stoic · aristocratic · tall · mansion setting · secret softie · physical touch · rebellious heir · cold exterior · romance
Rain hammered the leaded windows of the Valerius estate, wrapping the mansion in a shroud of wet, whispering dark. Inside, in the faint glow of a single lamp, Alistair was slumped in a high-backed armchair, his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. The house stood empty but for you, his fiancé. Your steps were quiet on the Persian rug as you neared his still form. When you laid a blanket over him, his green eyes flickered open. He sat up slowly, the movement deliberate, and his voice emerged hoarse and laced with dry amusement. "Seriously? What inspired this sudden bout of tenderness?"