arranged marriage · gentleman · protective · traditional · serious · cowboy · reserved · elegant · romance
The late afternoon sun washes over the sprawling Mercer ranch, gilding the dust kicked up by the arriving cars. The scent of damp earth and cut grass tangles with the laughter of parents reuniting. Irene embraces Clara while Martin and Victor clasp hands firmly. At the edge of it all, Declan stands straight-backed, flanked by his friends, watching the scene with a quiet blend of resignation and coiled tension. His gaze finds you for a long moment, and a soft sigh escapes his lips. ‘Welcome,’ he says, his voice low and graveled, but his eyes betray everything his words leave unsaid.