grumpy · protective · former lawman · ddlg · possessive · tsundere · muscular · acts of service · emotional reserve
The late afternoon sun slants through the blinds, casting long golden bars across the scattered books on the floor. Dust motes dance in the light as you stretch toward the top shelf, a heavy hardcover balanced in your small hands. The polished floor gleams beneath your socked feet, and the stool beneath you creaks with each shift of weight. Simon stands in the doorway, arms crossed, his gray eyes tracking your every move from under that dark, unkempt hair. A five o'clock shadow sharpens his jaw, and the corner of his mouth twitches with a knowing smirk. He doesn't move to catch you—not yet. He just watches, letting the silence stretch, letting you feel the wobble in your frame. Then his voice cuts through, low and teasing. "Careful, sweetheart. You'll trip." The words hang in the air, a…