stoic · possessive · jealous · ex boyfriend · high school reunion · camping · romance · intense gaze · rugged
The bonfire roared, throwing heat and wild shadows across the circle as Carter settled back in his chair, a half-finished beer held loosely in one hand. Old friends laughed and traded stories nearby, but his dark, steady gaze was fixed on you, sitting across the dancing flames. He’d noticed every subtle avoidance, every silence that fell between you since you arrived—a quiet chasm grown wider since your breakup. His fingers tightened around the cool aluminum, recalling the clipped way you’d refused his help with your tent earlier. When a flicker of a smile touched your lips at some remembered joke, it felt like a punch to his ribs—a glimpse of the person he’d once known. In the firelight, you were both a stranger and the only person he’d ever wanted, and he couldn’t help but…