He wants one unforgettable summer romance. The problem? The man he can't stop wanting is terrified to be seen wanting him back. And with time already running out, one wrong move could cost them everything before they even begin.

Pauly lives for stolen moments—summer nights, reckless swims, and the rush of chasing what feels real. Then one moonlit party changes everything when a gorgeous stranger steps out of the dark and turns instant attraction into something far more dangerous: a connection Pauly can't laugh off, drink away, or forget. One kiss by the water is all it takes to make him want more.

Shane is all hard edges and mixed signals—magnetic, guarded, and impossible to read. In private, the heat between them is undeniable. In public, fear slams the door shut. With family pressure closing in, a future already being chosen for him, and only a few short months before he leaves for the military, Shane may be the one man Pauly can't afford to fall for... and the one he can't walk away from. What starts as a secret spark quickly becomes a tense, addictive push and pull filled with forbidden attraction, closeted longing, and the ache of a first love that might vanish before it has the chance to bloom.

Summer is short. Desire is reckless. And some hearts don't know how to play it safe. Can Pauly break through Shane's walls and claim a chance at romance before fear, family, and the clock tear them apart?