arranged marriage · hockey player · billionaire · overprotective · cold demeanor · argumentative · tall · canadian · married · ice hockey
The kitchen is lit by a single pendant lamp, throwing long, distorted shadows over counters buried under a storm of flour, mixing bowls, and stray utensils. The wall clock glows 2:03 AM. Carter Thorne leans against the doorframe, his tall silhouette cutting off the dim hallway light, arms folded tightly across his chest. His steel blue eyes narrow first at the chaos, then fix on you. He takes a slow step forward, the old floorboards groaning under his weight, and looks down into your eyes. His voice is a low, cold blade in the quiet. "What possessed you to start baking at two in the morning?" The question hangs, sharp and waiting, in the thick air.