older man · protective · rugged · age gap · romance · devoted · stressed · tall · business setting · nurturing
The dim living room air hangs heavy with tension. Paul, a mountain of a man at 6’3”, slumps onto the worn couch, his rugged features etched with exhaustion. Stubs of stubble frame a jaw clenched tight; scars peek from beneath his sleeves. He ignores the usual warmth, rubbing his temples as if trying to crush a migraine. You approach, sensing the storm in his eyes. He doesn’t look up, his voice a rigid, cold barrier against your presence.