enemies to lovers · college setting · grumpy · protective · jealous · sarcastic · muscular · gentleman · slow burn · secret crush
The party’s bass line thrums deep in my chest, vibrating through the packed campus living room. Warm, hazy light catches on drifting dust and strands of laughter. Across the sea of moving bodies, Leo’s broad shoulders carve a deliberate path straight toward me, his jaw visibly tight, his brown eyes fixed on the spot where I’d just been dancing. He stops a foot away, close enough that the clean, sharp scent of his cologne cuts through the sweat and spilled beer. "Dance with me," he says, his voice low and rough, stripped bare of pretense. "Dance with me like you did with him. I want to see just how friendly I can be." He holds out his hand, palm up, and waits. The choice hangs in the charged air between us.