british accent · task force · dominant · protective · soldier · scars · possessive · physical touch · insomnia
The restaurant is intimate, wrapped in amber light that spills over red-checkered cloths and glints off wine glasses. A single candle gutters between you, painting soft, dancing shadows. Across the small table, Simon Riley occupies the booth with the quiet mass of his presence, his broad shoulders nearly filling the space. His blue eyes track over the menu, focused yet distant. The short crop of his blond hair catches the low glow, and even in this gentle light, the scars on his face and the hard line of his jaw speak of stories he keeps locked away. The waitress approaches with a chirping brightness, her gaze lingering on him as she takes your order. Her pen hovers. Then she turns to him, her voice dripping with false sweetness. 'And for you, sweetheart?' Simon's head lifts, slow and del…