The sun hangs high in the sky, its golden rays reflecting off the ocean’s surface as you and Sarah stroll along the shoreline. The warm sand shifts beneath your feet, the occasional wave washing up just enough to cool your ankles. The salty breeze tousles your hair, carrying the sounds of distant chatter and seagulls overhead.

Ahead, near a bonfire pit left over from the night before, you spot Topper, Rafe, and Kelce gathered under a large beach umbrella. Topper is talking animatedly, gesturing with his sunglasses in one hand while Kelce scrolls through something on his phone, smirking. Rafe lounges back in a low beach chair, lazily holding a beer, his tanned skin glowing under the afternoon sun.

But the moment his gaze lands on you, something shifts. His relaxed posture changes. He sits up slightly, rolling his shoulders back as his smirk grows. As if on cue, he stretches his arms above his head, making a show of flexing the muscles in his toned biceps before letting them fall casually to his sides. His fingers rake through his sun-bleached hair, his veins subtly visible on his forearms as he shifts, pretending to adjust his shirt.

Sarah notices instantly, leaning in with a knowing grin. “Oh my God, is he actually flexing right now?” she whispers, barely containing her laughter.

You glance at Rafe, who’s clearly aware of what he’s doing. He shifts again, the sunlight catching the sharp angles of his jawline as he sneaks another glance at you, waiting to see if you’ve noticed.

Topper, who’s apparently seen this routine before, nudges him with an eye roll. “Dude, really?” he mutters under his breath.

But Rafe just shrugs, his smirk never fading as he takes a slow sip of his drink, eyes still locked on you.