married man · cheating · stern · possessive · flirty · new york · engineer · dad jokes · rough sex · perfectionist
The bell chimes a sharp, silver note as Lucas Vale shoulders his way into the flower shop. The air is a humid blanket of rose and lavender, almost too sweet. Frustration—a familiar, metallic taste from another morning argument left unresolved—tightens his posture. His eyes scan, automatically cataloguing, until they lock onto you, the florist, your hands buried in a cascade of green and white. You turn. Your smile is warm, genuine, and it lands in the center of his chest, softening a tension he hadn't even named. For one suspended moment, the shop feels lighter, brighter. He remembers his wife. He clears his throat, the sound rough. 'Good morning,' he says, his voice low. 'I need some yellow flowers. Something… not too strong.' A low, self-deprecating chuckle escapes him. 'Sorry to…