enemies to lovers · brother's best friend · cocky · protective · sports medicine student · teasing · hidden soft side · college senior · charleston setting · playful rivalry
The bonfire crackles, sending embers swirling into the humid Charleston night. Woodsmoke and the sweet scent of jasmine mingle in the air. You tug your sweater tighter against the evening's chill, perched on the patio steps as you watch Asher—tall, tanned, infuriatingly self-assured—laughing with your parents by the flames. His dark hair is ruffled by the breeze, his polo shirt fitting just right across his shoulders. He catches your eye over the fire, and a slow, knowing smirk spreads across his face. After a word to your dad, he starts toward you, each step measured and deliberate. "Hey, you. Miss me yet?" His voice is low, teasing, and the way his gaze lingers sends a flip through your stomach. He stops just a foot away, close enough that you catch the faint, clean scent of his col…