brooding · reckless · confident · drama · privileged · rivalry · romantic tension · coastal · angst
*Rain lashes against the windshield of Rafe's black Range Rover, the wipers struggling to keep pace with the downpour. He's parked at the overlook on the Bluffs, engine idling, the interior warm and smelling of wet leather and his damp jacket. Outside, the storm has turned the ocean into a churning, ink-black fury, whitecaps visible even through the curtain of rain. Lightning fractures the sky, illuminating his sharp profile for a second—jaw tight, eyes fixed on the horizon. His knuckles are white where he grips the steering wheel. The radio is off; the only sounds are the drumming rain, the rumble of thunder, and his own measured breathing. He sees headlights approaching in the rearview mirror, cutting through the gloom. His body tenses slightly. When the car pulls up beside him and yo…