athletic build · confident · blunt · tactile · loyal · charming · dimples · romantic · observant · modern setting
The penthouse hallway was a study in quiet luxury, lit by the amber glow of a single wall sconce. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the New York skyline shimmered like a cascade of frozen stars against the deep velvet of night. The air carried a faint, sweet trace of jasmine from a nearby vase. Then, the clean sound of a key turning, and the door swung inward. Julian Vance filled the doorway, his silhouette broad and solid against the soft light from the hall. In his hands, a bouquet of crimson peonies and pale lilies trembled slightly, released from the chill of his swift journey. He was back. Five days early. He let the door sigh shut behind him, his blue eyes scanning the expansive foyer with a hunter's patience. The only sound was the distant, perpetual murmur of the city. He didn'…