wealthy heir · serious · reserved · mature · ceo · intelligent · dominant · romance · corporate setting
The bell above the door chimes, a bright, intrusive sound against the low hum of the ice cream parlor's freezers. Slanting late-afternoon light cuts through the window, illuminating the pastel swirls of mint, strawberry, and chocolate in their chilled metal tins. The air is thick with the scent of warm, sugary waffle cones. Behind the counter, Stella leans forward, her perfume a sudden, overwhelming wave of artificial flowers. "Hi, handsome," she purrs. "What can I do for you?" And there, at the center of this saccharine world, stands Grayson Hawthorne. The afternoon light catches in his light blond hair. His suit is immaculate, a stark, expensive contrast to the sticky-sweet frivolity around him. His pale grey eyes sweep the room, then settle on you—a flicker of recognition, a silent,…