table and sitting on the floor as he typed in his password and his screen opened up to him and Poppy in trunks and a bikini with her in his arms as he kisses her cheek.

Mia saw this and felt that jealousy come up again. ''Ok so you will open the file and make a copy of it and then save and name the file from what bank it came from and then when the next reports come in you will look at them to see if they have gone up since then or down.'' Branch replied.

''So, what happens if it goes down?'' She asked looking at the reports and back at him.

''That means the bank isn't doing well and if it gets too low, we have to go visit those banks to see what is going on.'' He said as he closes his computer.

''Ah that makes more sense.'' Mia said sitting back with a smile.

''Why did you come here looking for Poppy when you could have called her or me?'' He asked.

''Well, I mean Poppy made it pretty clear in the bathroom the day of Ryan's party that she doesn't want me around you. Afraid that I might still have feelings for you and that I'm trying to win you back.'' Mia replied.

''She didn't mean that. It's just we've both notice that you like to flirt with me and to be fair giving what she went through with her ex I can't blame her.'' He replied.

''Still, you would think she trusts you.'' Mia replied.

''She does, it's you she doesn't trust.'' Branch said.

''Yeah, I mean we are called exes for a reason.'' Mia joked as it thundered out and was pouring.

''True.'' He said.

''Man, I don't want to go out in the rain.'' She sighed.

''Then stay here for a bit until it lets up.'' Branch said as he got up and went to the kitchen and got two bottled water and gave one to her sitting down and turning up the volum.

''You sure? I mean Poppy might not like it.'' She answered.

''If Poppy was here, I'm sure she wouldn't object.'' Branch said drinking.

Mia noticed the wedding stuff on the coffee table. ''Wedding plans huh I guess Poppy is being a bridezilla huh?''

''No, she actually handling it pretty well.'' Branch replied with a smile.

Ah you got out half of the invites.'' Mia nodded.

''Yeah.'' Branch said with a smile.

''Oh, isn't that the place where Rosiepuff is buried?'' Asked Mia.

''Yeah, Poppy and I are having the wedding in our old hometown and the reception out in the small town. Some place where my grandma was buried.'' Branch said.

''Why not the Bar Shack? After all it was Rosiepuff's favorite place.'' Mia suggested.

Branch looked at her and nodded. ''Yeah, that's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?'' Asked Branch as he wrote it down.

Mia smiles and bit her lip leaving out the big part of why she suggested that place. It was the place where her and Branch had sex for the first time after a couple drinks hence where the friends with benefits started.

''So, got any games we can play while we wait?'' Asked Mia.

Branch looked up and saw that it was still raining pretty hard. ''Well, let's see what we got.''

He got up and went to the closet. Mia looked around his place and she frowns at the picture of Poppy blowing a kiss with writing on the picture that said. 'For my love Branch.'

''Ok we got battleship, scrabble. Or we could try chess again and see who is better?'' Branch smirked looking at her.

''You're on!'' Mia smiles standing up.

Branch placed the game on the dinner table and pulled out two sodas both grape.

''Oh Branch, wait aren't these the drinks we were drinking during our chess games?'' Asked Mia impressed.

''Yeah, it is. Grape has always been my favorite.'' He said as he got the board set up.

Mia didn't dare to hope maybe he did still have feelings for her at least sub-conscious.

''It's also the soda that me and Poppy were drinking anytime we had big projects or tests in high school we would get a case of these and down them.'' Branch said with a grin.

Mia sighed sadly and felt hurt by that.

They had an intense game of chess. Branch watches Mia intensely pondering her move, the troll was planning her next move and looked to see Branch waiting.

''What's the matter? Getting impatient?'' Asked Mia tauntingly.

''Nope I got all the time in the world. I'm gonna win anyway so why not enjoy watching you squirm trying to figure out a move.'' Branch replied smugly.

''I got plenty of moves but are you sure you want to see them?'' She asked in a seductive voice batting her eyelashes at him.

''Only on the board.'' He leaned forward smirking.

Mia sat back and her foot ran over his leg slowly as she stared at Branch as she moved her piece that took out Branch's knight.

He looked shocked. ''What the?'' He pulls his leg away.

''Yep. I was just messing with you.'' Mia giggles.

''I see.'' Branch moved his piece as Mia moved hers and finally Branch managed to take Mia's king winning.

''Hah I win again!'' He shouted with a smile.

''After all this time I swear you still cheat.'' She laughed.

''Nope, just luck.'' Branch smiled and Mia looked at the time.

''Well, I guess I better get home. Got to work tomorrow.'' She said.

''Yeah, same here.'' He replied getting up.

''So, what are up to tomorrow after work?'' Asked Mia looking at him.

''Well, I'm coming home and talking to Poppy.'' Branch replied.

''Oh? Well, I was thinking maybe we could grab a bite to eat on the way home.'' She suggested.

''Sorry, no I can't maybe another time.'' Branch said as they went to the door.

''Don't you miss the friendship we had?'' Asked Mia looking at him.

''Yes, I do, but I feel like you want more then just a friendship, and I can't do that.'' Branch said looking at Mia.

''Branch, I'm not asking you to sleep with me, I just want to grab a bite to eat with a co-worker/friend before you go home. But the fact that you bring up I want more then friendship means that somewhere on a sub-conscious level you do in fact still love me and want to be with me means you don't trust yourself around me.'' Mia noted.

Branch was annoyed and frowned. ''No, it's not that. Usually when my gut tells me it's a bad idea it usually is. I don't have any feelings for you, I do trust myself as well as Poppy does but knowing you and what we were and the way you look at me you want more then friendship.'' Branch said.

Mia frowns. ''Alright fine be that way. But I know you Branch and the fact you're fighting this just means there are feelings left.''

She left and Branch shut the door and shook his head annoyed. She was wrong and the fact she brought it up meant that she did have feelings. He had to admit he did enjoy her company tonight but there was nothing there, he decided to go to bed and grabbed the picture of Poppy and fell asleep with it.

Mia was in her car and was crying he had seen right through her and she felt jealousy inside of her and she pulled down her visor and saw the picture of her and Branch in a photo booth. She knew she was going to have to kick it up a notch.