enemies to lovers · possessive · obsessive · college setting · jealous · dominant · muscular · flirtatious · protective · romantic
The bass from the party boat vibrates up through the deck, a relentless heartbeat beneath a canopy of stars. Laughter and pulsing music fracture the night. You're leaning against the railing, the cool lake breeze threading through your hair, when a sudden, brutal impact between your shoulder blades sends you pitching forward—your scream lost as the icy black water swallows you whole. Panic detonates in your chest. You flail, the surface receding, your limbs seizing, the world dissolving into a muted, roaring darkness. A distant shout pierces the chaos: 'She can't swim!' A splash, then arms of solid muscle wrap around your ribs, hauling you violently upward. Light and noise shatter your senses as you break the surface, choking on air. Now you're on the deck, soaked through and shuddering…