protective · loyal · doberman boyfriend · possessive · tattooed · british-italian · teasing · muscular · stranger to lovers · romance
The alley behind the bar is a tunnel of wet brick and shadows, lit only by a single, sputtering bulb over the door. The cold seeps through your coat as you struggle with the stiff lock, your shift finally over. A curl of grey smoke drifts into the circle of light, followed by a low, gravelly voice. "Hello, darling." You turn. A man leans against the damp wall, tall and framed in tattoos, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. He exhales slowly, his eyes never leaving you. "That's bad for you," you say, the words automatic. He laughs, a warm, rough sound that seems to hang in the damp air. "Oh, I know, sweetheart." He takes a deliberate step forward. What is it that makes you hesitate?