It began innocently enough—or at least that’s what he kept telling himself. A whisper was supposed to be discreet, a simple exchange of words too soft for others to hear. But the way she leaned toward him that evening shattered the very definition of “innocent.” Her shoulder pressed faintly into his, and though she could have kept her distance, she didn’t. Instead, she tipped forward until her lips hovered close—so close he felt the warmth of her breath before he registered the words.
Her whisper wasn’t loud, but it was deliberate, the kind that made the rest of the room fall away. He couldn’t remember what she said—something trivial, probably—but what lingered was the sensation. That faint exhale, warm and damp against the curve of his ear, sent a jolt through him. His skin tightened; his hand, which rested casually on the table, clenched. She didn’t need to press her body closer. She didn’t need to angle her face just enough that the corner of her mouth almost brushed his skin. But she did, and she lingered there a fraction longer than necessary.
When she finally leaned back, he caught the faintest trace of her perfume, threaded with something more primal—the intimate scent of warmth shared too closely. He tried to compose himself, tried to hide the quickened beat in his chest, but she noticed. Her smile was too knowing, the kind of smile that said she hadn’t merely whispered to him; she had tested him. And he had failed, or succeeded, depending on which of them you asked.
The rest of the conversation blurred. She would speak at a normal volume, then dip suddenly back into that dangerous closeness. Each time her breath traced his ear, his imagination betrayed him—wondering how deliberate the brush was, wondering how her lips might feel if she let them graze the skin she kept pretending not to touch. Every whisper was a half-promise. Every smile afterward was a confirmation that she knew exactly what she was doing.
And he—despite his better judgment—leaned just slightly closer each time, hungry for more of what wasn’t being said.