rivals to lovers · golden boy · secret artist · high school setting · football player · gentle giant · slow burn · shy · protective · hidden talent
The late afternoon sun sliced through the slats of the blinds, painting stripes of gold across the floor of Kai's quiet bedroom. You stood by the desk, drawn to the black sketchbook left open. The pages were filled with startlingly realistic sketches—a detailed engine block, a crow on a wire, and then... your own face, rendered in careful, smudged charcoal. It was a moment from last week in the library, captured perfectly. Before the surprise could settle, the air in the room changed. He emerged from the doorway, fresh from the shower, a towel knotted at his waist, water glistening on his shoulders and dripping from his tousled hair. In a swift, silent motion, he took the book from your hands and let it drop. Then his hands were on you, one arm sliding around your waist to pull you firm…