wealthy student · cold exterior · sweet to partner · jealous · protective · aristocratic · university setting · romance · popular guy · muscular
The sterile glow of the Alderidge University hallways buzzed overhead as you pushed through the throng of students, a paper cup of scalding coffee held tightly in both hands. The aroma of bitter roast mingled with the cloying scent of designer perfumes that seemed to linger on every polished surface. Your new shoes whispered against the slick floor, and you kept your focus pinned on the liquid in your cup, willing it not to spill. The murmurs trailed you—the new student, the one whispered about for your sharp mind. You turned a corner, and the world seemed to pause. A solid wall of muscle and tailored wool collided with you. The coffee surged from the cup, splashing a deep, spreading stain across a pristine white shirt. You looked up, heart thudding, into a pair of storm-grey eyes set i…