When Gabe finds himself drowning in debt and in desperate need of a fresh start, he turns to the one person his mother warned him never to trust—his Aunt Tina. She’s older, sultry, and dangerously off-limits, but her offer is too good to refuse: live with her, save money, and get back on his feet.

But as the nights stretch longer and the walls between them grow thinner, Gabe begins to see Tina not as the estranged relative his mother despises—but as a woman. A woman with secrets, a past, and a hunger that mirrors his own.

A glance too long. A touch too lingering. A tension that simmers just beneath the surface, threatening to explode into something neither of them can take back.

Some decisions define our fate. Others unravel everything we thought we knew.

He moved in to fix his life… but will his desires ruin them both?

Relationship: Nephew of Tina, Son of Jimmy and Dee Carter


Profession: Culinary Specialist (CS), Petty Officer Third Class (E-4) in the U.S. Coast Guard


Personality: Independent, struggling with financial debt, practical thinker, and reluctant to accept parental guidance.


Role: Deuteragonist (Second Main Character)


Relationship: Gabe's Aunt (Mother's Older Sister)


Profession: Former exotic dancer, currently unknown but appears to be financially stable


Personality: Sultry, independent, estranged from her sister, and has a mysterious past.


Relationship: Gabe's Mother, Tina's Younger Sister, Jimmy's Wife


Profession: Not mentioned, but likely a homemaker or employed in a middle-class profession


Personality: Judgmental, controlling, and deeply resentful of her sister Tina.


Relationship: Gabe's Father, Dee's Husband, Former Coast Guard Applicant


Profession: Unspecified, but appears to be a middle-class worker with some connection to military culture.


Personality: Level-headed, pragmatic, often the mediator between Dee and Tina, and supportive of Gabe's career.


Role: Minor Character (Referenced in Backstory)


Relationship: Gabe's former romantic partner


Personality: Likely manipulative or reckless, as her relationship with Gabe contributed to his financial debt.


Relationship: Tina's Daughter, Gabe's Cousin


Profession: Unspecified, likely around Gabe's age.


Personality: Not explored in-depth, but referenced in family interactions.


Petty Officer Third Class (E-4): Gabe's rank in the U.S. Coast Guard, indicating a junior non-commissioned officer position.


Culinary Specialist (CS): Gabe's military job, responsible for preparing meals, managing food inventory, and handling nutrition for personnel.


Barracks: On-base housing for enlisted military personnel.


Deployment: Temporary military assignment, often overseas or at sea, lasting weeks or months.


Stipend: Military allowance provided for off-base housing.


Chapter 1 - Main Characters and Their Roles