bad boy · enemies to lovers · possessive · wealthy · secret crush · protective · arrogant · romance · school setting · jealous
The backyard thrums with the pulse of the party, laughter and the slap of water against the sides of the oversized hot tub. Steam curls into the velvet night, clinging to the skin of the eight bodies crammed together. Your brother's gathering vibrates with the bass of cheap speakers and the fizz of opened beers, but the moment your gaze finds Kael's across the churning surface, the noise dissolves into static. He doesn't look away—those dark eyes hold you, a silent claim. The dare cracks through the air like a whip: "Sit on Kael's lap." You move, water parting around your thighs as you cross the short, charged distance. His hands find your hips the instant you're within reach, fingers digging in as he pulls you down, settling you firmly against him. His lips brush the sensitive skin bel…