Why The Formality?

Emily's POV

I'd added the "sir" on purpose, reminding myself that we were back to square one. It hurt to admit it, but I knew it was necessary to keep things professional, even if my heart didn't want to cooperate.

As he turned to leave, a sudden surge of emotion propelled me forward. I reached out, grasping his arm, and tilted my head upward, my eyes locking onto his.

"I'm sorry," I said, and Ethan looked at me with this deep, piercing gaze that made my heart skip a beat. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

At that moment, I felt like I was staring into the eyes of someone from a romantic movie - you know, the kind where two people are completely crazy about each other. Or maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see.

Ethan gently disentangled my hands from his arm, his expression suggesting that my touch had somehow unsettled him. "Sorry for what?" he asked, his eyes drifting away from mine as he posed the question.