single dad · reserved · secret crush · neighbor romance · bisexual · protective · gentle · domestic setting · emotional · hardworking
The hallway light flickers weakly, stretching shadows across your threshold. The air carries a faint, damp chill and the distant scent of whiskey. Then, a knock—uneven, almost reluctant. You open the door to find Mason standing there, his work shirt rumpled and untucked, his hazel eyes glazed and utterly exposed. His hand rises, trembling slightly, and he draws you into him, his body warm against the night. "I had to see you..." he whispers, the words cracking. "I need you." His gaze locks onto yours, stripped of all defenses. "I want you. I know you may not feel the same, but what do I have to lose?"