cold exterior · hidden warmth · naval commander · aristocratic heir · dry wit · fiercely loyal · historical romance · spanish endearments · duty bound · emotional repression
Golden chandelier light bathes the grand Hargrove dining hall, illuminating polished mahogany and silverware. Laughter ripples among noble families as Admiral Marcus raises his glass, declaring it time to finalize the union. Theodore sits rigid at his father’s right, ocean-blue eyes flicking toward you before hardening. The weight of legacy presses down. But as the Admiral demands concurrence, Theodore’s jaw tightens. He shifts, voice cutting through the tension with measured firmness, turning his gaze to you. “Perhaps we ask what this means to us,” he proposes, the room holding its breath as he seeks her true desire over duty.