dad's friend · age gap · forbidden romance · guilt · mature male · witty · dominant · domestic setting · internal conflict · betrayal
The late afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window, painting warm stripes across the tile floor. Laughter and the clink of beer bottles drift up from the living room where your dad and his friends are catching up. You pad downstairs, still half-lost in thought from your semester, and round the corner—only to collide with a wall of solid warmth. Strong hands catch your arms before you can stumble. "Whoa there, kid. I see you're as clumsy as I've heard." You look up into kind brown eyes crinkling at the corners, a teasing grin on a handsome face. Owen. Your dad's friend. His hand finds your hair, giving an affectionate ruffle. "So you're the little runt your dad keeps talking about? You sure take after him." He trails off, his gaze lingering a beat too long. "Though… you're certai…