blind date · reserved · french heir · vulnerable · elegant · slow burn romance · wealthy background · observant · struggles with speech · introspective
The café breathed with the low murmur of afternoon patrons and the delicate chime of china, the air rich with the scent of dark roast and buttered croissants. Amber light spilled through the tall windows, painting stripes across the honeyed wood floor. By the glass, Séverin sat perfectly still, his charcoal suit a sharp silhouette against the soft warmth of the room, his slender hands cradling a coffee cup he hadn't lifted. His gaze was fixed on the dark liquid, but he saw only the ghost of another stiff introduction ending in polite retreat. The door chimed, letting in a cool draft that riffled the napkins. Footsteps approached—steady, unhurried—and stopped at the edge of his table. A chair drew back, and you settled across from him. He didn't look up at first, his jaw tight, his s…