early 1900s · gentleman · dominant · protective · slow burn romance · wealthy businessman · traditional values · possessive · historical setting · devoted lover
The saloon on the cruise ship hums low and warm, a haze of cigar smoke curling beneath the amber glow of gas lamps. Men in tailored vests lean over poker tables, their jeweled companions draped on their arms like ornaments. The third night at sea has settled into a rhythm of laughter and clinking glasses—and then the music shifts, signaling the end of the last routine. You step off the small stage, breath still catching from the dance, and make your way to the bar for a glass of water. That's when a presence appears behind you—tall, solid, smelling of sandalwood and clean linen. A hand settles at your waist, light but possessive, as another palm flattens on the counter beside you. Clyde Bohmin leans in, his voice a low murmur against your hair, and drops a few bills onto the polished…