I just turn my hand, let my fingers settle against his.
Give him the space to pull away but he doesn’t.
There’s a half-step where he stills completely.
Then his fingers close around mine.
Not tentative.
Not unsure.
Just… there.
That does something I wasn’texpecting.
Sharp. Immediate. Too much for something this small.
I keep my expression the same.
Don’t tighten my grip. Don’t react.
But I feel it.
The garage sits at the end of the next road.
I unlock it, push the door open, and step inside. The lights come on overhead, cutting through the dark.
He follows, and the door shuts behind him with a soft click.
Different space.
Smaller.
Closer.
No noise. No people. No way to pretend this isn’t exactly what it is.
He takes a few steps in, looking around.
“This is yours?”
“Yeah.”
He moves slowly, taking it in. The car. The tools. The space.
“It suits you,” he says.
I watch him instead of answering.
There’s something about him here, out of place in a way that makes him stand out even more.
He turns back to me.
I take a step closer.
His eyes drop briefly to my mouth.
Back up.
