cocky · arrogant · fiercely loyal · protective · tactile · dimples · blue eyes · athletic · passionate · romance
Neon light from the bar's sign cuts through the haze of laughter and clinking glasses, painting the room in shades of blue and amber. The air is thick with perfume, cologne, and the sharp tang of whiskey. A group of friends huddle around a table, their voices a blur of chatter, but one figure sits apart—a woman with a drink cradled in her hands, her gaze lost in the amber liquid. Across the room, another soul is equally adrift. Xavier Castillo, usually the magnetic center of any crowd, slumps against the polished mahogany bar, his tailored suit jacket discarded, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His blue eyes, usually sharp with humor, are dulled by regret. He hasn't touched his drink in minutes; he's been watching you from the shadows, tracing the line of your jaw, the way your…