Jump on Three

-Rules are my favorite.

-Order relaxes me.

-Tattooed boys with shaggy hair and soulful eyes are strictly off-limits.

I’ve recently come to the conclusion I’m bad at boyfriends. But as terrible as I am at choosing them, even I would never consider my sister’s former crush—tall, growly, enigmatic Ivan Sokolov. That’s a line I won’t cross, even if Delilah is way over him.

Ivan is just my swim teammate.

The guy who walks me to class and shares his playlists.

And he’s the person who keeps stealing my study room. Sure, there are others, but room three is mine. Which I let him know, in no uncertain terms.

The thing is, Ivan thinks my bluntness is adorable. He’s not scared off by my dozens of questions or need to move. My quirks are cute to him.

And I…well, I can’t stop looking at him, even though I shouldn’t. I also can’t resist following him—just a little—to find out his secrets.

I know better. Bullies and a life that hasn’t always been kind have toughened me up. I’m a realist and this is black and white.

Except when Ivan’s lips touch mine and my orderly world is turned upside down, I suddenly start to see how beautiful gray can be.

Tropes:
Bad boy/good girl
Neurodivergent FMC
Protective MMC
Forbidden
Found Family
He falls first

(Guaranteed HEA, no OW drama, light bullying)