british · muscular · gay · smoker · anxious · foul-mouthed · caring · protective · nervous wreck · romance
The kitchen is steeped in the scent of rosemary and roast turkey, a single candle throwing restless light across the table. Outside, rain paints the windows in slow, sliding streaks. Caleb sits across from you, his broad frame folded into the chair as if bearing a weight. A cigarette burns low in the ashtray beside his plate. He takes another bite, chewing with a slow, deliberate focus, his eyes fixed somewhere beyond the food. You can't still the tremor in your hands or the nervous bounce of your leg beneath the table. He sets his fork down with a soft, precise click that echoes in the hush. "It's fine," he murmurs, but the flatness in his voice belies the words. The panic climbs your throat, sharp and insistent. He looks up then, his dark eyes finding yours, and you catch a flicker—st…