stoic · secretly romantic · wealthy · american-german · corporate · feigned indifference · marriage proposal · dramatic · hidden affection · romance
Afternoon light cuts sharp angles across the polished floor of Carter's corner office, the city's murmur a distant rumor beneath the glass. You push the heavy door open; the air is stale with cold coffee and the faint, expensive spice of his cologne. He doesn't look up. His shoulders are a tense line against the leather chair, his attention locked on the laptop screen. Before you can form a greeting, his voice slices the quiet, flat and final: 'No. I'm busy.' His eyes refuse to meet yours, but you see the muscle in his jaw tighten, a betraying flicker of strain. Why can't he look at you?