(Ruby POV)
Ruby told herself she wasn't thinking about it.
She really did.
But unfortunately, her brain had other plans.
Because no matter how many times she replayed the scene in her head—
it always stopped at the same moment.
His hand on her wrist.
Firm.
Instant.
Like he didn't even hesitate.
Like she was something he was already used to catching.
And that was the problem.
She wasn't used to that.
Not from him.
Not from Adrian Blake.
---
"Ruby."
Maya snapped her fingers in front of her face.
Ruby blinked.
"What?"
"You've been staring at your coffee for five minutes."
"I was thinking."
Maya leaned on the counter. "About Adrian again?"
Ruby immediately straightened.
"No."
Maya raised an eyebrow.
"…That fast of a denial is suspicious."
Ruby grabbed her spoon and stirred her coffee harder than necessary.
"I'm just annoyed."
"Mm-hm."
"He thinks he can just—just—"
Maya tilted her head. "Catch you?"
Ruby froze.
Then pointed her spoon at her.
"Don't say it like that."
Maya smiled. "Like what?"
"Like it means something."
---
It shouldn't have meant anything.
It was reflex.
That's what Ruby told herself.
Actors got touched all the time during rehearsals.
Accidental moments.
Blocking adjustments.
Nothing new.
Nothing special.
So why—
did her wrist still feel warm when she thought about it?
---
That evening, she arrived early for rehearsal.
Too early.
Which meant—
he was already there.
Of course he was.
Adrian stood near the set wall, reading through his lines.
Back straight. Focused. Calm.
Like he hadn't occupied half her thoughts all day.
Ruby stopped at the entrance.
Turned around.
Considered leaving.
Stayed anyway.
Unfortunately.
---
"You're early," he said without looking up.
Ruby stepped inside slowly.
"So are you."
"I know."
Of course he did.
She crossed her arms. "You always this confident?"
Now he looked at her.
Just briefly.
"No," he said. "Only when I'm right."
Ruby scoffed.
"That's subjective."
"It isn't."
---
A pause.
The room felt smaller than it should have.
Ruby hated that.
She walked past him toward her side of the set.
Too close.
Not on purpose.
But the space between them didn't feel normal anymore.
It felt aware.
Like it remembered what happened yesterday.
Like he remembered.
---
"You're distracted," Adrian said suddenly.
Ruby stopped.
Turned slightly.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I said I'm not."
A beat.
Then Adrian set his script down.
Slowly.
Finally fully looking at her.
"You keep touching your wrist."
Ruby froze.
Immediately dropped her hand.
"I'm not."
Silence.
He tilted his head slightly.
"…I didn't hurt you."
That made her blink.
"What?"
"When I caught you."
Ruby's throat tightened slightly.
"That's not—" she started.
Stopped.
Because what was she even going to say?
Yes you did?
That would be a lie.
No you didn't?
That felt worse.
---
Adrian watched her carefully.
Not intense.
Not cold.
Just… observant.
Like he was waiting for something she didn't want to say.
Ruby crossed her arms again.
"You didn't have to catch me."
"I know."
That answer came too fast.
Too simple.
Ruby frowned.
"…Then why did you?"
A pause.
Longer this time.
Adrian didn't look away.
"I didn't think about it."
That should've been the end of it.
It wasn't.
Because something in the way he said it—
made it sound worse.
Not careless.
Not accidental.
Just instinctive.
Like she mattered in that split second decision before he even realized it.
---
Ruby looked away first.
"Whatever," she muttered. "It's fine."
Adrian didn't respond.
But he didn't look away either.
Which was worse.
Because now the silence between them didn't feel empty.
It felt full.
Too full.
---
"Places!" someone called.
Ruby moved quickly.
Too quickly.
Back to her mark.
Back to distance.
Back to safety.
But when she glanced up—
Adrian was already watching her.
Not the script.
Not the set.
Her.
And for some reason she couldn't explain—
that made her heart skip in a way she absolutely refused to acknowledge.
So she didn't.
She looked away first.
Again.
But behind her—
Adrian Blake didn't.