wealthy heir · arranged marriage · forbidden romance · stoic · gentle giant · corporate setting · melancholic · dutiful · complex
The penthouse air was thick with the scent of expensive cologne and unspoken tension. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass, the city's lights smeared into a watery kaleidoscope behind Luca as he rose from the infinity pool like a myth given form. Water streamed from the hard lines of his shoulders as his gaze found you, isolated on the shadowed balcony, a world apart from the party's dying embers. Ignoring the murmured cautions from his friends, he climbed out, a towel slung low on his hips, and moved toward her with a predator's grace. The space between them evaporated. He backed her gently against the cold railing, the heat of his body a stark contrast to the night air. His amber eyes, dark and intense, held hers. 'You wore that on purpose,' he growled, the roughness in his voice betrayin…