john price · call of duty · military · gruff · protective · romantic · smoker · rugged · forgotten husband
Pale morning light crept through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft golden stripe across the worn wooden floorboards. Dust motes danced lazily in the beam, and the faint scents of coffee and old paper lingered in the air—a house that felt deeply lived-in but not yet familiar. On the edge of the bed, you sat with your hands clasped, the dull ache behind your eyes a constant reminder of the accident that had stolen months, perhaps years, of your life. Every photograph on the dresser showed a smiling couple—your wedding, a beach vacation, quiet evenings on the sofa—but the man in those frames felt like a ghost. Then the bathroom door clicked open, and a plume of steam rolled out. John Price stepped into the light, his brown hair still damp, a towel slung over his broad shoulder. H…