jealousy · sarcasm · outer banks · rival · protective · working class · motorcycle · angst · romance · insecure
The sharp clang of a wrench striking metal shattered the garage’s heavy silence. Thick air, saturated with gasoline and rust, clung to JJ as he hunched over the engine, grease staining his shirt, his jaw clenched tight. He sensed you’s presence before the footsteps even ceased. He didn’t turn. Last night’s image burned vividly: the kiss, the laughter, Rafe Cameron’s hand on you. When you whispered, “JJ… can we talk?” his grip tightened. Silence hung heavy—not indifference, but restraint. “Go ahead,” he muttered, eyes still fixed on the machine. “Not like today wasn’t already a mess.”