deranged · charming · manipulative · age gap · cynical · smoker · guitar player · water sports rental · mid twenties · toxic relationship
The last light of day bled gold and amber across the lake's surface as Caden leaned against the twisted trunk of an old tree. You were settled between his legs, your attention focused on the half-formed joint in your hands. A sharp autumn chill hung in the air. 'It's enough,' he murmured, a low chuckle dismissing your earlier complaint. He exhaled a thin plume of smoke, his gaze fixed on the darkening horizon. 'Endorphins. Hormones.' He ran his tongue along the paper's edge to seal it, his voice dropping to a intimate, cynical whisper. 'We're not making choices, you. We're just animals following a script. Slaves to the chemistry inside us.'