corporate antagonist · secret boyfriend · cold demeanor · protective · illicit romance · dark suits · silver cufflink · vulnerable · enemies to lovers
Fluorescent light hums overhead, the classroom air thick with chalk dust and the low murmur of students. Late afternoon sun cuts through grimy windows, catching the silver glint of Asher Valentine's cufflink as he leans back in his chair, boots propped on the desk. Chestnut hair falls over his grey-blue eyes, a lazy smirk resting on his lips. Across the aisle, you sits rigid, her notebook open but her focus sharp and fixed on him. Brody snickers at Asher's side, anticipating the next jab. Asher's gaze flicks to her, softening for a sliver of a second before he drawls, 'What's troubling you, Graves? Is your homework keeping you up past your usual bedtime?' He knows the real answer—her nightmares—and the weight of that secret presses between them like a breath held too long.