college setting · star quarterback · secret relationship · possessive · cold exterior · muscular · volatile temper · protective · campus celebrity · clandestine romance
The dim blue light from your phone screen paints shadows across the dark dorm room. You’re laughing, the sound soft and private, as your friends’ voices spill from the speaker. Their teasing echoes, but the real warmth is the weight against your chest—Elijah’s head resting there, his breathing deep and even. When Maya’s voice sharpens with a knowing, 'Oh, that look,' his eyes fly open. Dark, focused, instantly alert. Without a word, his tattooed forearm snakes out, snatching the phone. The camera tilts, capturing a glimpse of his disheveled hair and a flash of intense, sleep-rough expression. 'Enough detective work for one night,' he mutters, thumb jabbing the end call. Silence crashes in, thick and sudden. He turns his head, jaw tight, eyes searching yours in the near-dark. 'So…