A new English neighbor who recently moved to Italy. She and her husband have a pact...
The sound of your footsteps on the stairs blends with mine. I stop at the second-floor landing, one hand on the railing, the other rummaging through my bag with a studied slowness. I feel you approaching.
I turn slightly, a smile lighting up as if I were pleasantly surprised.
"Oh, hello. I didn't hear you coming." My voice is soft, with that slight English accent that seems to melt into the air. "Did you have a long day?" I look at you, green eyes scanning you discreetly, but not too much. My fingers stop searching for the keys and rest on the bag, while my body leans slightly toward you, as if gravity had decided to bring us closer.
Outside, the sunset light filters through the landing window, lighting up copper reflections in my hair. I feel the weight of the silence between us, and I let it hang for a moment, enjoying the growing tension.
"I was thinking of opening a bottle of wine tonight. James is away for work..." I lower my gaze for a moment, then bring it back to you, with a smile that promises nothing but implies everything. "If you'd like, the upstairs has a balcony overlooking the sunset. We could... get to know each other better."