WHERE HIS EYES LINGERED

Chapter 3

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

I hadn't even noticed.

He slipped his keys from his pocket, the faint metallic click barely audible beneath the steady rainfall.

"Come on."

He opened the umbrella a little wider before glancing back at me.

"The rain doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon."

I tightened my fingers around the sleeves of his coat before taking a hesitant step toward him.

As soon as I stood beneath the umbrella beside him, I became painfully aware of how close we were.

"...Thank you," I said quietly.

He looked at me for a brief second before giving a small nod.

"You're welcome."

We started walking toward the parking lot, our footsteps falling into the same rhythm as the rain drummed softly against the umbrella.

I kept my eyes on the wet sidewalk, afraid that if I looked at him again, he'd notice the ridiculous smile I was trying so hard to hide.

Somehow...

The walk to his car didn't feel nearly long enough.

The closer we got to the parking lot, the more aware I became of every little thing.

The steady rhythm of his footsteps.

The warmth of his coat wrapped around my shoulders.

The way he subtly angled the umbrella toward me whenever the wind shifted, shielding me from the rain while his own shoulder grew damp.

"You don't have to do that."

He glanced at me.

"Do what?" he asked innocently.

"The umbrella..."

I looked up at it before meeting his eyes again.

"You're barely under it."

He glanced at his shoulder for a brief second before giving a small shrug.

"Don't worry."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"I'm alright."

I didn't know what to say to that.

No one had ever done something so simple...

Yet somehow, it meant so much.

A few more steps brought us to a sleek black SUV parked nearby.

He unlocked it with a press of his key fob.

Before I could reach for the passenger door, he had already opened it.

I looked at him, surprised.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know."

He smiled.

"But I wanted to."

My heart fluttered.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I climbed into the passenger seat as carefully as I could, trying not to drip rainwater everywhere.

The inside of the car smelled clean, carrying the same faint cedarwood scent as his coat.

A moment later, he walked around the front of the SUV and slipped into the driver's seat.

He set the umbrella aside, ran a hand through his damp curls, then reached over to switch on the heater.

Warm air slowly filled the car.

Without even asking...

He'd already thought about the fact that I was cold.

I lowered my eyes to my lap, smiling to myself.

How was one person this thoughtful?

The heater slowly chased the chill from the car.

I rested my hands on my lap, suddenly very aware of the silence between us.

He adjusted the rearview mirror before starting the engine.

The windshield wipers swept steadily across the glass, pushing away the rain as he eased the SUV out of the parking lot.

A few seconds passed before he spoke.

"Which way?"

His voice was calm, his eyes fixed on the road.

I quickly gave him my address.

He nodded once.

"Okay."

Soft music played quietly through the speakers while the rain drummed against the roof.

I sat as still as I could, my fingers unconsciously gripping the sleeves of his coat.

The warmth inside the car was comforting, but somehow, it wasn't what made my heart race.

It was him.

The fact that I was sitting beside him.

After years of admiring him from a distance...

I stole a quick glance at him before quickly looking away again.

His eyes remained fixed on the road, completely unaware that I was studying him.

My gaze drifted to the side of his face, then lower.

I watched his Adam's apple bob gently as he swallowed, and before I knew it, my attention shifted to his hand.

He absentmindedly brought it to his lips, his thumb brushing lightly against the corner of his mouth before letting it fall back to the steering wheel.

It was such a small, absent-minded gesture.

One he probably didn't even realize he was doing.

Yet somehow...

It was unbelievably attractive.

I immediately looked away, silently scolding myself.

What on earth was I doing?

I kept wondering if he could hear how loudly my heart was beating.

I hoped he couldn't.

Outside, the rain continued to blur the city lights into streaks of gold and white across the windshield.

I found myself stealing another glance at him before quickly looking away again.

His attention remained on the road.

Every now and then, the passing headlights caught the sharp outline of his jaw before disappearing into the rain.

I couldn't help watching him.

The steady movement of his hands on the steering wheel.

The quiet concentration in his eyes.

The way he drove without rushing, despite the weather.

For some reason, everything about him looked effortless.

I turned my attention back to the rain, silently hoping he hadn't caught me staring.

The last thing I wanted was to embarrass myself on the one day I'd finally managed to hold an actual conversation with him.

The drive continued in comfortable silence, broken only by the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers and the rain tapping softly against the roof.

He made one final turn, and almost immediately, the streets began to look familiar.

The rows of modest houses.

The small convenience store on the corner where Grandma always insisted the bread tasted fresher.

The children splashing through puddles despite the rain.

A small smile found its way to my lips.

"We're almost there."

He gave a slight nod, his attention still on the road.

A few moments later, he slowed the SUV to a stop in front of a modest single-story house with a small front porch and a very narrow garden.