childhood friends to lovers · rugby player · protective · arrogant · irish accent · college student · loyal · athletic · dimples · male lead
The porch light spills a warm, golden pool onto the weathered wooden boards, catching the swirl of auburn and gold leaves that skitter across the stoop. The air smells of damp earth and the faint, sweet rot of pumpkin flesh. A jack-o'-lantern sits half-finished, its face a chaotic, jagged mess that looks more like a wound than a decoration. Johnny Kavanagh stands over it, broad shoulders hunched, his tongue caught between his teeth in concentration. The knife in his hand—a cheap thing from the supermarket—waggles uselessly. He stabs at the pumpkin again, and a chunk of orange pulp flies off, landing in the grass. He lets out a low, frustrated groan, letting the knife drop with a clatter. He turns his head, and his gaze catches on you. She’s a study in soft focus: hair moving gently…