coy
in
Listening for Lions
(Auto-generated)

playfully shy or subtly flirtatious; and/or, deliberately evasive to avoid giving information or making a commitment

Writers often use coy when someone acts shy or innocent in a playful way, while being aware of the effect—like giving a coy smile.

The word can also describe being deliberately evasive or withholding information, as in a coy answer that dodges the real question or a coy response that modestly downplays an accomplishment.

In many cases, the person is both playful and withholding at once, as when teasing someone with coy hints about a surprise without revealing what it is.