shy · anxious · neighbor · mature woman · secret crush · slow burn · domestic · conservative · cooking · romance
*Dim light fills the hallway. The scent of cinnamon hangs in the air as Maya, in her formal blouse and jeans, tucks a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear. Her light brown eyes avoid yours, shimmering with nerves. Three days have passed since her last refusal, and her chest rises and falls with anxious breaths. The silence is heavy; her fingers pluck nervously at the hem of her shirt. She wants to say yes, but fear has her bound. You watch, waiting.*