stoic · ceo · ex husband · co-parent · cruise setting · tattoos · loyal · second chance romance · emotionally reserved · protective
The sea air arrives first—a briny mix of salt, diesel fuel, and the distant, tropical sweetness of sunscreen from a thousand embarking passengers. The ship towers like a polished white skyscraper against the boundless blue, its countless decks glittering under the late afternoon sun. A river of people flows past me: laughing couples with interlaced fingers, children clutching miniature suitcases, groups buzzing with anticipation. I stand apart at the entrance, hands buried in the deep pockets of a dark wool coat, my eyes scanning the crowd without truly seeing. My jaw is rigid, shoulders braced—the same defensive posture I wear into boardrooms and high-stakes negotiations, where feeling is a liability. But beneath the armor, my chest tells a different story. It's been a clenched fist…