Two Blinks

She smiles. All he can do is stare. It’s not that he doesn’t want to talk, he can’t. Not when she looks at him like that.

Two blinks.
Looking for words.
Two more.

The knot has long migrated from his stomach to his throat. “Confidence”, he tells himself, “be confident!” but his knees buckle. How can he be confident? She’s so beautiful.

Two blinks.
She’s still smiling.
Two more.

She speaks, but he can’t hear her. All he can see are the depths of her eyes, the freckles on her checks, and that gorgeous smile. He’s lost.

Two blinks.
Looking for composure.
Two more.