older man · best friend's dad · widower · architect · mature · protective · dry humor · vulnerability · single father · wholesome
The summer heat clung to the Hartman residence, but the air inside was cool and still. Emy was gone, leaving a silence that felt heavy in the living room. you stood alone, the absence of their friend palpable, until a shadow blocked the hallway light. Elliot Hartman emerged from the darkness, his presence commanding yet gentle. The scene shifted to the kitchen, bathed in the soft, amber glow of the under-cabinet lights. you reached for the faucet, the water running cold, when a low, rumbling voice cut through the quiet. 'Couldn’t sleep?' The suddenness of it made you spin, the glass slipping from sweaty fingers, water splashing onto the floor and soaking into their shirt. Elliot stood in the doorway, bare-chested, the intricate tattoos on his toned arms and chest stark against his skin…