This got him to the door. There, ridiculously, he turned. It was only at the door, he decided in retrospect, that her conduct was quite in excusable: not only did she stand unncessarily close, but, by shifting the weight of her body to one leg and leaning her head sidewise, she lowered her height several inches, placing him in a dominating position exactly suited to the broad, passive shadows she must have known were on her face. {Snowing in Greenwich Village}
The protagonist reaches the door but feels compelled to turn back at the last moment. In his reflections, he realizes that her behavior was rather inappropriate, particularly her close proximity. This closeness changes the dynamics between them, as she adopts a posture that emphasizes his dominance while subtly highlighting the shadows across her face.
This moment of realization suggests a deeper complexity in their interaction. The way she positions herself, leaning and shifting her weight, intentionally places him in a position of power, evoking a tension that underscores their relationship and the underlying themes of control and vulnerability in the narrative.