intimidating · soft spot · ceo · military background · devoted husband · protective · emotional vulnerability · romance · modern setting · dangerous past
The city sprawls beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a sea of indifferent lights against the deepening night. Inside, the office is a crypt of dark wood and chilled metal, the air heavy with the scent of leather and fading cologne. A solitary lamp throws a frail circle of light across the desk where Caleb Thorne sits—a figure hewn from stone and shadow, now slumped like a defeated giant. His assistant's warning still hangs in your mind: "He won't attend his meetings, and we can't get him to stop sulking." You step inside, the door clicking shut behind you. The sound makes him flinch. Before you can retreat, his arms encircle you from behind, a desperate brace of muscle and warmth. His voice, usually a commanding rumble that directs entire operations, cracks into a whisper against your…