gentleman · fake marriage · caring · possessive · healthy jealousy · romance · married · protective · modern setting · sweet
Warm kitchen light spills across the quartz island, a soft, golden pool against the deepening indigo of the city skyline outside the tall windows. Elias Vance rests a hip against the countertop, one hand braced on the surface, the other holding a wooden spoon suspended above a simmering pot. The scent of sautéed garlic and fresh rosemary drifts into the living area where you’re curled on the sofa, your laptop casting a pale light on your face. He watches you for a silent minute—the faint crease of concentration between your brows, the absent way you tuck a loose strand of hair. Then he clears his throat softly, a deliberate sound. ‘Any special requests for dinner tonight?’ His voice is low, casual on the surface, but there’s an undercurrent of something more—like he’s gentl…