Don't look

Ethan keeps his eyes up, not letting them flicker down for even a second. Instead, he just stares right into the rich brown eyes across from him.

Charlie stares back, her expression impossible to read.

The look lasts a few very long heartbeats, before Charlie shrugs, resending the invitation/challenge with the simple gesture. "Well," her tone is friendly but edged with something Ethan can't quite place, "I should head out."

"Ah," the declaration catches Ethan off balance, "So... soon?"

Charlie offers a small shrug. "Got work in the morning, don't wanna risk falling asleep on the mower. You're good company, but you're not THAT good company."

Ethan ponders what exactly would have qualified him to make the cut, only mildly repressing the answer. Standing up, Charlie stretches, her technique sticking out her chest. Ethan finds the answer harder to repress.

Instead, he stands up and escorts Charlie to the door, awkwardly watching her get her shoes back on. "So, uh, see you around I guess?"

"I guess." Charlie gets her second shoe on, tapping the toe against the floor. "Talk to Sam, and maybe we'll see each other sooner."

Nodding, Ethan finds he likes the sound of that.

Charlie opens the door, tossing back a smirking glance as she passes the threshold. "See ya, City-Boy."

"See ya."

The door closes and Ethan suddenly feels, on some level, that he might have played that poorly. Although he's not quite ready to really admit there was anything to be played at all.