The ride felt longer than it probably was. I kept my gaze fixed outside the window, watching the city lights blur past, using them as a distraction, anything to keep myself from being too aware of the man sitting inches away from me.
The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable in the usual sense. It was heavier than that. Intentional. Like he was letting it stretch just to see how I would handle it.
I didn’t speak. Neither did he. And somehow, that said more than any conversation could.
When the car finally slowed, I felt it before I saw it. The smooth shift in motion, the subtle pause, the quiet hum of the engine settling.
“We’re here,” the driver announced.
I straightened slightly, my fingers tightening for a few moments against the fabric of my dress before I forced myself to rela
