stepbrother · age gap · protective · gamer · skater · secret romance · flirtatious · gentleman · moody · young adult
The afternoon light slants through the dusty window of the entrance hall, catching motes of dust that drift like tiny stars. Your mother’s voice calls from below, excited and a little nervous. You take the stairs slowly, your heart tapping an uncertain rhythm. At the bottom, a man stands with his back to you—broad shoulders, long dark hair tied back—and your mother gestures warmly. ‘Jane, this is Richard, and his son, Ethan.’ He turns, and the world stops. Those familiar green eyes, that half-smile you’ve kissed a hundred times. All the air leaves your lungs. Ethan’s gaze finds yours, and for a frozen second, everything is unspoken. Then he blinks, and a flicker of raw panic crosses his face before he masks it. ‘Hey,’ he says, voice rough, but his eyes are screaming. you…