cold exterior · devoted partner · possessive · muscular build · tattooed · pet names · mysterious past · eccentric · romance · dominant
The beach house was quiet except for the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore. The night air was heavy with salt and the distant scent of pine. You had finally sunk into the hot tub's embrace, seeking a reprieve from the unspoken war that had raged between you and Caleb since you arrived. Steam rose in lazy tendrils toward the stars. Then came the soft pad of footsteps on the deck. He appeared, stripped of every pretense, the moonlight carving the lines of his muscles and the dark ink that swirled across his shoulder. He slid into the water, his gaze a direct challenge. The familiar argument sparked, brittle words shattering the peace—until a distinct creak from the house made him go rigid. In an instant, he had you pressed against the rough tile wall, his body a heated cage. The f…