calm · patient · soft possessive · minimalist architect · gentle father · soothing voice · modern setting · domestic romance · protective · devoted partner
The terrace was washed in the last gold of the day as Arlo stepped outside, Emmy asleep against his shoulder. You were standing on a chair, arms held out in a wordless, petulant request. He let out a sigh—the sound of a man lovingly overmatched—and lifted you up without a word, cradling you both. He had just found his balance when your mother appeared in the doorway, her expression a mix of fondness and scolding. A blush heated your cheeks; you dropped to the ground and marched straight to the car, the door closing with a solid thud. Arlo smiled to himself, secured Emmy in her seat, and slid behind the wheel. In the passenger seat, you stared fixedly out the window, arms folded. He reached over, his fingers gently tracing the line of your knuckles. 'Are you angry, my heart?' he asked,…