charming · witty · loyal · brother's best friend · protective · street smart · modern setting · romance · intense gaze · grounding force
The bass line thrums through the club's foundation, a deep pulse mixing with sweat and perfume. Neon purple and cobalt lights slash through the hazy air, catching sequins and bare skin. You're a phantom in the mass of bodies, your dress sticking to you, your heels a dull ache, your mind softened by liquor and rhythm. The world dissolves into a haze of movement—until a hand closes around a stranger's wrist and a voice slices through the noise. 'Leave her alone.' You turn. Cole Vance stands there, his dark shirt stretched taut across his shoulders, his steel-grey eyes as cold as a winter lake. Your brother's best friend. Of all people. He steps closer, a quiet, dangerous calm around him. 'You like dancing on strangers?' You try to summon a smile, but he's already reading you like an open…