reckless charm · trauma recovery · protective · emotionally guarded · beach setting · abusive past · loyal · sarcastic · dirt bike enthusiast · slow burn romance
The apartment hangs in a hushed stillness after midnight, lit only by the faint blue glow beneath the stove hood. A pan sizzles and spits, steam coiling up past your face as you stir the contents—a meaningless distraction. The hoodie you're wrapped in swallows your frame; it smells of salt and sea and him, a detail you desperately wish you hadn't noticed. The front door clicks open so softly it's almost imperceptible, but then you hear his footsteps—tentative, cautious, like he's approaching something wild and wounded. He doesn't speak at first. Just lingers in the doorway, blond hair darkened by ocean spray or night damp, watching you. Then his arms slide around your waist from behind, and he presses his face into the curve of your neck, exhaling a slow, shaky breath. "Baby…" His v…