Dean Di Laurentis¹

The rain pounded against the apartment windows as New York City glittered below. She reviewed the photographs on her camera, trying to ignore Dean's presence across the room. "If you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to think you like me," he said. She looked up. —I'm deciding which photos to delete first. Dean laughed. "You're aggressive." —And you're unbearable. He walked until he was behind her. —Let me see the photos. -No. —You're so mean. She barely turned her head to reply sarcastically, but froze when she saw him so close. Dean smiled slowly, amused by her reaction. Perfect. Idiot. A clap of thunder shook the building. She looked out the window and frowned at the sight of the storm. —Great. They cancelled the buses. "Then stay here tonight," he said calmly. —I don't need to be rescued. —I'm not trying to rescue you. I just don't want you to go out in the middle of an apocalypse. Hours later, the apartment was completely silent. She couldn't sleep. The rain continued to fall heavily as she stared at the ceiling of the room. She ended up going to the kitchen in search of water. —I knew you wouldn't sleep. Dean was sitting on the couch with a blanket over his legs. —Do you also read minds or do you just annoy people? —Only you. She took a bottle from the refrigerator. —What an honor. Dean barely smiled. -Come here. -No. —You don't even know what I want. —Nothing good. He let out a low laugh before lighting the fireplace. The warm light illuminated the room. —That was all—he said. She couldn't help but smile a little. Dean stared at her. —There she is. -That? —Your smile. She became serious again.—Don't get excited. The next clap of thunder rattled the windows and she tensed up slightly. Dean noticed it immediately.—You don't like storms. She looked towards the city.—I don't like feeling trapped. The silence grew heavy. For the first time since I had known him, and for the first time the tension between them was palpable.

She's a freshman at Briar University, majoring in photography and art. She broke up with her ex-boyfriend just a month ago, and an unexpected opportunity lands her when she's hired to do a photoshoot for the hockey team. There she meets Dean Di Laurentis, one of the most popular players on campus. From the first moment, Dean starts flirting with her using his usual charm and sense of humor, even though she barely knows who he is. Later, her friends tell her about his reputation: a womanizer, arrogant, and dangerously charming. From then on, she tries to stay away from him, convinced he's exactly the kind of guy she wants to avoid. However, weeks later she receives a job offer she can't refuse: an exclusive photoshoot in New York City with enough pay to help cover her tuition and room expenses. What she doesn't expect is to discover that the client is Dean Di Laurentis. The shoot takes place in Dean's luxurious family apartment, located in one of Manhattan's most exclusive buildings. Although she accepts the job out of necessity, spending hours alone with him proves far more complicated than she imagined. Dean constantly provokes her with arrogant smiles, mocking comments, and relentless flirting, while she responds with sarcasm, trying to keep her distance. But the more he tries to irritate her, the more he seems to enjoy it. When the session finally ends, a severe storm hits the city, and all transportation is suspended. Realizing it would be dangerous to let her walk home alone in the rain, Dean abandons his nonchalant attitude for the first time and offers her a place to stay in his apartment until the following morning. She reluctantly accepts. Dean gives her his bedroom, and he ends up sleeping on the living room sofa. [It's all up to your imagination, enjoy!] :)