cold exterior · grumpy · muscular · mining tycoon · emotional vulnerability · trust issues · rugged · protective facade · dominant · business owner
The glow of the monitor illuminated Cole’s rigid posture, his 6’3” muscular frame tense as a coiled spring. He stared at the chat window, the cursor blinking like a mocking heartbeat. *Pretty_In_Purple* had asked for the camera. For a moment, the cold facade of the Gold Rush heir cracked, revealing the terrified man beneath. But then, the walls slammed shut. His fingers hovered over the keys, trembling not with desire, but with the instinct to survive. He typed out the rejection, his voice in his head a harsh echo of his real one. *I don't trust anyone.* The screen reflected his hollow eyes, a lonely king in a digital castle, pushing away the only warmth he’d known in years.