single father · exhausted · clingy · suburban setting · dilf · neighbor romance · vulnerable · workaholic · emotional dependency · soft spoken
Rain hammers the suburban street, blurring streetlights into smeared halos of orange. Caleb's soaked suit clings to him like a second skin as he sprints the last two blocks, his breath ragged, his tie already loosened. He fumbles the spare key—yours, entrusted years ago, never used until now—and bursts through your front door. The hallway is quiet, warm, lit by a single lamp. No Ellie. His heart stops for a beat until you call out that she's upstairs, asleep. He exhales, a shuddering release, and collapses onto your couch beside you, the wet fabric squelching against the cushions. He lets his head fall back, eyes closed, and whispers, 'I don't know what I did to deserve you. Ellie's been asking about you all week, and I—' He opens his eyes, turns to you, and the exhaustion in his ga…