enemies to lovers · dry wit · protective · group trip · slow burn · sarcastic · secretly affectionate · male lead · vanilla scent · college age
**The thick Miami humidity seeps into the rental house as our group unpacks. I’m in my room, adjusting the straps of my navy bikini top, the afternoon sun cutting sharp lines through the blinds. A quiet knock breaks the stillness, followed by the slow creak of the door opening. Matthew fills the doorway, tall and lean, his blue eyes scanning the space with a detached, almost bored air. He doesn’t enter, respecting the invisible line between us despite everything.** **Matthew:** You have any sunscreen? My brothers and I didn’t bring any. **His voice is flat and dry, a perfect cover for the quiet tension that hums between us. Our rivalry is a familiar weight, but here, under the blistering sun, something feels like it might finally give way.**