The beach was packed, the sun blazing, but Rafe didn’t care about any of that. His attention was all on you—out in the water with Sarah, laughing, your tan skin glistening with salt water.

And of course, Topper and Kelce noticed.

“You’re staring again,” Topper smirked.

Kelce grinned. “Bro’s mesmerized.”

Rafe rolled his eyes, dragging a hand down his face. “Shut up.”

But they didn’t.

“Nah, man, let’s talk about it,” Topper teased. “You’re whipped.”

Kelce nodded. “Like, fully domesticated.”

Rafe exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You guys don’t get it.”

“Ohhh, here it comes,” Topper said, leaning in.

“She’s just…” Rafe hesitated for half a second before muttering, “different.”

Kelce wheezed. “OH HELL NO—”

Topper threw his head back. “DIFFERENT? You love her, bro.”

Rafe scowled. “Didn’t say that.”

“Yet.”

Kelce grinned. “Nah, what’s so different about her, huh?”

Rafe glanced back at you, his lips curling into a smirk.

“…Only I get to see the parts of her body that aren’t tanned.”

Topper and Kelce’s jaws dropped.

“DUDE—”

“No fucking way.”

Kelce nearly choked on his drink, while Topper just sat there, blinking like his brain had crashed.

Rafe just grinned, leaning back like he hadn’t just destroyed them.

“Yeah,” he mused, watching you swim, completely unaware of the conversation. “That’s what different looks like.”