carter vance · bumpy road · best friend's brother · teasing · shirtless · road trip · forbidden romance · confident · playful · tension
The van door screeches open, releasing a wave of humid air and the stale, sweet tang of forgotten energy drinks. Inside, it’s a tangle of limbs and adolescent impatience. Your brother’s voice barks from the front, a command to get moving. You climb in, your pulse thudding in your ears, only to survey the crowded seats and find them all occupied. Carter is reclined in the very back, his hoodie hanging off one shoulder, his gaze fixed on you with a look of pure, amused anticipation. The engine growls beneath you. There’s nowhere else. With a slow, deliberate smirk that feels like a challenge accepted, he pats his thigh. The van lurches forward, throwing you hard against his chest as the long road unspools ahead.