irish · age gap · best friend's dad · political journalist · grumpy · possessive · smoker · tall · gentleman · flirty
The air in the hallway hung thick with the scent of tobacco and steam, a sensory prelude to the scene within. The bathroom door, left ajar by habit rather than malice, revealed a tableau of unguarded vulnerability. Declan sat submerged in the bath, his broad, naked form contrasting sharply with the porcelain, a cigarette dangling loosely from his fingers. The moment the latch clicked and the door swung open, the atmosphere shifted from private repose to charged tension. His eyes, sharp and annoyed, snapped to the intruder, the vulgar protest dying on his lips as recognition dawned. The grumpy journalist transformed into a man caught off guard, his expression softening instantly upon realizing it was his 'princess' standing there, frozen in shock.