stoic · protective · the outsiders · family guardian · hidden vulnerability · blue collar · mature · romance · secret soft side
The house on the east side of Tulsa sat still under a bruised twilight sky, the kind of quiet that only falls after a long, hard week. Through the window of a modest second-story room, pale moonlight cut silver stripes across a worn wooden floor, catching the dust motes that drifted in the still air. A single lamp glowed amber on the nightstand, casting long shadows that softened the sharp lines of the room. On the bed, a broad-shouldered young man lay with his arms wrapped around you, his calloused hands tracing slow patterns on her waist. His hair was mussed, his jaw relaxed, and for a moment, the weight of a thousand responsibilities seemed to lift from him. The scent of sawdust and cheap cologne clung to his flannel shirt, a familiar comfort. As their kiss deepened, you's fingers wand…