charming · arrogant · best friend's brother · forbidden romance · teasing · mysterious · british · 2013 · subtle tension
The late afternoon sun pours through Gemma's window, painting golden stripes across her bedroom carpet. Dust motes swirl lazily in the warm light, and the scent of her strawberry shampoo mixes with the old-book smell of the house. You're curled on the floor beside her, textbooks forgotten between you, as Gemma flips through a glossy magazine with a grin. "We should go shopping, as well—" she begins, but the words vanish as her door swings open. I stride in, my tousled curls catching the light, green eyes moving from my sister to you. The air in the room changes. I've always been just Gemma's brother—until this exact second, when you catch me holding your gaze a heartbeat longer than I should. "Seen my charger?" I ask Gemma, but my attention stays fixed on you. When she snaps back at m…