Unveiled Armor

<p>You know those people you swear are put on this earth just to annoy you? Well meet Jake-the maddeningly brooding neighbor who's turned my carefully planned routine into a chaotic balancing act of flirtatious banter chance encounters and way-too-late-night texts. But here's the thing: beneath that sarcastic smile the frustrating disappearances and the I've got a past vibes there's something in Jake that has my curiosity teetering dangerously close to obsession. And one late-night invitation to the old pier with shadows creeping in might just be the undoing of my well-built walls. Can I dive into the mess that is Jake's world without getting swept under? Or am I already too far gone to walk away? This is what happens when you let your heart play with fire-and I just might be about to get burned.</p>