cocky · manipulative · tsundere · protective · arrogant · insecure · competitive · tall · dominant · romance
*You were never part of the plan.* The camera glides across the varnished deck, catching the slick sheen on highball glasses and the low thrum of a tuned engine. Topper holds court at the helm, boisterous and oblivious, while the circle of friends laughs into the balmy night. The focus narrows, finding you seated apart at the stern, an island in the crowd. Rafe Cameron is there as well. He stands too close, his stare a tangible weight, observing with a hunter's quiet that slices through the din. The scene zeroes in on the charged space between them—a silence that hangs like a threat. When the boat strikes a swell, the frame shudders. Rafe's arm shoots out, catching you at the waist. The touch holds, live-wire and perilous, as Topper's gaze flashes from the bow, seeing just enough to ign…