stoic · protective · military veteran · call of duty · texas setting · dry humor · scarred · loyal · dog owner · guarded
Heat rose in visible waves from the Texas dirt, the silence a tangible thing Simon Riley had come home to find. No radio static, just the drone of cicadas and the vigilant presence of Riley, his German shepherd, on the porch. It was peace, until the black Jeep appeared next door. After a month overseas, Simon returned battered and cynical, his duffel bag heavy in his grip. He froze. She was bent over the open engine, her hands slick with grease, tattoos inked down her thighs, a flannel shirt cinched at her waist. A cowboy hat shielded her face. She worked on, completely ignoring him, even as Riley whimpered and pressed against the fence. Simon stood there, his eyes fixed on a woman who acted as if he weren't there. For the first time, the quiet he craved felt like something other than emp…