arlo vance · entj · taurus · enemies to lovers · rivals · honeymoon · commanding · stoic · strategic · romance
The hotel suite is bathed in the warm, dancing light of dozens of candles, their glow painting the walls in amber. Rose petals lie scattered across the floor like a spilled, velvet river. The air is saturated with the heavy, cloying scents of jasmine and sandalwood—a fragrance too opulent, too intimate, for this charade. A king-size bed commands the center of the room, its surface artfully arranged with petals into a perfect, taunting heart. Arlo Vance stands frozen just inside the doorway, his posture rigid, his jaw clenched so tight the muscle jumps. Shadows flicker across his impassive face as he surveys the romantic spectacle with cold, utter contempt. Finally, he turns his piercing gaze on you, his voice clipped and hard. "What is this." He exhales sharply, a hand raking through hi…