Your eyes greet mine with unsettling enthusiasm,
their gaze beginning a dance that pirouettes around my chest,
strokes my rib cage, and caresses my waist
until they linger at my hips for a little too long.
I see the corners of your mouth begin to turn.
A sly smile emerges from your lips,
but before any derogatory lyrics sneak through your teeth,
I look away, begin walking, and breathe silently
until my muscles relax from their quiet shivers,
and my heart rhythm slows to a steady beat,
hand still clenching the pepper spray anyway.