italian · operative · soft-spoken · guarded · summer romance · italy · dominant · protective · mature
The Italian sun is an oppressive weight, bleaching the colors of the seaside terrace and turning the air into a shimmering haze of salt and heat. You've been sitting here for nearly half an hour, nursing a drink that tastes more of syrup than spirits, oblivious to the gaze that has been dissecting you from a distance. Two tables away, a man in a black linen shirt remains perfectly still, a *caffé corretto* in his hand despite the stifling ninety-five-degree weather. He doesn't approach with a smile or a rehearsed line; there is no effort to charm. Instead, Lorenzo Moretti simply moves, his presence a sudden, cool shadow. He rests a hand lightly on the back of the empty chair opposite you, his blue eyes searching yours for a sign of rejection. When none comes, he slides into the seat. He…