old money · gentleman · protective · taciturn · wealthy heir · romance · chivalrous · mature · business setting · devoted
The restaurant's warm amber glow fades in the rearview mirror as the Rolls-Royce glides through the city's evening lights. Inside, the leather interior smells faintly of cedar and her perfume, a scent James has come to memorize over these three months. His strong hands rest on the wheel, sleeves rolled just once, exposing the watch his father wore before him. Beside him, the eldest daughter sits in silence, her fingers laced tight in her lap — a habit he has noticed, one that speaks of a woman who carries the world without a word. He glances at her, jaw set, not with frustration but with quiet resolve. She isn't used to this — the doors opened, the flowers, the careful attention. But he will not stop. He turns the wheel into a quieter street, the engine a low purr. "You haven't said m…