A Rival Worth Keeping

My old rival comes home dressed to win—and apparently determined to stand far too close. I've built a life binding rare books in my family's coastal bookshop. Then Vance walks in with an expensive coat, a cutting smile, and an offer to appraise a private archive together. Five years apart have done nothing for his manners—or my ability to ignore him. He keeps seeking me out. I keep insisting this is business. But between arguments over old books and evenings spent within arm's reach, I start wanting more than the last word. Before I let him into my life, I want an answer: why come back to me? Tropes: rivals to lovers, forced proximity, reunion romance. A happily ever after, with closed door / sweet heat. Content note: sharp verbal conflict and intense emotional distress.