Chemistry
Because the olfactory bulb is a part of the brain's limbic system, certain smells can trigger strong associations like memories and emotions almost instantly. This was why just a slight whiff of lavender caused his shoulders to tense and his eyes to dart around. It was usually the first sign to herald her phantomlike appearance. He wasn't fully aware that other women were capable of wearing this scent because he deemed that it was uniquely hers ever since a casual flick of her hair sent a wave of it crashing over him. She wore too much of it, in his opinion. It hung like a cloud around her at a radius of at least five feet. He didn't find it unpleasant, but sometimes too much of it, especially when she was mere inches away and shooting snide remarks, was overpowering enough to clog his senses and diminish the razor edge of his retorts.
Once, while picking through a dismal looking gift basket sent to his office, he found a lavender aromatherapy candle nestled next to the Belgian chocolates and gourmet cheese. He hadn't seen her in months at that point and was suddenly overwhelmed with a strange compulsion to hold the candle right under his nose and inhale. His secretary accidentally walked in on him during his moment of abandon and things weren't quite the same between them after that. It's difficult to be intimidated by someone caught indulging in purple, scented wax.
He wondered if lavender was her signature flower. There was no mistaking that the color also matched her eyes, which for some reason were impudent enough to stare right into his own as if she were his equal.
He begrudgingly admitted to himself that she was beautiful, and that was only because science said so. Symmetrical faces were instinctually found to be attractive. There was something called the Golden Ratio, where if he took a tape measure to measure the various proportions and lengths of her facial features, they would match up to the mathematical equation of physical perfection. She wouldn't fit the bill exactly (no one could) but she would be close enough, he supposed. The full hips, perfect teeth, and clear complexion were other traits that worked in her favor by indicating that she would be an ideal mate to produce healthy offspring with. Not that he spent any time thinking about that.
There was no science, however, for the bewildering way her briefest touch sent a tiny spark of electricity. The first time, she accidentally brushed an arm against his back and he chalked it up as a fluke. The second time, she was jabbing a sharp finger into his chest during a very loud argument and it stung like a static zap. The third time, they were standing on a stage and he was forced to shake her hand in congratulation, a strange jolt running through his veins. No matter how much he researched it, there was no explanation for her charged touch unless she spent her free time wearing socks and rubbing her feet into carpet.
This confusion marked the beginning of his curious fixation with the scent of lavender and the symmetry of her eyebrows. There had to be some logical reason for the illogical way his thoughts always seemed to drift to her.
There was an article he read that defined kissing an evolutionary method of selecting a mate. According to scientists, it was a complicated exchange of tactile, postural, and chemical information; the taste of another's saliva revealed genetic compatibility and the success or failure of a kiss could determine if there was a physical connection or not.
The solution was so painfully obvious, he was surprised he didn't come up with it sooner. Why spend another minute baffled by this annoying shrew when he could get this over with, and quickly? He didn't think of any of the romantic implications. He only saw her red mouth and focused on the chemical secrets it held.
"Are you even listening to me?" she demanded, her voice rising. He had forgotten that she was in the middle of berating him for who knew what reason and glaring with an intensity that could melt walls.
Why her of all people, he would never understand. Before he lost his nerve, he pulled her into a kiss. For science.
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/End.
I had this plot bunny gnaw at me until I sat down to write the entire thing. It actually came up to around 2,500+ words, but I thought a trimmed down version would be better. I might publish the rest as a separate fic. Thanks for reading and please review. :)