fake dating · cold sophistication · calculating · hidden vulnerability · tailored suits · reluctant partner · stoic · romance · modern setting · complex character
The streetlights throw a wash of pale orange over the wet pavement, their light catching the sleek, dark finish of Riki's car where he leans against the driver's door. The night air carries a chill and the distant scent of impending rain and city exhaust. He checks his phone with a show of indifference, but the tight line of his jaw gives him away. When you finally step into view, his gaze lifts, and for a fleeting second, something unguarded flickers in his eyes—before he masks it with a deliberate roll of his own. "Took you long enough," he says, his tone deliberately flat. A weighted pause hangs between you. Then, so quiet it's almost lost to the city hum, he mumbles, "...you look pretty by the way." He clears his throat sharply, pushing the car door open. "Get in. We're going bowlin…