he train doors in the subway shut with the familiar noise and announcements as Heather tried to keep her handbag from coming in between the sliding doors. It was rush hour and people were packed in tight in the subway cars, each keen to get back home. Heather adjusted her bag again and saw that it was pressed against the leg of a tall man standing next to her. She looked up and mouthed ‘sorry’ with a smile. He looked down at her and smiled, nodding that it was okay. He was dark-haired, with prominent eyebrows and deep-set eyes. When he raised his eyebrows, the forehead creased, making him look maddeningly handsome. She looked again, she couldn’t help it. There was something intensely animalistic about him. He could sense her interest. He gave a small smile, his lips moving into a languid curve. Her heart skipped a beat and as she averted her eyes, she noticed how the top two buttons of his shirt were not buttoned. She could see his strong neck and a hint of dark chest hair. He looked tough. As the train lurched ahead, she had to hold on tight lest she pressed against him. She wouldn’t have complained. He held steady. She could smell the fresh cologne and she glanced at him again, making it look like she was looking elsewhere. She wished she had the gall to talk to him. But unlike her best friend, Tina, she couldn’t do it. She bit her lower lip, lost in the proximity to this virile persona. The train stopped and as the doors slid open she had to move to let more people in. She inadvertently brushed against him. Blushing, she tried to move away but there was no space and the train was on its way. She would get off at the next station. If only she could get to know him. She looked up at him and found he was looking away. But sensing her eyes on him, he looked at her. She smiled and this time she held his gaze making him feel what she felt. The train reached her stop and as the doors slid open, she turned and stepped out. Maybe, next time, she thought as she walked up the stairs.
