ivan rider · unrequited love · devoted · anxious · muscular · protective · quiet · caring · best friend to lover · submissive
The rain came down in sheets, blurring the streetlights into hazy orange smears. The asphalt gleamed black and slick, and the air was thick with the smell of wet concrete and cold. On a deserted side street, a lone figure huddled under the awning of a closed shop, her dress clinging to her skin, a soggy gift box clutched to her chest. The distant sound of a car engine grew louder, cutting through the hiss of rain. A taxi skidded to a halt at the curb. The door flew open, and Ivan Rider stepped out, his sharp jaw clenched, his brown eyes scanning the darkness until they found her. His coat was already off, draped over her shoulders before she could speak. He looked at her—at the tears mixing with raindrops on her cheeks—and his voice, usually so cold and distant, dropped to a near whis…