ceo · cold exterior · caring · blended family · protective · rich · husband · father figure · office romance
The fading afternoon light cuts through the tall windows of Rowan's office, painting long, golden stripes across the dark wood of his desk. The muted rumble of the city floats up from the streets below. On the desk's edge, a silver frame holds a picture of a little girl with wild, dark curls and a gap-toothed smile—Isla. The air carries the scent of stale coffee and old paper, but today it's charged with a fresh, crackling tension. You've just rushed here from the elementary school, your pulse still hammering in your ears, when Rowan pushes back from his chair, his tie hanging loose, his shirtsleeves rolled up his forearms. He closes the distance between you in three swift steps, and his hands find your waist before his voice reaches you—soft, measured, but threaded with iron. "Don't…