A Line Between Us
1939 Words
Bimbo’s POV
Bimbo wasn’t the type to dwell on unnecessary thoughts. She had trained herself to push away anything that made her uncomfortable, anything that made her feel too much. And yet, as she busied herself at the event, she found her mind drifting—against her will—back to the man with the sharp jawline and the knowing eyes.
Asnad.
The name alone was enough to make her fingers tighten around the clipboard she was pretending to study.
She told herself she was only thinking about him because of the way he had looked at her. Like he could see something beneath her carefully crafted exterior. Like he knew.
Which was ridiculous. He didn’t know her.
And he wouldn’t.
“Bimbo, you look like you’re trying to solve a medical mystery,” Amna teased, nudging her lightly.
Bimbo startled and forced a casual smile. “Just thinking.”
“About a certain handsome actor?” Amna wiggled her brows.
Bimbo rolled her eyes. “Don’t start.”
Amna only laughed, clearly enjoying herself. “I knew it! I saw the way he was looking at you.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“Mmm, am I?” Amna gave her a knowing look before walking off.
Bimbo exhaled, shaking her head. This was just one night. One event. She wouldn’t see him again after this.
Would she?
Asnad’s POV
Asnad had been in the entertainment industry long enough to recognize when something—or someone—was different.
And Bimbo?
She was different.
He had spent years surrounded by people who either adored him or resented him. People who saw him as nothing more than an image, a character they could mold into whatever suited their imagination.
But she hadn’t treated him like that. She had barely looked at him.
And that intrigued him more than it should have.
“You’re staring into space,” Rami muttered beside him, sipping his whiskey.
Asnad smirked. “Am I?”
Rami followed his gaze and let out a low chuckle. “Oh. I see.”
“You see what?”
“You, looking like a man who just found something interesting.”
Asnad didn’t respond. He was still watching her. The way she moved, the way she focused entirely on the woman in front of her. A pregnant woman, by the looks of it. Bimbo’s expression had softened into something warm, something real.
It was clear she loved what she did.
And that made Asnad want to know more.
A Meeting in the Crowd
Bimbo didn’t notice Asnad approaching until he was right next to her.
She looked up, startled.
He smiled—just a small, almost lazy smirk. “You always look this serious when you work?”
Bimbo straightened. “It’s an important job.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
She frowned slightly. “Did you need something?”
He tilted his head, considering. “Maybe.”
She hated how easily he seemed to read people. It was unsettling.
“If you’re looking for medical advice, I’d recommend you speak to an actual patient.”
He chuckled. “Noted.”
Silence stretched between them.
Bimbo should have walked away. She should have excused herself and disappeared into the crowd.
But for some reason, she didn’t.
And Asnad took that as an invitation to stay.
Bimbo’s POV
She should have walked away.
That was the logical thing to do.
She wasn’t here to entertain charming actors with sharp eyes and teasing smiles. She was here because she had a job to do—because she had promised herself she wouldn’t get distracted.
And yet, here she was, standing in front of Asnad, caught in a moment she didn’t quite know how to escape.
“You’re staring,” he noted.
Bimbo blinked, startled. “Excuse me?”
“You were staring.” He smirked slightly, like he was amused by her reaction. “It’s okay. I get that a lot.”
Her irritation flared. “I wasn’t staring at you.”
He lifted a brow. “No?”
“No.”
He chuckled. “Then what were you doing?”
Bimbo exhaled slowly. “Trying to decide if I should leave.”
“And?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I probably should.”
He nodded, as if he understood. “But you’re not.”
That was the problem. She wasn’t.
Something about him made it hard to simply turn and walk away.
Which was exactly why she needed to.
“I have work to do,” she said, stepping back.
To her relief, he didn’t stop her.
He just watched her go, that unreadable expression still on his face.
Asnad’s POV
She was a puzzle.
And Asnad had never been one to ignore a puzzle.
Most people craved his attention. They sought him out, wanting to be seen by him, wanting to be remembered.
But Bimbo?
She acted like she wanted nothing to do with him.
Which only made him more curious.
“Who is she?” he found himself asking Rami later, his gaze still following her as she moved around the event, tending to people with a quiet confidence that was strangely captivating.
Rami raised a brow. “You’re interested.”
“Just curious.”
Rami smirked. “Her name’s Bimbo. She’s a nurse, a midwife, and a therapist.”
That explained why she was here.
“She doesn’t seem like the type who enjoys events like these,” Asnad noted.
“She doesn’t,” Rami confirmed. “But she’s good at what she does. And she cares.”
Asnad could see that. It was in the way she spoke to people, the way she listened.
