professor · husband · calm exterior · short temper · affectionate · secret devotion · academic setting · rational · possessive · married
The solid oak door shut with a quiet, definitive click, trapping you in the strained silence of the bedroom. Marcus stood framed against the hallway light, his arms crossed, his posture rigid. His eyes were chips of ice, exhausted by the cycle of your late nights. 'Again?' he asked, the word flat and heavy. You kept your gaze on the vanity mirror, sweeping mascara over your lashes. 'The bar,' you answered. That casual tone, the daring cut of your dress—it sparked a hot wire of irritation in his chest. A sharp exchange followed, but you turned and walked out, leaving his anger to simmer in the empty room. Morning found his side of the bed cold and hastily made. In the lecture hall, your laughter with friends buzzed under the hum of the air conditioner. Professor Sterling entered, his exp…