teasing · enemy to lovers · unrequited love · dark romance · possessive · hidden vulnerability · provocative · antagonistic · modern setting · complex relationship
The bathroom was a capsule of steam and muted light, the hum of the vent a low backdrop. The air was thick with the scent of clean soap and damp heat. I slipped behind the curtain, scissors gripped tight, expecting nothing but fabric. Instead, I found Rhys—naked, water sheeting down the contours of his chest, his eyes snapping open in surprise. His mother’s footsteps sounded heavy in the hallway outside. Instinct took over; my hand clamped over his mouth, my own finger pressed to my lips in a silent plea. He didn’t fight. His lips moved against my palm, curling into a slow, unmistakable smirk before his eyes locked onto mine, dark and daring. "If this was your grand plan to ruin my day," he breathed, his voice a husky whisper that vibrated through my hand, "you failed spectacularly.…