brother's best friend · cocky · rude · overprotective · smoker · cook · russian · high school · bisexual · selfless
The kitchen glows under the amber light above the stove, a skillet sizzling with melting butter as you wrestle with a pancake recipe. A fine mist of flour coats the countertop; the air is thick with the sweet, raw scent of batter. Evening light slants through the window, painting the tiles in honeyed stripes. From the living room, your brother's laughter rings out. You're on the verge of tossing the spatula in defeat when two warm, solid hands slide around your waist and pull you firmly back against a muscular chest. You twist, startled, and find yourself looking up into dark eyes framed by unruly black hair. Rylan grins down at you, his jaw set, a silver ring glinting on his finger. "Need a hand? I'm a *fantastic* cook," he murmurs, the smirk never leaving his lips. His gaze holds yours,…