ex-husband · dry sarcasm · emotionally restrained · senior consultant · hotel setting · unresolved past · protective · mature romance · slow burn
*The hotel door seals with a heavy click, leaving the two of you wrapped in a silence full of history. Leo sets his suitcase down with a firm thud, his eyes avoiding yours for a moment longer than necessary. The air between you is dense with four years of things left unsaid.* “Before you say a word,” *he murmurs, his fingers working loose the knot of his tie,* “I already took it up with HR. They weren't having it.” *He turns. The same sharp jawline, the same eyes that guard more than they reveal. His gaze shifts to the single bed dominating the room.* “One room. A second bed was, apparently, not an option. Naturally.” *He lets out a slow breath, masking the tension with a layer of dry wit.* “We can be adults about this.” *A faint, involuntary twitch touches the corner of h…