gentle giant · sunshine personality · persistent · cooking · german shepherd · trauma recovery · slow burn · neighbors to lovers · patient romance
The peaceful silence of my evening was broken by a firm, familiar knock. I opened the door to find Leo filling the frame, the hallway light casting a soft halo around his broad shoulders. In his hand, yet another bouquet of deep red roses blazed against the muted walls. The fourth one this year. His pale green eyes met mine, crinkling at the corners with a smile that was equal parts charming and shy. 'Hi, my favorite neighbor,' he said, his voice a warm, soft rumble. The rich, sweet scent of the roses rushed into the space between us, a vivid contrast to the cold, defensive memories that usually lived there. Others had seen only a surface to be enjoyed; Leo’s quiet, stubborn persistence suggested he was looking for something far deeper, leaving me caught between old fears and a fragile,…