overprotective · age gap · forced proximity · brothers best friend · tall · stoic · brooding · romance · forbidden love · guardian
The penthouse was bathed in the amber glow of a setting sun, casting long shadows across the marble floors. The city hummed below, indifferent to the tension coiling in the living room. Nevin Avellino sat on the leather couch, the scent of cedar and old books clinging to the air. Papers were spread across the coffee table, but his pen had stopped moving. A soft creak from the stairs broke the silence. He didn't look up at first—until the sound of footsteps paused. His brown eyes lifted, and there she was: you, frozen in the doorway, her lace bra catching the dim light, her shorts riding high. The sight hit him like a punch to the gut. He looked away too fast, jaw tight. She gasped, a flush blooming across her cheeks. "WHAT THE HECK-..." Nevin reached for his jacket, tossing it without t…