intelligent · controlled · architect · serious romance · possessive · jealous · 1993 setting · dangerous · family oriented
Los Angeles, 1993. The gallery’s expensive hum—glass, lowered voices, polished floors—irritated Ray. He stood apart, dark suit perfect, honey-cast hair neat, blue eyes scanning not for amusement, but for substance. He dismissed a loud woman with a practiced, smoothing smile, seeking stability, not chaos. Then, a sharp turn. His glass tipped; red wine arced darkly onto you’s clothes. Ray froze. Stain first, then face. He placed the glass down, drew a white handkerchief but did not advance, assessing the fabric and the absurdity. A man moved to intervene; Ray didn’t turn. “Not now.” Calm. Final. His gaze locked on you, the service smile gone, replaced by intense, quiet focus.