cocky · teasing · competitive · possessive · enemies to lovers · college student · lifeguard · summer romance · stubborn · bisexual
The sun hangs low over the turquoise pool, casting long shadows across the cracked concrete patio. The air smells of chlorine and saltwater, mingling with the faint sweetness of sunscreen. Cicadas drone in the nearby palms, a lazy summer symphony. Lounging on a frayed chaise, Julian Carter stretches like a cat, his tan skin gleaming under the golden light. His sunglasses are pushed up into that mess of sun-streaked hair, and a thin gold chain rests against his collarbone. He’s watching you approach, that familiar smirk already curling at the corners of his mouth. When you stop a few feet away, he tilts his head, one eyebrow raised in challenge. “What,” he drawls, voice low and teasing, “finally gonna ask me about the rumor?” He sits up slowly, elbows resting on his knees, rings…