Arielle Kebbel knew a romantic moment was coming between Belle and Cal in Marshals, but she didn’t anticipate just how strongly viewers would react when the two characters finally kissed.

In Season 1, Episode 7, titled “Family Business,” Belle and Cal, played by Logan Marshall-Green, share drinks and an emotional conversation about the problems in Belle’s marriage. As the moment intensifies, they give in to their feelings and kiss. However, once they realize they have crossed a boundary in their professional relationship, they pull away, and Belle leaves.

The scene caught fans off guard after the series spent much of the season building a slow-burning connection between the pair. Speaking to PEOPLE, Kebbel, 41, said she expected the kiss but underestimated its significance to the audience.

“I guess in my mind, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s a kiss. Like, we know where this is going,’” she recalled. “But it was like, ‘Oh, it’s a kiss,’” acknowledging that the moment turned out to be a much bigger deal for fans than she had anticipated.

“It keeps me on my toes, seeing the fans’ reactions to the stuff that we’ve already filmed,” Kebbel added. She also hinted that viewers could be surprised by Belle’s decisions in Season 2.

Arielle Kebbel Opens Up About Working With Logan Marshall-Green

The upcoming season will continue exploring Belle and Cal’s growing connection, while also examining the state of Belle’s marriage to Jared Skinner. Season 1 revealed that Jared had been cheating on her, leaving Belle to confront serious problems in her personal life.

For Kebbel, working with Marshall-Green, 49, brings an element of unpredictability to their scenes together. She appreciates the way he approaches each performance and keeps their on-screen dynamic fresh.

“He’s that type of actor that you show up to play with,” she said.

“Logan is a classically trained actor,” Kebbel explained. “I always get to set, and I’m curious to watch him, because I know that depending on the scene and what we’re doing that day, he’s going to be a little different toward me.”

Marshall-Green previously praised his experience working with Kebbel in an April interview with PEOPLE, describing the opportunity to portray characters whose relationship has grown “very intimate.” Reflecting on their first kiss, he said, “I thought the scene played really well on the script, and it felt earned in a way.”

Marshals Season 2 Will Explore Belle and Cal’s Growing Connection

Series creator Spencer Hudnut has also teased that Belle and Cal will grow closer in Season 2, suggesting their relationship could become even more emotionally complicated.

“We know that there’s attraction and emotions and connection there,” Hudnut said. Looking back at the end of Season 1, he added, “It felt like Belle was opening herself up to maybe exploring something.”

Hudnut explained that Belle’s “very loveless marriage” to Jared creates room for her to explore her feelings for Cal. At the same time, Cal is navigating life with cancer, and Belle intends to become more involved in his personal life.

“She knows that he needs someone by her side,” Hudnut said. “So I think she’s going to be with him every step of the way, and I think that’s emotionally going to open themselves up even further to each other.”

With the first kiss bringing their feelings into the open, Season 2 could push Belle and Cal toward an even closer bond. However, Belle’s marriage and the challenges Cal faces may complicate whatever comes next for the pair.

New episodes of Marshals air Sundays on CBS.

Source: Compiled from various sources