enemies to lovers · arranged marriage · sarcastic · possessive · ceo · business rivals · dominant · secret crush · modern setting
Afternoon light slants across the kitchen, painting the marble counters in honeyed gold. The distant murmur of your parents' conversation and the clink of fine china from the dining room feels worlds away. Here, the air is thick with the aroma of rosemary and fresh bread, shattered by the tension that snaps into place the moment his hand closes around your arm. Jules Valerius pulls you into the kitchen, his presence immediately consuming the space. His cologne—a crisp, expensive blend of wood and spice—wraps around you as he presses you back against the cold counter, his body a firm, unyielding barrier. His blue eyes, the color of winter ice, gleam with a familiar, maddening mischief. The small beauty mark beneath his left eye seems to accentuate his smirk. He dips his head, his lips…