The distance between them was almost nonexistent.
Close enough for Elena to see the faintest crease in the collar of his shirt, and the subtle shadow along his freshly shaven jaw.
As the lights outside swept across the car windows, they briefly illuminated the dark shadows cast by his long lashes and the sharp line of muscle in his neck when he tilted his head.
If she leaned forward just a few more inches, the tip of her nose would almost brush his throat.
Elena froze.
She was caught between the warmth of his broad, powerful body and the cool leather seat behind her, with nowhere to retreat.
Richard slowly reached out a hand, looking as though he intended to pull her into his arms.
But—
Click.
A quiet sound.
Elena blinked.
She realized he had simply fastened her seat belt.
Elena: “…”
The man beside her straightened and settled back into his seat as though nothing unusual had happened.
“Do I really have to fasten your seat belt for you?”
Elena stared at him in disbelief.
Was he doing this on purpose?
He absolutely was.
She quietly clenched her teeth, took a slow breath, and looked at him.
“Mr. Sterling, I just noticed something.”
Richard leaned back against the seat without a hint of embarrassment. He lifted a hand, pulled his loosened tie completely free, and tossed it aside before turning his head toward her.
“Hmm?”
One eyebrow lifted slightly.
Elena suddenly unfastened her own seat belt.
Then she turned sharply and dropped to one knee on the wide leather seat.
Before Richard could react, she leaned toward him.
Her fitted white shirt with fine blue stripes pulled taut as she stretched across the space between them.
In an instant, Elena was practically half sprawled over him.
One hand braced against the leather seat beside him while the other reached across his broad chest—
Richard froze.
The clean, sweet scent of her shower gel, mixed with the faintest trace of her natural fragrance, rushed into his breathing space.
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With the distance between them suddenly gone, her slender waist was within easy reach. One small movement of his arm would have been enough to touch her.
The movement also brought her dangerously close to his arm.
Richard, who had been lounging casually against the seat moments ago, suddenly went rigid.
He could feel the warmth coming off her body as she leaned over him. He could even hear her breathing, slightly heavier from holding the awkward position.
From where he sat, lowering his eyes even slightly would bring his gaze along the delicate line of her neck and toward the edge of her collar.
His fingers, which had been resting casually on his knee, slowly curled into a fist.
The confined space of the car seemed to grow quieter.
Richard's dark eyes deepened, a dangerous glint flickering beneath their calm surface.
He didn't move.
Every instinct in him urged him to take control of the situation, but he forced himself to remain completely still.
Then—
Click.
A crisp metallic sound broke the silence.
Elena had fastened his seat belt.
She immediately pulled herself back, slowly returned to her own seat, and sat there as obediently as if nothing had happened.
Then she buckled her own seat belt again.
Richard turned his head toward her.
The bold little troublemaker who had practically draped herself over him moments ago was suddenly nowhere to be seen.
Elena smoothed down her shirt, lifted her head, and blinked at him with wide, innocent eyes.
“I just noticed…”
Her voice was still slightly breathless from the awkward position, soft enough to brush against his already-tight nerves.
“Your seat belt wasn't fastened either, Mr. Sterling.”
Richard: “…”
He looked at the faint flush on the tips of her ears and gave a quiet response.
“Then I suppose I should thank you.”
Elena blinked.
“Likewise?”
Richard said nothing.
He simply looked at her for several seconds.
His gaze moved slowly and deliberately from her eyes to the tip of her nose, then down to her lips.
It was the kind of look one might give a finely crafted work of art, taking in every detail without hurry.
She must have showered recently. Her hair still carried a trace of dampness, loosely tied into a low ponytail, with several rebellious strands clinging to her slightly damp cheeks.
She must have hurried on the way to the car, because the faint flush across her cheeks had yet to disappear completely. Her lips still carried a natural sheen.
She looked clean and fresh, like a white gardenia just after the rain.
Richard finally turned his gaze away.
“Have you eaten?”
Elena nodded quickly.
“Yes. I ate at the dining hall.”
“The dining hall?”
His eyebrow lifted slightly.
“What did you have?”
“…Three dishes and a soup?”
Elena wasn't sure whether he was simply making conversation, but since he seemed willing to talk, she didn't mind answering.
She began listing what she'd eaten.
Richard looked at her.
“Are you full?”
“More or less.”
Then Elena suddenly understood.
“Were you going to… take me out for dinner?”
Richard raised an eyebrow.
“Looks like I picked the wrong time?”
“Well…”
Elena bit her lip.
“I could still have dessert. I didn't have much starch with dinner, so I'm not exactly stuffed.”
Richard looked slightly surprised.
“Why not?”
Elena hesitated, then admitted,
“Because I wanted to eat more of the other dishes. If I eat too much starch, I get full too quickly.”
Richard was silent for two seconds.
“What kind of dessert do you like?”
“Granita.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Richard looked at her.
“Let me guess. Cake gets too rich for you, so you get full after a few bites?”
Elena nodded honestly.
“You're really smart.”
And besides, something cold like that was relatively lighter.
She knew she'd be doing extra dance practice later that night anyway, so she didn't mind having a little more sugar.
After all, opportunities to have dinner with Richard were rare.
“Honestly, anything cold is fine.”
“All right.”
The corner of Richard's mouth lifted slightly.
He raised his hand and tapped twice against the back of the driver's seat.
“Mike. Le Rêve.”
“Yes, Mr. Sterling.”
The driver answered quietly.
Elena hadn't quite caught the name. It sounded French to her—or maybe Italian.
She blinked in confusion, running through the possibilities in her head before giving up and sitting quietly in her seat, absentmindedly tugging at her seat belt.
“Le Rêve is known for its white-truffle gelato, served with Burgundy-soaked cherries.”
Richard turned his head toward her.
His gaze briefly passed over her earlobe before settling on the lingering flush across her cheeks.
His voice dropped lower, almost as though the words were meant only for her.
“You really should have something cold.”
“Why?”
“Your face is too red.”
His lips curved faintly.
“You need to cool down.”
Elena: “…………”