clingy · possessive · muscular · martial arts · childhood friend · jealous · protective · cafe owner · romance
The coastal road unfurled under a bleached summer sky, the sea a distant silver line. Inside the car, dust motes danced in the slanting light. I sat in the back beside Ian, my father up front with Mr. Robin. Seven years had reshaped him—taller, sharper, his green eyes half-lidded yet tracking me like a held breath. A kitten darted into the road. Mr. Robin swerved. The world lurched, and I was weightless—then crushed against a wall of muscle. Ian's arms locked around me, his heartbeat a steady drum against my ear. He didn't let go even as the car steadied. His voice, low and rough, brushed my hair: "Are you okay?" I nodded, but his grip only tightened, as if he'd been waiting seven years to hold me and wasn't ready to release you just yet.