[He does reach for it if only so she doesn't have to hold it the whole time, but it's right when she gives her answer and it makes his hand stop right over hers.
For a moment, there's an impulse to grab her hand instead, his head inadvertently turning to look at her. Because he knows—knows how difficult it is for her to admit that. And that somehow, her words send a bolt of emotion that he's not sure how to handle.
Relief? Joy? Sadness?
So there is the light brush of his fingertips over hers, that lingering touch before he takes the cigar away. Slowly. It's only out of consciousness of what she said before that stops him from going further—well, that and it honestly would be a poor idea to hold her hand with a lit cigar between them—but she'll be able to easily sense and feel his true desires in that one moment. That one touch. The heat in the air that lingers as his hand doesn't move that far away.]
Just so you know, I'm holding back quite a bit for your sake.
[And subtly switching the cigar to his other hand for another smoke.]
no subject
For a moment, there's an impulse to grab her hand instead, his head inadvertently turning to look at her. Because he knows—knows how difficult it is for her to admit that. And that somehow, her words send a bolt of emotion that he's not sure how to handle.
Relief? Joy? Sadness?
So there is the light brush of his fingertips over hers, that lingering touch before he takes the cigar away. Slowly. It's only out of consciousness of what she said before that stops him from going further—well, that and it honestly would be a poor idea to hold her hand with a lit cigar between them—but she'll be able to easily sense and feel his true desires in that one moment. That one touch. The heat in the air that lingers as his hand doesn't move that far away.]
Just so you know, I'm holding back quite a bit for your sake.
[And subtly switching the cigar to his other hand for another smoke.]