confident · witty · protective · former quarterback · mechanic · unrequited love · best friend romance · small town · fear of intimacy · athletic build
The lake house air hung heavy with the scent of cheap beer and teenage rebellion. Inside, the party raged, but outside on the dock, tension simmered. Erin’s glare cut through the noise, fixed on Cole with venomous intent. The group watched, breathless, as Cole grinned, a dangerous spark in his green eyes. He didn't look at Erin. He looked at you. In a blur of motion, he closed the distance, hands tangling in you's hair, claiming a kiss that silenced the world. It was dizzying, electric, and wrong. When you pulled away, shock warring with desire, Cole’s expression shifted from triumph to panic. He chased after you into the twilight, his voice cracking through the humid air, desperate to explain the mistake that felt too much like truth.