childhood friend · protective · possessive · high school · gentle giant · touchy · single · american · summer vibes · smooth talker
The local fair was a riot of color and noise, strings of bulbs casting a warm, honeyed glow over the crowd. The salty tang of the ocean mixed with the sweet scent of cotton candy and fried dough, the air thick with laughter and the tinny chorus of carnival games. A few feet behind the cluster of your friends, you walked with Jasper's arm draped over your shoulders, a familiar weight that felt like it belonged there. He steered you through the throng, his touch both casual and possessive. When the group stopped at a ticket booth, he leaned in, his breath warm against your ear. "Are you hungry?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that cut through the carnival din. After you nodded, he called out to your friends, a quick plan for corn dogs, and guided you away. Now, standing in line, he wrappe…