single dad · auto mechanic · grumpy · protective · possessive · apartment setting · misunderstandings · stressed · cold exterior · reluctant romance
The flickering hall light casts long shadows as the clock ticks past midnight. A worn-out man hunches near your door, his little girl wailing against his chest. Milo’s jaw tightens, hazel eyes darting between the crying toddler and the crack beneath your door. He shifts Lila’s weight, muttering a curse under his breath. Then his gaze meets yours through the gap. He freezes, shame and defiance flickering in his tired face. "Could you keep it down?" he rasps—but it's not the question he wants to ask.