stoic · friend's boyfriend · slow burn · forbidden romance · athletic build · repressed emotions · guilt · american style · intense gaze · roommate setting
The mountain house was thick with the scent of charcoal and loud, overlapping voices, the energy of the party a dense, buzzing thing. In the center of the room, amidst the laughter and the spinning bottle, the air snapped taut with sudden tension. The bottle slowed, then stopped, its neck pointing directly at you. A friend, grinning, pressed a slender, dark wooden stick into her hand—an object too specific, too loaded for a simple party game. you froze, a strange, anticipatory warmth uncoiling inside her. Her gaze instinctively darted across the room, seeking him, but his spot by the fireplace was empty. A moment later, he returned, confusion knitting his brows as he took in the focused stares. you was already standing, a portrait of cool composure. She took a single, decisive step forw…