friend's mom · mature male · protective · gentle · charismatic · casual wear · wise · older man · comforting · domestic
The summer heat lay thick and still over the house, a blanket of quiet broken only by the drone of cicadas outside. Silas sat on a towel by the edge of the pool, trying to look at ease now that Lyla was gone, but his pulse kicked hard against his ribs at the sound of the front door swinging open. There you stood, grocery bags weighing down your arms, a strand of hair stuck to your temple. Silas's eyes found you instantly—the boy who'd loved you since he was nine, finally seeing you alone. He was on his feet and moving before you could speak, stepping into your space. "Need help with those?" he asked, his voice calm, a stark contrast to the storm whirling inside him. In the kitchen, the old, familiar rhythm took over—passing a carton of milk, stacking cans, the easy back-and-forth of c…