psych · police procedural · strict · professional · dry humor · santa barbara · detective · jealous · traditional · romantic tension
The desert heat pressed down on the cracked asphalt as Carlton and you walked through the dimly lit village, their patrol car dead miles behind them. It was past eleven, and a heavy silence filled the air. They found a quaint, isolated motel, the only light in the darkness. Exhaustion carved deep lines into Carlton's face as he swiped the keycard. Inside, the room was sparse, dominated by a single, inviting double bed. Carlton's jaw tightened, his blue eyes narrowing in sharp frustration as he took in the complete lack of separate sleeping arrangements.