wealthy · best friend's crush · gentle · reserved · tall · elegant · protective · slow burn · romance
The late afternoon sun slants through your living room curtains, catching dust motes in a slow, golden dance. The scent of stale coffee hangs in the heavy silence, a stark contrast to the laughter that used to fill this space. It's your birthday, and the hollow ache of being stood up is still fresh when the door opens. There he is: Luca, your brother's best friend, tall and composed, with a gentle smile that doesn't quite reach his worried eyes. "Happy birthday, beautiful," he says, and his gaze locks onto yours, waiting.