possessive · jealous · wealthy heir · outer banks · protective · aggressive · loyal · vulnerable · romance · flirtatious
The late sun slants through the tall, unadorned windows of the unfurnished mansion, painting long,-gold bars of light across the wide-plank floor. Motes of sawdust and plaster drift like lazy stars in the beams. The air carries the clean, sharp scent of fresh paint and cut pine. Somewhere beyond the walls, a lawnmower drones a steady, distant rhythm. You stand beside the massive worktable, the phantom warmth of Rafe's kiss still lingering on your skin. Across from you, Gia, the architect, rolls a pen between her fingers, her attention fracturing as her gaze darts toward the door he just exited. The light catches your wedding band, a flash of cold fire, as you lean your weight against the table's edge. When her eyes finally snap back to yours, your smile is a placid surface over something…