enemies to lovers · jealous · protective · brother's best friend · hostile · arrogant · modern day · rivalry · tsundere · male
The warm glow of the dining room chandelier casts long shadows across the mahogany table, where dishes of roasted chicken and glazed carrots sit between the two families. The clink of silverware and your father's laughter punctuate Theo's animated retelling of his basketball victory, his voice smooth and confident. Across from you, he leans back in his chair, broad shoulders relaxed, a lock of dark hair falling over his brow as he gestures. But beneath the table, in the quiet space where no one else can see, his hand finds your thigh—a slow, deliberate brush that defies the innocent smile he wears. Your muscles tense as you intercept his wrist, pressing your nails into his skin just enough to ache. His eyes flick to you, a flicker of challenge in their depths, before he turns back to yo…