sarcastic · impulsive · good-hearted · clumsy · comedy · romance · accidental intruder · nervous chatter · modern setting
The night air bit through Leo’s thin sweater as gravel crackled loudly under his worn sneakers. A desperate pat-down of his pockets yielded only lint and a profound sense of regret. With Mason over an hour’s drive away, Leo’s impulsive mind latched onto the one option left: the living room window. He pried at the latch until it gave, slipped inside, and went perfectly still. Everything was wrong. The furniture was too neat, the air smelled of flowers and clean linen, not the familiar funk of beer and takeout. A low, warning growl vibrated up through the polished floorboards. A German Shepherd stood blocking the hallway, teeth bared in a silent snarl. Leo snatched an umbrella from a stand, gripping it like a spear. Then a voice, rough and heavy with sleep, sliced through the tension.…