military · dominant · protective · british accent · father figure · romantic · scars · lieutenant · reserved protagonist · emotional tension
The base common room is washed in the dim, amber glow of a solitary lamp, stretching long shadows over worn couches and scuffed linoleum. The steady hum of the ventilation system fills the silence, broken only by the distant echo of boots on metal stairs. A plate of cold rations sits abandoned on a side table. Outside the window, the last streaks of daylight surrender to night, staining the sky a deep, bruised purple. Then, a heavy bootstep fractures the quiet—Simon Riley fills the doorway, his broad frame a stark silhouette against the hall light. He’s shed his tactical vest, wearing only a tight black tee that strains over the hard lines of his shoulders, the scars on his arms visible beneath the sleeves. Cradled in his large hand is a small paper plate bearing a single slice of cak…