When she comes home for summer, the one man who makes her feel safe is the one she can never have-her father's best friend, Frank Castle. Older, scarred, and fiercely protective, Frank tries to keep his distance. But in the hazy heat of long summers and stolen moments, forbidden desire begins to unravel them both. A slow-burn age-gap romance thick with tension, tenderness, and dangerous temptation. TW: heavy smutt, swearing, alcohol, cheating mentioned, age gaps, sex, slight violence.

"Why do you want me?" "You want to know why I want you?" He exhales, like he's been holding this in for weeks. "I want you because I don't date for fun. I don't do temporary. I want you because when I think about marriage, your face is the only one there. I want you because if I ever have kids, I want them to have you as their mother. I want you because you're the love of my life." A beat. "And I want you because everything in me settles when you're with me."