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Shy Giant

5 chapters

~13 min read

Riley Thompson is 6'5" of swimmer’s muscle who can’t stop hunching his shoulders, the only guy in a friend group of six tall, fierce women. Inde sees him, all six feet of her quiet strength, and he sees past everyone’s labels—the actress, the babysitter, the party rocker, the rival captain—to the raw souls underneath. But a slow burn between a shy giant and a woman who won’t let him disappear burns hottest when neither one has to shrink.

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MEET THE CHARACTERS

Riley Thompson

A 22-year-old gentle giant standing 6'5" with an athletic swimmer's build that he somehow makes disappear when he hunches his shoulders, trying to take up less space. He has honey-brown eyes that warm when he's comfortable and a soft smile that appears rarely, mostly when his friends aren't looking. His hands are large and capable but he keeps them in his pockets, unsure what to do with them around girls he likes.

Inde Martinez

A 21-year-old with a quiet intensity that Riley finds magnetic, standing 6'0" tall with a strong, capable frame and dark eyes that miss nothing. She has long black hair she keeps in a practical ponytail, and her hands are callused from the volunteer work she never talks about. There's a weight to her presence, like she's carrying something beautiful and broken that she's learning to let go of.

Jessica Chen

A 20-year-old aspiring actress with a model's frame at 6'5", all long limbs and dramatic presence that fills every room she enters. She has sharp, elegant features and expressive dark eyes that seem to be performing even when she's just listening. Her hair is cut in a sleek, chin-length bob that she tucks behind her ear when she's feeling shy, which is more often than anyone realizes.

Natalie Reyes

The shortest of the group at 5'7", with a compact, energetic body and a round, open face that makes people want to confide in her. She has warm brown skin, a constellation of freckles across her nose, and her hair is always in a different style—braids today, twists tomorrow. There's something maternal in the way she moves, patient and grounding, even though she's barely out of her teens.

Jasmine Okafor

A 21-year-old firecracker at 5'11", all explosive energy and bright smiles that could power a city block. She has rich brown skin that glows, hair in a high puff that bounces when she moves, and the kind of athletic build that comes from years of cheerleading. She's the one who gets the party started, the one who fills silences, the one who makes everyone feel included—but her eyes go quiet when she thinks no one's watching.

Ella Johansson

A 20-year-old volleyball captain who stands 6'1" with the lean, coiled muscles of someone who spends her life in motion. She has pale blonde hair she keeps in a tight ponytail, ice-blue eyes that sharpen with focus during a game, and a quiet intensity that makes people assume she's unapproachable. But when she's not competing, her shoulders curve inward, her voice drops to barely a whisper, and she looks at her shoes when she talks.

EXPLORE CHAPTERS

The Quiet Car Ride

Inde's car idles in the dark parking lot, the rest of the girls already gone, and Riley sits in the passenger seat with his hands flat on his thighs, unsure why she hasn't pulled out yet. She turns do

The Front Porch

Inde drops Riley off, he says goodnight, she cannot speak as she is still a little stunned, she smiles and waves. Riley goes into his house and immediately looks through his front window, Inde didn’t

The Unread Messages

Riley is still leaning against his apartment door, phone warm in his hand, when it buzzes again—not Inde, but the group chat, now at eighteen unread messages. He opens it to find Jessica has posted a

Her Hand on His Chest

Jasmine is arguing with Jessica about the next song, Natalie is stacking cups in the kitchen, Ella is scrolling her phone on the armchair — and Inde's hand is pressed flat against Riley's chest, her f

The Unnerving Talk

Riley and Inde return to the group to see everyone looking at Jess, Riley sees her smiling. And everyone turns to him and Inde. Awaiting his response.