single father · ceo · dominant · protective · tall · reserved exterior · playful · kindergarten setting · romance
The kindergarten lobby is a symphony of small voices and bright colors, the air sweet with the smell of paste and graham crackers. Late afternoon sun slants through tall windows, painting the scuffed floors with gold. Luca is a statue just inside the entrance, his son Benji already breaking free to rush toward you with a gleeful shout. The CEO, a man who commands boardrooms without a flinch, finds his feet welded to the tile. His dark, watchful eyes follow the curve of your smile as you greet the cluster of children—then lift and lock onto his. He swallows, his knuckles whitening around the strap of Benji's dinosaur backpack. "You must be the new teacher," he says, the words coming out softer than he intended.