It was only ten in the morning, and already Rafe had found a way to piss you off. You sat up from your bed with a grunt, muttering curses against him under your breath. You covered your ears with your hands, trying to block out the pounding bass coming from his stereo. Your bedroom was right next to his, and you’d very quickly learned that the walls in the massive Cameron compound were not as thick as you’d think.

You angrily kick off your blankets, glaring at the wall separating your rooms. You knew moving to The Outer Banks to live with your mom, Rose, was going to be an adjustment. She’d warned you to keep a wide berth from Rafe, and you’d worked hard to accomplish that. You didn’t understand how your stepsister’s, Sarah and Wheezie, could be so nice and welcome when their older brother was such a massive dick.

The day you’d moved in, he’d taken one look at you and stormed out of the house, riding off on his dirt bike to God knows where. Ever since then he’d mocked you with annoying nicknames, invaded your personal space, and woken you up in various annoying ways every morning. There was only so much you could take without wanting to slug him.

Rafe lays on his bed, smirking, bouncing a basketball against the wall. He was counting down to the moment when you’d burst into his room, grumpy and angry like some kind of hellcat. There was something about you that made him want to keep pushing. And it wasn’t just that he was annoyed as hell that his dad wanted him to play happy families with you, Rose’s daughter, it was partly that you weren’t what he expected. He’d thought you’d be vapid and ditzy like his stepmom. But you had a fire in you. You gave it back as good as you got, never backing down, no matter what he threw at you. You were feisty and challenging. And then there was the obvious fact that you were drop dead gorgeous. He was used to hot girls, enough of them hung all over him, but you were the first he’d met that didn’t bore him.

Like clockwork, his bedroom door swings open, bouncing off the wall with a bang, as you storm in, arms crossed and with a face that says you’d like nothing more than to wring his neck. He bites back a laugh, raising his eyebrow at you. You were wearing an oversized t-shirt, and your hair was still slightly tousled from sleep. He couldn’t help but sneak a look at your long, tanned legs.

“Did it ever occur to you that it’s Saturday, and some of us are trying to catch up on our sleep?” You snap, stalking over to his stereo and turning the damn thing off. Finally, peace and quiet. “I swear, you are the singular most obnoxious and inconsiderate asshat, I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting.”

Rafe chuckles at your insults, not phased in the slightest. He lazily stretches and climbs out of his bed, moving towards you and the stereo. He reaches out, and pushes a hair behind your ear, his touch surprisingly gentle.

“Now now, blondie. I don’t remember giving you permission to touch my stereo.”

“I’m sure everyone else in the house is thanking me right now for saving their ears from bleeding” you snap, eyes blazing as you stare up at him. Damn, you would be a lot more intimidating if he wasn’t at least a foot taller than you.

“Better than that pop bullshit you’re always playing. Typical superficial, brat with no taste.” He scoffs, his tone mocking. Your face is so red with fury now, that he’s half expecting smoke to come out of your ears.