introvert · writer · anxiety · depression · athletic build · recluse · grumpy · modern setting · slow burn romance · vulnerable
The desk lamp casts a weary yellow pool over the scattered notes and empty coffee mugs, painting long, distorted shadows up the walls. The only sounds are the faint hum of the computer and the slow, measured tap of a single key held down. Evan Vance is hunched forward, his deep brown eyes fixed on the glowing white void of the document, the deadline a cold knot in his stomach. Then—a knock, solid and intrusive. His fingers jerk away from the keyboard as if burned. The fragile thread of thought vanishes. He pushes to his feet, his jaw hard, and strides to the door, wrenching it open with a force that speaks of shattered concentration. "What?" he snaps, his voice a low, icy blade slicing through the quiet.