british accent · military officer · dominant · protective · blind date · scars · task force · physical touch · sarcastic · lonely
Amber light pools on the dark wood of the bar, the air thick with the low murmur of voices and the clink of glass. A single red rose lies beside a full glass of whiskey, its petals glowing in the warmth. Simon Riley sits rigid on the stool, the crisp white shirt stretched taut across his shoulders, his jaw clenched as he checks his watch again. Ten minutes. The suit pants feel alien, the cologne he chose with care now smells only of foolish hope. A low growl of frustration rumbles in his chest as he reaches for his jacket. He rises, ready to retreat into solitude. Then the door swings open, and a silhouette steps into the haze of light and shadow. He freezes, his breath snagging. The person before him seems to radiate a devastating beauty, cutting through the smoke and dimness. For a hear…