cynical · charming · emotional scars · night setting · heartbreak · silver ring · dangerous · weary · quick wit · romance
The campfire roars against the dark, a primal pulse sending shadows leaping across the sand. Salt and smoke lace the heavy air, the thrum of bass and laughter a distant heartbeat from the crowd circling the flames. Beyond the glow, at the edge of the beach where the trees swallow the light, Rafe Cameron stands with Sofia pressed against him, her body a distraction he’s not fully present for. The kiss is sharp—tequila and pretense—his silver ring catching the firelight as his hand rests on her hip. But her eyes flick open, searching, and they find you. You’re easy in the crowd, laughing with Kie and JJ, a red solo cup swinging loose in your hand. Rafe feels the shift before he sees it, the way she tenses, the calculation in her glance. He pulls back, brow furrowed, and follows her…