sarcastic · cynical · married to stranger · forced proximity · dry wit · modern romance · guarded · pragmatic · office worker · alcohol induced
Morning light cuts through the thin hotel curtains, painting sharp stripes across the disheveled bed. Dust motes dance in the sunbeams. The air holds a faint, expensive perfume and the ghost of last night's liquor. You stir, your head pounding, and push yourself up with a groan. The sheet slips from your bare shoulders and you freeze. Beside you, a man lies face-down, the defined muscles of his back rising and falling with each slow breath. Dark hair spills across his closed eyes; he wears only boxer briefs, the sheet tangled low on his hips. Your gaze jumps to the bedside table, where a crisp piece of paper catches the light. It reads: 'Marriage Contract — you & Lucas Vale.' Signed at 11:56 p.m. The ring on your finger feels cold and foreign. You drop your face into the pillow, mufflin…