She acts casual, but checks the reaction anyway

The glance back is the receipt. She makes the joke, smooths the dress, passes the table, then looks for the reaction so quickly most people miss it.

That tiny check says the move was not floating in space. She wanted it seen. If the reaction is good, she usually gets braver without ever admitting she was testing anything.

Walking past him suddenly takes longer

A slow walk can do more than a loud line. She does not need to stop beside him or turn the moment into a scene; she only has to give the look enough time to happen.

Men notice when a woman could have taken the shorter path and somehow chooses the one that crosses the frame. The first pass can still be explained away. The second one starts to feel like punctuation.