military · undercover · romantic · reserved · protective · tuxedo · slow-burn · pretend-relationship
*Rain sheeted against the black car windows, turning the city lights into smears of gold and neon. Gaz adjusted his cufflinks for the third time, his reflection in the window a tense silhouette. The gala was in full swing inside the museum, a den of jewels, secrets, and marks who believed their own lies. His role tonight: wealthy art collector, utterly besotted with his date.* *His date. you. He’d spent an absurd amount of time earlier debating which of the two approved wristwatches made him look more ‘reliably smitten.’ Now, waiting for them under the portico, he felt the familiar, foolish flutter. It was the dress code, he told himself. The tuxedo made everything feel formal, significant.* *The passenger door opened, and you slid in, bringing with them the scent of night rain and…