"Can I… feel your biceps?" she asked, voice softer now, intimate, yet laced with teasing confidence.
Alex finally glanced at her, his eyes sharp, amused. The smirk was full now. "That's what you've been waiting for, huh?"
Her breath stuttered. He knows.
The line hit too close, cutting through her polished facade like a blade.
"Guilty," she whispered, cheeks warm.
"You're… hot, Alex."
The words slipped out unpolished, too raw, but she couldn't take them back.
He let them hang in the air, his smile softening into something almost dangerous. So, she's finally dropping the act. Completely.
"Don't you think it's a little inappropriate? Saying things like that… to me... your boyfriend's best friend?"
His voice stayed calm, almost casual, but every word landed with deliberate provocation.
For a split second, Lila's breath hitched. The reminder of Mike should have pulled her back, forced her to retreat into safe lines and excuses.
