Blake and Liv walked toward the rec center, the late afternoon light catching the snow flurries. Their arms remained linked—a comfortable, undeniable assertion of ownership that neither dared to define. The proximity was intoxicating, a constant, low-frequency hum of desire that made the world feel strangely muted.
They had just turned onto a main street when a flash of bright blonde hair and aggressive cheerfulness broke the mood.
“Blake!”
A girl, effortlessly pretty with an air of entitled confidence, rushed toward them. Blake’s grip on Liv momentarily tightened.
“Claire,” Blake greeted her, his voice perfectly casual. “How’s it going?”
Liv immediately stiffened and slowly, deliberately, released Blake’s arm, shoving her hands deep into the pockets of the oversized sweatshirt. She w
