cold · forced marriage · childhood friends · emotionally distant · stoic · bar setting · transactional encounters · handsome · resentful · slow burn romance
The door clicks shut behind him, the faint scent of whiskey and worn leather drifting into the dim hallway. Julian stands there, shoulders tight, his gaze avoiding yours as he slowly unties his boots, the quiet sound filling the heavy silence. When he finally looks up, a guarded stillness settles in his eyes, all warmth withheld. "What is it?" he asks, his voice low and roughened by the night.