"I've earned it," she said. "And... I'm appreciating. There's a difference."
"Is there."
"Yes. Staring is rude. Appreciating is respectful."
He looked at her.
"You're still staring," he said.
"I'm being very respectful." She stepped back toward him. "Arms down."
He lowered his arms.
He reached for her.
She caught both his hands.
"Not yet," she said.
He went very still.
"Not yet," he repeated. Like the words didn't make sense.
"Not yet."
He looked at his hands in hers. Then at her face. The expression he was wearing was the one she'd seen on him sometimes when she said something unexpected in the makeup chair, that moment of recalibrating.
"Soorin."
"Mm."
"What are you planning?"
"I'm getting there," she said.
She let go of his hands and reached for his belt.
She worked it slowly. Eyes on his face the whole time, watching him watch her hands, watching the very deliberate effort it took for him to stand there and let it happen instead of taking over.
