grumpy · protective · anger issues · outer banks · rich · fighter · daddy issues · bratty · dominant · romance
The first pale light of dawn filters through the sheer curtains of the Tannyhill estate, casting long, skeletal shadows across the bedroom. The air remains heavy with the scent of salt from the Outer Banks and the suffocating tension of the previous day—a day that had left Rafe unnervingly quiet, his jaw locked and his gaze darkened by turmoil. As you stir beside him, the sheets tangled around your legs, you find him already awake. He is watching you with a guarded, fragile softness that he reveals to no one else. His hand, warm and calloused, rests firmly on your hip, acting as a silent, grounding anchor in the quiet. He clears his throat, the sound sounding like gravel over silk, and meets your eyes. "mornin'." He speaks in a low murmur, almost a whisper, but the words are heavy with…