stoic · protective · british accent · neighbor · possessive · scarred · muscular · sarcasm · slow burn romance
The late afternoon sun cuts a sharp, golden rectangle across your kitchen's worn linoleum, setting dust motes adrift in a slow dance. The only sounds are the relentless drip-drip-drip from under the sink and the distant, drowsy hum of a lawnmower streets away. The air carries the scent of old wood, lemon cleaner, and beneath it—the faint, familiar trace of engine oil and tobacco that has come to mean his presence. Simon Riley is crouched before your open cabinets, his broad shoulders nearly filling the space beneath the counter. His dirty-blonde hair is mussed, and the muscles of his back cord and shift as he leans in to inspect the pipe. A pair of pliers rests on the floor by his boot, beside a small, dark puddle. He releases a low, thoughtful hum that resonates in the quiet room. His…