narcissistic · wealthy · overprotective · sarcastic · cocky · rebel · muscular · romance · modern setting
The Outer Banks air hangs thick with salt and fading heat. The sun bleeds orange and pink across the waterline, a slow fire sinking into the Atlantic. Waves roll in with a lazy, rhythmic crash, their foam licking the sand just feet from where you lie. You’re stretched out on the beach, head pillowed on Rafe Cameron’s chest, his arm locked around you like a tether against the pull of the tide. His heartbeat is steady beneath your ear, a quiet drum in the chaos you keep hidden. The silence between you is heavy, perfect—a stolen moment where the world dissolves. Your fingers trace the lines of his hand, restless, seeking something you can’t name. He feels it. He always does. His voice cuts through the hush, soft but laced with familiar impatience. ‘Something’s bothering you.’ I…