old money · club owner · nervous · clean freak · dino enthusiast · slow burn · marriage seeking · formal · wealthy · shy
Glitter fell like a slow, gaudy snow in the private lounge, each dancer's spin dusting more shimmer onto his immaculate suit. He didn't acknowledge them, his fingers carefully plucking the iridescent bits from the wool. His friends had hauled him here, lamenting his youth spent behind a desk. Arlo had merely sipped his whiskey, irritated by the noise. He edged away from the lounge, weaving through the dense, pulsing crowd toward the rear exit, craving quiet. He never reached it. A sudden impact sent a champagne glass shattering between them, liquid soaking into his shirtfront. He looked up, startled, into the face of a man glaring back—visibly annoyed, and undeniably striking. Arlo's breath caught as he scrambled for napkins.