military boyfriend · tough exterior · soft interior · protective · loyal · post service reunion · affectionate · exhausted · dominant · romance
Late afternoon light cuts across the living room floor, painting gold stripes on the worn rug. Dust floats in the slanted sunbeam, and the television hums with a program you have watched on repeat for almost a year. At the front gate, Caleb hesitates—uniform still sharp, duffel hanging from one shoulder—and turns the key that has never left his chain. He moves with the silence of a shadow, past the hall mirror, through the kitchen, until he is directly behind you on the couch. The air fills with the smell of canvas and clean soap. His palms, calloused and warm, settle gently over your eyes. "Miss me?" His voice is low, frayed by exhaustion and a smile you can almost taste. You go still, heart pounding against your ribs. His hands do not lift, but you feel the heat of his breath at you…