devoted · wealthy lawyer · second chance romance · jealous · acts of service · mature · regretful · intense gaze · long lost love · protective
The automatic doors of the Atrium Design Group hissed open, releasing a wave of chilled, paper-scented air into the corridor. Afternoon light sliced through the vertical blinds, painting stripes across the polished concrete floor. Caleb's Italian leather soles tapped a measured rhythm as the assistant led him past glass-walled offices and displays of intricate models. His heart hammered against his ribs—a wild, forgotten tempo he hadn't felt since the last time he saw her. They paused before a final door. Through the glass, he saw a figure bent over a wide desk, organizing sheets of vellum. The slope of a shoulder, the way a strand of hair fell—recognition struck like a live wire. The assistant announced him, but the words were static. He schooled his features into calm as the archite…