He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The Unexpected Dance
Bimbo had been doing a good job of avoiding Asnad for the rest of the evening.
Or so she thought.
Until the music started.
She had been in the middle of a conversation with one of the event coordinators when the slow melody filled the room.
And before she could react, a hand was extended toward her.
Her heart stumbled.
Asnad.
“Would you like to dance?”
Bimbo hesitated. “I don’t—”
“It’s just a dance.” His voice was low, coaxing. “No pressure.”
Bimbo swallowed. Every instinct told her to refuse.
And yet, against her better judgment, she found herself placing her hand in his.
Asnad’s fingers curled around hers, warm and steady.
He led her onto the dance floor with an ease that made her nervous.
She wasn’t used to this.
She wasn’t used to him.
“Relax,” he murmured, sensing her tension.
Bimbo let out a slow breath, forcing herself to focus.
The room felt smaller, quieter.
It was just the two of them now.
And for a moment—just a moment—she let herself forget everything else.
Asnad’s POV
He hadn’t expected her to say yes.
But when she did, something inside him shifted.
She was tense at first, uncertain.
But as the music played, she softened—just a little.
It was the first time he had seen her without the careful guard she always wore.
And it made him want to know more.
“See?” he said softly. “Not so bad, is it?”
She met his gaze. “I don’t usually do this.”
“I figured.”
She hesitated. “Why did you ask me to dance?”
He smirked. “Why did you say yes?”
She exhaled, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re intriguing.”
Bimbo tensed again. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Say things like that.”
He tilted his head. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
She didn’t answer.
And that told him enough.
As the song ended, Asnad let his hands fall away from her.
But something told him this wouldn’t be the last time he held her.
Not if he had anything to do with it.
Bimbo’s POV
She needed to leave.
Now.
Dancing with Asnad had been a mistake. She could feel it in the way her pulse refused to settle, in the way her thoughts felt unsteady.
He was dangerous.
Not in the traditional sense.
But in a way that made her feel things she wasn’t supposed to feel.
She wasn’t made for this.
For him.
And the sooner she remembered that, the better.
But as she made her way toward the exit, she knew she should have left earlier.
She should have left earlier.
Long before the dance.
Long before Asnad’s hand had found hers, before his steady gaze had made her feel like the only person in the room.
But she had stayed.
And now, as she hurried toward the exit, she felt like she was running away.
Which was ridiculous.
She wasn’t running.
She was leaving.
That was different.
“Bimbo.”
Her steps faltered at the sound of her name.
She didn’t have to turn to know who it was.
Still, she did.
Asnad stood a few feet away, hands casually tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable.
For someone so famous, he had a way of making himself seem entirely at ease, like he belonged anywhere he went.
She envied that.
She hated that she envied that.
“You’re leaving?” he asked.
Bimbo nodded. “Yes.”
His gaze flickered, as if considering something. “Was it me?”
She frowned. “What?”
“Did I make you uncomfortable?”
The honesty in his voice caught her off guard.
She should have said yes.
That would have been the easiest way to end this conversation.
But she hesitated.
“No,” she admitted. “I just don’t—” She exhaled. “I’m not used to this.”
“This?”
“This… attention.”
His brow lifted slightly. “You think this is attention?”
She gave him a look. “You’re Asnad. Everything you do is attention.”
To her surprise, he chuckled. “That sounds exhausting.”
She crossed her arms. “It is.”
For a moment, they simply stood there, watching each other.
And then Asnad took a small step closer.
Bimbo’s breath caught.
“Let me take you home,” he said.
Her heart stuttered. “What?”
“I’ll call a driver,” he clarified. “You shouldn’t leave alone this late.”
She knew she should refuse.
But the night had already taken so many unexpected turns.
And maybe, just this once, she could let it happen.
Asnad’s POV
Bimbo was hesitant.
He could see it in the way she glanced toward the exit, as if still considering an escape.
But she didn’t run.
That was something.
“You don’t have to,” she said finally.
“I know.”
She exhaled, then nodded.
Asnad took out his phone, calling his driver.
She stood beside him, quiet, as the car pulled up.
When the door opened, she hesitated again.
He raised a brow. “Second thoughts?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Still, it took her another moment before she finally slid inside.
Asnad followed, shutting the door behind him.
The silence between them was comfortable.
He didn’t push.
Didn’t ask her more questions.
Instead, he simply sat beside her, watching the city lights blur past the window.
Until she finally spoke.
“Why me?”
He turned to her. “What?”
“Why are you… interested?
It was a good question.
And one he wasn’t sure how to answer.
- Writer
