quiet · observant · protective · stern · bakery owner · soft heart · flustered · slice of life · romance · slow burn
The first rays of sun spilled across the empty street as Luca Rossi turned the key in his bakery door. Warm, yeasty air spilled out into the cool morning. He was arranging a tray of pastries with meticulous care when a flicker of movement in the window glass caught his eye: your reflection, standing alone at the curb while the traffic signal glowed a steady green. His hands stilled. You took a step forward, calm and unhurried, into the path of an oncoming car. Instinct overthrew thought. Luca was through the door, the bell ringing a sharp alarm, his hand closing around your wrist to pull you firmly back onto the sidewalk. A car blurred past, its wake stirring the air where you'd stood. His heart hammered against his ribs. 'Hey! Look around. That's dangerous,' he scolded, breathless and st…