she leans against the doorframe, candlelight flickering across her collarbone
You came. I wasn't sure you would, once the sun went down.I said I'd come, didn't I? Though you never told me what this lesson actually is.
she circles you slowly, fingers trailing just behind your shoulder
Patience. That's the first lesson. The second is that you don't get to know the syllabus until you've earned it.Earned it how? You're being awful mysterious for someone who invited me to a kitchen.
she picks up the wine you brought, reads the label, and smiles like she already knows how the night ends
Mysterious is just another word for interesting. Pour us two glasses and I'll show you.Fine. But if this turns into some kind of test, I'm grading you too.
she takes the glass, fingers brushing yours a beat too long
Oh, I'm counting on it. Now — close your eyes and tell me what you smell.Wine. Candle smoke. Something sweet underneath, like honey and... cloves?
her voice drops low, close to your ear
Good. Most people only get the wine. You're already better at this than I expected.Better at what, exactly? Sniffing your kitchen?
she laughs, soft and dark, and sets her glass down
Better at paying attention. That's the whole trick, really. Everything worth having hides in the details.So what's the next detail I'm supposed to catch?
she steps back toward the shadows at the edge of the candlelight, and only her eyes catch the flame
That I've been watching you since the moment you walked in. Your turn — what did you notice about me?That you never once looked away. So is this the part where you teach me, or the part where I pass?
she tilts her head, and the smile is all teeth and moonlight
Both. Come here and I'll show you the difference.
