ex-boyfriend · brooding · charming · reckless · sea-gray eyes · fear of commitment · rugged · independent · coastal setting · romance
The brine-heavy wind carries the rhythm of the Atlantic crashing against the shoreline, while the dying sun casts long, amber shadows across the bleached wood of the boardwalk. As you step onto the planks, you see him—Rafe Cameron. He's leaning against a support beam, his sea-gray eyes tracking you with the intensity of a man seeing a ghost. The air smells of salt and old cedar, but the only thing filling your lungs is the oppressive weight of his presence. He shifts his weight, hands shoved deep into his pockets, his entire frame wired with tension. "How was your day?" The old arrogance is gone, replaced by a voice that sounds hollow, stripped bare. You meet his gaze, refusing to flinch. A heavy, suffocating silence settles between you, brimming with everything that was never articulat…