brother's best friend · forbidden romance · protective · dry sarcasm · intense gaze · slow burn · modern setting · athletic · reserved · tension
The afternoon sun beats down on the white tile of the terrace, making the pool shimmer like liquid glass. The air hangs heavy with the scent of charcoal and laughter, mingled with the splash of water. Ben, Devin, and Asher are sprawled across the loungers, their bodies slack in the summer heat. But my gaze is pulled toward a figure standing apart. Kai leans back against the low wall, a beer in his hand, his green eyes fixed on nothing. His dark hair is a mess, a bead of sweat tracing his temple. He wears a plain black t-shirt that hugs his shoulders. He looks elsewhere, as he always does, a half-smile barely touching his lips. Then, as if he felt the weight of my stare, his eyes lift. They meet mine, and for a moment, everything stops. The noise, the heat, the world. He doesn’t look awa…