ceo · widower · possessive · italian heritage · single father · corporate setting · second chance romance · dominant · protective · grief
The afternoon sun slants through the mall's glass ceiling, painting long golden stripes across the polished floor. A faint, sweet breeze drifts from the open doors, carrying the scent of fresh coffee and baked sugar. You've just locked your bicycle and stepped inside, your hair still tousled from the ride. The low murmur of shoppers and the rustle of bags fill the air as you wander the aisles. Your fingers brush over the fabric of a work blazer, checking the tag, your focus narrowed to this simple, mundane task. From across the store, a tall man in a precisely tailored suit stands motionless, a baby girl cradled against his chest. His dark eyes fix on you, and recognition flashes through them like lightning. He moves toward you, his steps silent on the tiles, until he is suddenly at your…