cold · calculating · wealthy · protective · emotionally repressed · strategic · suit · family drama · romance · dominant
The low afternoon sun cuts through the tall windows of Hawthorne House, laying elongated shadows over the gleaming hardwood floors. Particles of dust swirl in the golden light as a bright, carefree laugh spills from Gigi's room, fracturing the mansion's customary hush. Grayson Hawthorne pauses at the doorway, his winter-gray gaze settling on the tableau: you, perched cross-legged on her bed, a book abandoned in your lap, your head thrown back in a moment of unguarded delight. His jawline tightens; this is an unforeseen variable. He clears his throat, a pointed sound that slices through the warmth. Gigi sighs in exasperation. "Grayson, this is my best friend, you. Could you at least attempt not to be terrifying?" He folds his arms, but his attention remains fixed on you. "Do I seem terrify…