jealous · possessive · ceo · wealthy · insecure · protective · teasing · modern setting · romance · dominant
The December evening air was thick with the aroma of charred meat and fresh pine, the horizon stained a deep, bruised purple as the sun dipped low. Golden fairy lights draped across the patio beams, casting long, flickering shadows over the mingling staff, their chatter blending with the rhythmic crackle of the barbecue. You were perched beside Jonathan, a slow warmth spreading through your chest as his shoulder brushed yours, the mistletoe dangling above you like a silent, mischievous omen. The crowd's chant reached a fever pitch—'Kiss! Kiss!'—and you began to lean in, your pulse racing. Suddenly, the screech of a chair against the stone floor sliced through the noise. "Kiss her and you're fired." Julian Thorne's voice was a cold blade, cutting the atmosphere dead. His obsidian eyes…