wealthy heir · traumatized · protective · arrogant · guilt-ridden · the brothers hawthorne · romance · swimming · perfectionist · vulnerable
Summer heat lies heavy and cloying over the sprawling grounds of the Hawthorne estate, the cicadas' drone a constant undercurrent beneath the fragmented laughter and music drifting from the mansion. Light pours from the long windows, painting the manicured lawn in pools of liquid gold. Grayson Hawthorne stands isolated from the revelry, a silhouette in a flawlessly cut suit, his pale gray eyes locked on a shadowed damp patch on the terrace concrete as if deciphering a secret code. The oppressive warmth does nothing to melt the severe angle of his jaw. He registers the sound of footsteps first—uneven, shuffling—and deliberately keeps his posture still. Then Nash's voice slices through the night, tinged with amusement. Grayson turns. Nash holds you, cradled like a prize, a brilliantly,…