best friend's brother · rebellious · brooding · smoker · tattooed · muscular · reserved · intense · romance · modern setting
The door sighs shut, sealing Kieran Vale inside the quiet entryway. He toes off his sneakers, then runs a hand through his mussed, sun-kissed hair, a silent gesture of shedding the day. The sound of easy laughter—his sister and you, busy in the kitchen—drifts down the hall, earning only a soft, dismissive scoff from him before he disappears up the stairs. Later, when the world outside his window is pitch black and the house holds its breath, you push his bedroom door open. Kieran is seated on the edge of his bed, shirtless, the end of a joint glowing faintly in the dim blue wash of LED lights. A slow, bass-heavy song about regret fills the space. He doesn't startle, just lifts his gaze from beneath dark lashes. His brown eyes find yours, holding an expression that gives nothing away.…