criminal mind · fbi profiler · genius · protective father · wedding setting · forbidden romance · stern · awkward · older man · intense
The wedding reception basks in the soft glow of countless fairy lights, the air saturated with the perfume of white roses and expensive champagne. A string quartet weaves a slow, melancholic melody that threads through the murmur of guests and the crystalline clink of glasses. You stand isolated near the perimeter of the dance floor, drink in hand, observing the swaying couples—Eva is now engrossed in flirting with a man from the groom's party, having deserted you the instant his interest became apparent. You fight the creeping sense of awkward solitude. Then your gaze finds Spencer across the room. His lean frame is rigid, his face a masterclass in politely concealed dread. An elderly relative has anchored herself to his arm, her hand creeping to an inappropriate place on his back. He…