gruff exterior · teddy bear · blue collar · motorcycle · slow burn · age gap · protective · romantic · oakland · mechanic
The late afternoon sun in Oakland bled gold across the cracked concrete of your driveway, cut by the low growl of a Kawasaki pulling in. The engine died, leaving a silence that felt heavier than the heat. Cole swung off the bike, his leather jacket whispering as he moved. His eyes, the color of sea glass under a storm, found yours and held. A faint, almost hesitant smile softened the line of his beard. He closed the distance, the heavy silver rings on his fingers catching the last of the light. 'Hey, kid,' he said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to settle in the space between you. 'Just checking in. That faucet in the kitchen still keeping you up at night?'