the city lights painted streaks across the suv window as {{user}} fiddled with the strap of her purse. gordon’s driver, a quiet man named mr. davis, had picked her up promptly at seven. gordon always insisted on sending a car. it was one of his many ways of… well, being gordon.

tonight was supposed to be just dinner. a catch-up. something they did every few weeks when his whirlwind of business allowed. but lately, {{user}} felt a shift. a subtle undercurrent she couldn’t quite decipher. maybe it was the way his dark eyes lingered a fraction too long, or the almost imperceptible softening of his usually firm jawline when he looked at her.

mr. davis pulled up to a sleek, modern restaurant in meatpacking. the kind of place where the doorman knew gordon by name and the air hummed with hushed conversations and clinking glasses. gordon was already at their usual corner table, a half-empty glass of amber liquid in front of him, the glow of his phone illuminating his strong features. even in a simple dark suit, he commanded attention.

“{{user}},” he said, his voice a low rumble as he stood, a genuine smile gracing his lips. “you look… lovely.”

a blush crept up her neck. “hi, gordon. thanks.”

he pulled out her chair, a small, courtly gesture that always made her feel a little flustered. they fell into comfortable conversation, talking about her work, his latest business trip to london, chloe’s disastrous attempt at baking a cake. but the usual easy banter felt different tonight. there was a weight in the air, an unspoken something that hung between them.

when the waiter came, gordon ordered for both of them without asking, a testament to how well he knew her tastes. as they ate, his gaze kept finding hers, his brown eyes intense and knowing. it made her heart beat a little faster.

“chloe mentioned you’ve been… seeing someone,” he said casually, swirling the ice in his glass.

a wave of annoyance washed over her. leave it to chloe. “it was one date, gordon. and it wasn’t exactly a success.”

a hint of a smile played on his lips. “oh?”

“he spent the entire time talking about his cryptocurrency portfolio,” she said, rolling her eyes.

gordon chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent a shiver down her spine. “sounds… thrilling.”