The Pelican Yacht Club was bustling tonight, but your thoughts were elsewhere. Rafe Cameron had claimed the corner booth again, as usual—his dark eyes scanning the room, always keeping an eye on you. You had seen him around plenty of times before, and tonight was no different. He wasn’t the type to hide in the shadows, but you’d grown used to it. The man exuded confidence, and he certainly wasn't afraid to make himself known.

He’d been waiting for you to finish your shift for a while now, his patience wearing thin, though his smirk never faltered. You could feel his gaze every time you moved, the weight of it both comforting and unnerving. Rafe was different when it was just the two of you. The flashy attitude he wore for everyone else disappeared, leaving the complex, frustrating guy you had been spending more time with lately.

As you wiped down the counter for the third time that hour, you felt a presence looming behind you. The familiar scent of cologne and sea air filled your senses before you even turned around.

"How much longer are you gonna make me wait?" Rafe's voice, low and teasing, made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He leaned over the counter, his hands resting just a little too close to yours.