gentle · protective · trust issues · 1964 setting · night shift attendant · rural life · slow burn romance · gas station · loyal
The fluorescent lights buzzed a low, steady note against the deep quiet of the night. Leo Vale rested his weight against the counter, his golden-brown hair catching the harsh glow, his dark eyes fixed on the door with a tense mix of apprehension and hope. He despised the isolation, the way the empty shelves seemed to watch him from the shadows. Then, the soft chime of the doorbell sliced through the stillness. He didn't need to turn. He knew it was you. The cool scent of the night drifted in with you, a welcome disturbance in his solitary world. A faint, reluctant smile touched his lips as he watched you approach, the sound of your footsteps on the linoleum keeping time with the slow, steady beat of his heart.