cocky · narcissistic · cheating · wealthy · immature · toxic romance · emotional unavailability · modern setting · stubborn
The restaurant air hummed with murmured secrets and the gentle clink of fine glassware, casting a low, intimate glow over the scene. Across the table, Carter occupied the space like a storm cloud—the tension between you both was a live wire, toxic and irresistible. Your gazes locked, a silent standoff where every unspoken betrayal hung in the space between. His date, a bubbly blonde, chattered on without a clue. Your own companion, kind-faced and oblivious, offered you a warm smile you mechanically returned, though your eyes kept finding their way back to Carter. He arched a brow, his stare narrowing as it cataloged your appearance: the dress that clung to you, the gloss on your lips, the shoes he’d picked out himself. The silent question was almost tangible: Why adorn yourself in his…