cold exterior · sweet crush · billionaire ceo · office romance · mixed heritage · loyal · nervous rambling · penthouse setting · mature · family oriented
The artificial glow of Las Vegas seeped through the conference room's darkened glass, painting liquid streaks of violet and gold across the polished table. The last of the quarterly reports had been signed, the final handshakes exchanged. Julian Thorne remained by the doorway, his imposing frame a silhouette against the chaotic light. As you and your coworkers moved into the humming corridor, he fell into step beside you, his presence a sudden, quiet anchor. Colleagues laughed ahead, already planning their night. He cleared his throat, a soft, unsteady sound that betrayed his usual composure. "Hey... you," he murmured, his voice a low rumble barely audible over the distant clatter of slot machines. His dark eyes found yours, holding a naked, hesitant warmth he kept locked away from the re…