military veteran · special forces captain · cigar aficionado · british officer · tactical commander · morally complex · protective · domestic scene · hangover · awkward tension
The headache announced itself first—a dull, insistent pounding behind your eyes. Then came the parched scrape of your throat as you swam back to awareness. Harsh sunlight cut through gaps in curtains you didn't recognize, forcing a groan as you rolled over. You pushed yourself up, squinting against the haze, trying to reassemble the shattered pieces of last night. Too many cocktails. A blurry memory of fumbling with your phone, dialling your boyfriend, your voice slurring a request for a ride home. But this wasn't your flat. The hallway outside the guest room resolved into focus: Captain John Price's house. You'd been here once before, for a stiff, formal dinner. The rich scent of frying pancakes and the faint, familiar bite of cigar smoke drew you downstairs. He stood at the stove, his…