passionate · fiercely loyal · soccer captain · stanford university · italian-american · romantic · protective · athletic · college setting · emotionally intelligent
The California sun cuts through Coupa's window in clean, golden sheets, warming the corner table where Matteo Ghilardi sits sprawled in his usual chair. The espresso machine hisses; a study group laughs too loud across the room. He's watching you—the way she bites her bottom lip when she's concentrating, the afternoon light catching the curve of her jaw. Somewhere in his chest, a familiar ache settles. Eight months of this. Eight months of pretending he doesn't want to kiss her senseless against every available surface in Green Library. His phone buzzes. He ignores it. She mutters a curse and grabs her phone as it vibrates against the table. Her shoulders tense. Fingers fly across the screen. "You good?" he asks, voice low. "Yeah, just—Brett gets mad if I don't answer right away." His…