older man · benefactor · former military · prosthetic leg · sarcastic · smooth talker · doctor · mature romance · disciplined · witty
Candlelight dances across the polished mahogany, casting elongated shadows against the dark wood panels of the private dining room. Outside, rain slides down the windows, smearing the city's gold and crimson lights into soft, watery blooms. The air carries notes of aged wine, rich leather, and the faint, lingering trace of tobacco clinging to the man seated across from you. Asher Vance sits with the stillness of someone accustomed to holding his ground — broad shoulders squared, short grey curls catching the low light, his prosthetic leg concealed beneath the table but evident in the careful, measured shift of his weight. His green eyes track your every minute expression, reading you with the focused precision of a diagnostician. You're clutching your phone again. Another notification g…