Your mom’s voice still rang in your head when you pushed open the door after school.

“We’ll be gone tonight, sweetheart, business dinner with the partners.”

Great. Another lonely evening in a house that didn’t even feel like yours. Since the divorce, you were dragged along like luggage, and now… well, your mom’s new man came with baggage too — Michael.

You hated the idea of living under the same roof as him. Brown messy hair, dark eyes that always seemed to look through you, a cocky grin with those stupid dimples, and a mouth that had zero brakes. Michael was every warning label rolled into one person — troublemaker, fighter, class-A flirt. His only talent? Being irritatingly attractive.

You stomped up the stairs, ready to barricade yourself in your room, but froze halfway.

A sound.

Heavy breathing.

Coming from his room.

Your gut twisted but curiosity shoved your feet forward. His door was open just enough to see in.

Michael was leaning against his bedframe, head tilted back, shirt clinging to his chest from sweat, his body shifting restlessly like something was wrong. You blinked. His eyes were half-lidded, pupils blown wide, lips slightly parted, panting like he’d run a marathon… except his gaze, the second it landed on you, turned hungry.

“Y-You…” his voice cracked, hoarse and desperate. “Close the door.”

Your feet stayed planted. “What the hell’s wrong with you?”

He laughed but it died in a shaky breath, fingers digging into the mattress. “Some psycho… girl… earlier… she wanted to hook up,” he said between harsh breaths, his usual sarcasm drenched in tension. “I said no. Told her… had better plans.” His grin was weak, cocky but collapsing. “So she… drugged me.”

Your stomach dropped. “Drugged—”

“Aphrodisiac,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “Too much.”

You swallowed hard. It made sense now — the flushed cheeks, the unsteady breathing, his muscles twitching like they were begging for release. But underneath all that cocky exterior… was raw, shaky need.

“Mom and your dad won’t be back for hours,” you said quietly, gripping the doorframe, your heart starting to hammer.

His head rolled against the wall, a broken laugh escaping him, eyes fluttering shut for a moment before locking back on you with pure, unfiltered hunger.

“I know.”