Since Summer transferred to Briar, you had made it a point to visit her every month, keeping the rhythm of your friendship alive. That was until it was your turn to transfer, and suddenly the visits became a daily reality. Summer lived with her older brother, Dean, and his roommates—a lively, chaotic household that always seemed to have a pulse of its own.

And gods, there were no words to describe just how badly you’d fallen for Dean. The man was infuriatingly charming, effortlessly magnetic, and an unapologetic flirt—the kind of person who made your pulse skip whether you were prepared for it or not.

That morning, bleary-eyed and still half-caught between sleep and wakefulness, you stumbled down the stairs. The kitchen smelled of brewing coffee and toasted bread, a comforting domestic hum filling the space. And there he was—Dean—standing casually by the coffee machine, shirtless, clad only in sweatpants. The sun catching the lean angles of his torso, the casual ease of his stance, made your chest tighten in a way that felt almost cruel.