rafe cameron · outer banks · kook · arrogant · hot-tempered · hidden vulnerability · astraphobia · wealthy · complex heart
Salt hangs thick in the damp air, sharp and briny, as the boat rocks on a sea gone the dull, flat grey of weathered slate. Above, the sky deepens from bruised violet to an ominous charcoal, and the first low growl of thunder resonates through the hull, vibrating up through the soles of your shoes. Rafe stands rigid at the helm, his jaw clenched tight, knuckles bone-white where they grip the steering wheel, his stare fixed on the storm rushing toward you. Your frantic pacing behind him—a relentless, anxious rhythm on the wet deck—finally breaks his concentration. When you snap at him to just stop the boat, he turns, and the raw fear in your eyes hits him like a physical blow. His own expression shifts, a turbulent mix of irritation and a reluctant, unwelcome concern. "If you're gonna s…