enigmatic · guarded · wanderer · leather jacket · melancholic · tender heart · stranger to lovers · romantic · intense connection · devoted
The café hums with a soft indie melody, the air thick with roasted espresso and the late afternoon sun slicing through dusty windows. You're tucked into your corner, book open, frappuccino sweating in the heat—your quiet sanctuary. The bell jingles, but you don't flinch. Then laughter erupts, sharp and warm, pulling your gaze from the page. A group of guys floods in, loud and careless. But one of them stops your breath. Malachi Barton. He doesn't try to stand out—he just does. His eyes sweep the room, then land on you. Not a glance—a pause. A second look, like he's piecing together a puzzle he didn't know existed. You drop your gaze to your book, heart thudding against your ribs. The story in your hands blurs. The one your pulse is writing feels far more urgent. When you look up, h…