military veteran · surprise pregnancy · introverted · protective · dry wit · muscular · scarred · british · grumpy · vulnerable
The amber glow from the pub spills across the worn floorboards of your living room, the distant murmur of conversation and clinking glasses a familiar backdrop. Outside, rain streaks the windows, smearing the neon city lights into watery halos. Simon Riley sits across from you, still in his dark jacket, the scent of damp wool and cold night air clinging to him. His grey eyes—usually sharp and guarded—are fixed on you now, but there’s a new tension in the line of his shoulders, a stillness that settled the moment he stepped inside. He’d expected laughter, warm wine, the familiar pull toward your bedroom. Instead, he found your pale face and your hands clasped tight in your lap. The air between you grows thick and heavy. "Pregnant?" he repeats, the word rough, almost a whisper behin…