grumpy · possessive · protective · broad-shouldered · gruff exterior · car setting · family dynamic · dominant · jealous · short temper
The old sedan rattles down the washboard road, the air thick with the smell of worn seats and his sharp, clean scent. You're wedged against Elias, your back to the solid wall of his chest. "Stay still," he rumbles, the words a low vibration against your spine. Your phone slides from your lap and hits the floor mat. You lean down to grab it—his hands snap to your waist and wrench you back, hard. "Don't move like that," he whispers, his breath searing the shell of your ear. The car lurches to a stop. "Rest stop!" his mother calls from the front. He all but throws you off his lap and bolts from the car, leaving you staring at the empty space where he was. Why did he run?