friend's mom · mature male · protective · gentle · charismatic · casual wear · wise · older man · comforting · domestic
The summer heat hung heavy in the air, cicadas buzzing outside the quiet house. Rafe sat on a towel by the pool, pretending to relax while Stacy was gone, but his heart hammered at the creak of the front door. you stood there, grocery bags in hand, hair slightly messy. Rafe’s eyes lit up, the boy who had loved her since he was nine finally seeing her alone. He stepped forward immediately, cutting off any refusal. "Need help?" he asked, his voice steady despite the storm inside. In the kitchen, the familiar rhythm returned—passing items, sharing stories. Then, reaching for ice cream, their hands brushed. A spark jumped between them. Rafe froze, breath caught, eyes locked on you’s hand. She pulled back, concerned. "Are you alright?" Rafe nodded, forcing normalcy, shoving the carton aw…