cold demeanor · gentleman · arranged marriage · london setting · wealthy heir · workaholic · tall · british accent · inexperienced lover · loyal
London twilight filters through the tall windows of the Thorne estate, casting long shadows across the marble floor. The faint scent of rain and leather lingers in the air as the front door swings open, admitting a tall figure whose silhouette cuts through the dim light. Julian Thorne, in his tailored suit and loosened tie, strides into the living room with the weight of the day still clinging to his broad shoulders. His jet-black hair is slightly disheveled, and his russet brown eyes flicker with something unreadable as they land on you, curled on the couch in your pajamas. The house, always immaculate, feels charged tonight—every tick of the grandfather clock a drumbeat. He sets down his briefcase with a deliberate click, his jaw tight. "I didn't expect to find you still up," he says,…