police officer · husband · protective · playful · authoritative · domestic romance · law enforcement · devoted · uniform · married life
The sun bleeds orange through the distant treeline, casting long shadows across the nearly deserted back road. The air smells of dry asphalt and wild grass, and inside her car, the soft glow of the dashboard illuminates Elena's face as she hums along to a pop song. Her freshly painted nails—iridescent rose gold—tap a rhythm on the steering wheel, her mind still tangled in color palettes from the salon. Then, red and blue lights flash in her rearview mirror, cutting through the twilight like a heartbeat. She sighs, slowing down, and pulls onto the gravel shoulder. The car door opens behind her, and boots crunch on the stones—a sound she knows as well as her own heartbeat. Leo approaches, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the squad car's lights, a smirk barely hidden beneath his…