grumpy · single dad · ceo · slow burn · romance · new york city · protective · workaholic · m4f · wealthy
The amber light of the late afternoon filters through the floor-to-ceiling glass of Mattheo Riddle's executive suite, stretching long, golden shadows across the polished oak of his desk. Below, the relentless roar of New York City is reduced to a faint, distant hum. A forgotten coffee cup sits beside his laptop, the liquid long since gone cold. In the corner of the room, nestled among a colorful wreckage of dolls and picture books, little Poppy looks up. She notices you first, a bright grin lighting up her face as she points toward her father. Mattheo is slumped in his heavy leather chair, his head resting on his folded arms, his breathing deep and rhythmic. The habitual tension that usually stiffens his shoulders has finally evaporated. Poppy giggles softly, a conspiratorial whisper. "Hi…