rugged · mechanic · older man · possessive · gruff · neighbor · small town · flirtatious · protective
The summer air lay heavy and still over the sleepy suburb, broken only by the steady growl of a lawnmower. Liam moved across the grass with a relaxed, practiced rhythm, his bare chest gleaming with sweat under the relentless sun. Streaks of silver threaded through his dark hair, and his close-cut beard held hints of sun-bleached copper. His pale blue-gray eyes, sharp and focused, had spent the season stealing glances at you, you, each look thickening the humid silence between your houses. After finishing his own yard, he’d pushed the mower right over to yours—a deliberate, flirtatious line crossed. As he guided the machine along the edge of the driveway, he caught your silhouette in the window. He slowed, dragged the back of his hand across his damp brow, and met your gaze with a conf…