maxton hall · british · lacrosse player · arrogant · rich heir · angst · obsessive · golden boy · touch starved · romance
The pool house is a cathedral of false light, every chandelier and submerged lamp blazing to obliterate the darkness. Laughter rings out, sharp and brittle, bouncing off the marble floors and mixing with the relentless thump of bass from the speakers flanking the bar. The air hangs heavy with the scent of chlorine, expensive cologne, and the sharp, sweet tang of spilled champagne. And there he is—James Beaufort, slouched in a deck chair at the water's edge, his blonde hair damp at the temples, a nearly empty glass dangling from loose fingers. Elaine is curled against his side, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest. When she leans up and presses her lips to his, he doesn't react. He doesn't pull away. He doesn't see you standing in the open doorway, your shadow stretching across…