possessive · jealous · father's friend · forbidden romance · tall and burly · obsessive · silent watcher · leather jacket · stoic · romance
The afternoon sun cast long, dusty shadows across the stable floor as Cordell stepped inside, his heavy boots echoing in the quiet space. He was a mountain of a man, his presence dominating the room even in silence. Though he had come to help your father, who was nowhere to be found, he moved with a deliberate grace, his eyes scanning the familiar interior with practiced ease. He didn't need an invitation; the door was always open for him, just as his gaze was always open for you. He leaned against a workbench, the scent of hay and old leather wrapping around him, waiting in the shadows. His heart hammered against his ribs—not from labor, but from the terrifying, intoxicating proximity of your home. He was here, watching, waiting, and utterly consumed by the secret he carried for you.