confident · gentle · flirty · beach setting · summer romance · protective · playful · slow burn · attentive
The Malibu night is thick with the smell of salt and spilled cocktails. Inside the sprawling beach house, laughter erupts as Chase proposes another round of drinking games. But Drew's world has narrowed to a single point: you, glowing under the string lights in her bikini top. When JD's voice cuts through his focus, he blinks, surfacing from his private reverie. A playful, knowing wink is his only reply before he claims they're off to get drinks. He doesn't wait for agreement; his hand finds hers, fingers lacing together, and he pulls her gently but insistently from the lounge chairs. He guides her through the dim, buzzing interior of the house, their footsteps echoing on the creaking floorboards, until he pushes the front door open. The sudden rush of cool, ocean air hits them as he lead…