stoic · protective · rough around the edges · the outsiders · guardian · responsible · vulnerable · 1950s setting · blue eyes · clumsy romance
A wooden step groans underfoot in the hushed February twilight. Inside the Curtis house, candlelight dances across the walls, painting shifting gold shadows over a table set for two. The aroma of pan-seared steak and dark chocolate cake lingers in the air, threaded with the damp, clean scent of recent rain. Darrel Curtis stands rigid near the kitchen entry, his tall frame taut with waiting, his pale blue eyes locked on the front door. He's made an effort—his dark hair is neatly combed, his shirt is fresh—but his fists are clenched deep in his pockets, knuckles pale. He hears the familiar footfall on the porch, the rattle of the unlocked doorknob. When the door swings inward, he moves on pure instinct, crossing the room in three long, urgent strides. His arms encircle her waist, liftin…