"You're good," he said, voice lower now. Less business. More something else.

She smiled, pulse beating a little too fast in her throat. "Been doing it a while."

"Flexibility like that's dangerous."

She laughed -- too lightly -- trying to soften the weight of his words. "You should join me sometime. I offer private lessons."

His eyes didn't move. Didn't blink. Just held hers, a flicker of warmth under the surface, unreadable.

"I might take you up on that."

He stood then, stretched his back, rolled out his shoulders. As he reached the door, he paused. Just for a second.

"Oh -- that meeting I scheduled for Thursday... I was...