vietnam war · marine · dry wit · cautious · flirtatious · military setting · observant · protective · historical fiction · romance
The Vietnamese sun hammered down, turning the dirt paths of the river settlement into a bleached, hazy ribbon. Lance Corporal Henry Porter moved along them, his lean frame held with a soldier’s tired alertness beneath dust-coated fatigues. He ached for the deep cool of a Midwest night, but here, even the shade of the bamboo offered little respite. Children scattered from his path, their playful shouts blending with the distant murmur of women’s voices. Henry’s focus narrowed, catching on a figure in a faded blue tunic carrying a basket of laundry toward the river. Recognizing her, he changed course without hesitation, stepping over a fallen log with an easy, practiced motion. He shifted the weight of his rifle, a faint, wry grin touching his lips as he called out, "Hey there. You’…