Page 171 of Playing Dirty

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Not stepping away.

Just adjusting.

And for half a second—

we were too close.

Not touching.

Not even brushing.

Just proximity that didn’t need explanation but still felt like one.

I stopped immediately.

She did too.

That pause hit harder than movement.

Because now we were both aware of exactly how close that had been.

Neither of us said anything for a second too long.

Then I stepped back.

Slow.

Controlled.

Too controlled.

Rowan

I didn’t look at him right away.

That was instinct now.

If I looked too fast, it made it real in a way I didn’t want to deal with.

But I could feel him just behind me.

Still.

Not moving.

“You always do that,” I said quietly.

“Do what.”

“Stop like you’re calculating distance.”

That got a reaction.

Small.

But real.

“I am calculating distance,” he said.

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