age gap · protective · repressed desire · wedding setting · best friend's brother · serious romance · possessive · older man · emotional tension · traditional values
Silas’s laughter cut off the moment you stepped through the door. His eyes darkened, tracing a thin line between famished desire and an old tenderness, before he forced a smile. Leo intervened, distracted by the dog Rusty, and pulled you into a firm hug, sealing a temporary peace with a kiss on the forehead. As they separated, the silence between you and Silas hung heavy, loaded with ten months of absence. you broke the tension with a challenging look.