She didn’t bend forward like someone trying to reach for something important—no, it was a deliberate, careful angle, the kind you’d only recognize if you’d been paying attention. Her elbows rested lightly on the counter, her voice still moving through the conversation as if nothing had changed. But the loose neckline of her dress betrayed her. Gravity took over, pulling the fabric just enough to create a space he hadn’t seen before—an uninvited glimpse into somewhere his thoughts had no business wandering, yet lingered.
His eyes flickered down without permission, then back up, pretending to focus on her face. She noticed, of course. That tiny, almost invisible smirk at the corner of her lips told him she knew exactly where his gaze had gone. The rest of the world could have disappeared, and he wouldn’t have noticed—his focus was trapped in the soft shadow and warm light inside that narrow frame.
She didn’t straighten right away. In fact, she adjusted her stance, just slightly, letting the fabric shift again. It wasn’t enough to be obvious—it was enough to keep him wondering whether she was aware of what he saw… or whether she wanted him to keep looking.
His chest tightened, his mouth dry. The conversation continued in words only—his mind was occupied somewhere else entirely. Every second she stayed in that position was an invitation he couldn’t accept but also couldn’t ignore.
When she finally stood upright, her eyes held his for a beat longer than necessary, like someone sealing a secret without speaking. And though nothing had been touched, the air between them carried the unmistakable weight of something that might have been.