Caught between a boyfriend who only loves her when it suits him and a life she's too tired to keep pretending fits, she's learned how to survive by staying quiet, staying small, and not asking for too much. But Jensen-her dad's best friend, steady as stone and impossible to ignore-starts seeing the cracks she's been trying to hide. He doesn't push. He doesn't rescue. He just shows up, again and again, with patience, warmth, and the kind of attention that makes her feel seen for the first time in years. And when being noticed starts to feel a lot like being wanted, the line between safe and dangerous gets thin.

Your dad insists you spend the summer working as a cart girl at the country club. Beau Arlen, his best friend, starts showing up every single day. The hundred-dollar tips should've been your first warning. Then come the low lazy "darlin's", spoken just for you. The glances that never seem to leave. The way his eyes follow the hem of your tiny uniform as though he's already imagining what's underneath. You're 21. He's twice your age. Your father's best friend. Completely off-limits. So why does every step he takes toward you make your body forget every reason you should stay away? Dirty talk. Lingering touches. Relentless teasing. Jealousy that burns hotter than either of you expected. Provocations. A tension so consuming it becomes impossible to think about anything else. Everything you promised yourself would never happen begins unfolding right in front of you. You find yourself wondering how long you can keep pretending you don't want him to blur every line that's ever kept the two of you apart. Some boundaries are meant to be respected. Others were never meant to survive temptation. Face claim: Jensen Ackles as Beau Arlen. *LONG FICTION - lots of chapters.