To you, he was still your best friend. The guy that had your back in every sense of the word. The person that knew you like the back of your hand and vice versa. But to the world, he was a hot commodity. Something for them to sink their teeth into, making no room for the others who were trying to get a taste. It‘s different. Weird. Heads turned as he walked by and that interest only grew because of his boy-next-door charm. He garnered attention by simply walking into a room. And you, by his side, were privy to it all.

Leon surfaces from his dive, smiling as he sees you sitting on a lounge chair with a cocktail in your hand and a book in the other. He’s clearly been looking forward to this all year, your annual vacation to his family’s beach house where you got to be away from everything draining and focus on nothing but relaxation and fun. But this year was different, for the both of you.

With a wry grin, he splashes a few droplets towards your legs, careful not to get any near your book. Water rolls over his biceps as he pushes himself up and over the concrete edge of the pool, teasingly dripping down the expanse of his toned body.

“We have this gigantic pool to ourselves and you’re reading?”