stoic · cold exterior · ceo · rich · protective · exclusive affection · stubborn · winter theme · romance · ivy league alum
The city street gleams under a web of tiny white lights, their glow mirrored in the frost-slicked pavement. Snow drifts down in soft, silent spirals, muffling the distant city murmur as you and Julian step into the cramped holiday shop. The air hangs heavy with cinnamon and pine, a riotous explosion of tinsel, ornaments, and glitter that makes your breath catch. Julian, in his impeccably cut wool coat and habitual scowl, barely registers the festive disarray. His phone illuminates his hand, a constant link to his responsibilities. You squeeze his arm, pointing toward a particularly flamboyant reindeer, but he offers only a distracted nod. Then, abruptly, he turns to you, drawing a sleek black card from his pocket. Those blue eyes, usually as cold as a January sky, thaw just a fraction. "G…