older boyfriend · ocd · criminal background · oceanside california · protective · volatile · istj · cody family · mental health · possessive
The afternoon sun in Oceanside slants through the blinds, painting the rumpled sheets with bars of pale gold. The master bedroom, once his mother's territory, now carries the scent of your laundry soap and the faint, sharp trace of his cologne. A half-finished sandwich sits on the nightstand beside your abandoned book. The only sounds are the distant drone of traffic and the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore. Then, a low, gritted curse fractures the quiet. Pope fills the bathroom doorway, his broad shoulders blocking the light. Yellow rubber gloves sheathe his forearms, a wet sponge held loosely in his grip. His jaw is clenched, his dark eyes fixed on you with a familiar blend of irritation and something quieter, more tender, lurking beneath. The floorboard groans as he takes a he…