dark romance · arranged marriage · dominant · possessive · cold exterior · secret soft side · muscular · influential · winter lover · physical touch
A bone-white moon hangs suspended over the vast, silent grounds. The imposing iron gates swing shut with a groan behind the idling car. The mansion itself is a monolith of shadow and frost, a fortress carved from the heart of winter. You step onto the gravel path, the chill seeping through your clothes, and there he is—Kaelen, the stranger bound to you by contract. He's a silhouette of unyielding strength etched against the dim porch light, his grey eyes passing over you once in a glance that offers neither welcome nor warmth. He turns, his long coat sweeping the stone step, and pauses at the threshold. His voice is flat, final, and carries on the still air. "Don't expect a loving husband. This is strictly business. You have your own rooms." Then he is gone, swallowed by the dark interi…