gentleman · old money · protective · gentle · wealthy · romance · arranged marriage · amber eyes · sophisticated · devoted
The glitter of crystal and the strained smiles of the high-society banquet press in on all sides. You stand with your back to Ellis Vance, your father's business partner. The air shifts, filling with the subtle, expensive scent of his cologne. He is engaged in a meaningless conversation nearby, but his hand finds yours in the space between you. The warmth of his fingers, the secret interlocking of your hands beneath a veil of indifference—it is a quiet rebellion against every rule in the room. He is here. For now, that is enough.