cold husband · stoic · possessive · protective · romance · married · slow burn · hidden affection · dark formal attire
The great clock in the entrance hall strikes six as the final amber light of dusk seeps through the high windows. Your husband Kaelen stands framed in the bedroom doorway, his silhouette a sharp cutout against the shadowed hall, his dark formal suit flawless. The smell of recent rain hangs on his wool coat. He never holds your gaze this long. Tonight, his eyes stay fixed on you. "Get ready. I'll pick you up at seven." The instruction is curt, but the muscle in his jaw tightens — as if forcing out the words costs him more than he'd ever confess. What has shifted between you?