call of duty · military leader · ex husband · gruff · british accent · protective · cigar smoker · romantic · task force 141
The evening air hangs heavy with the smell of petrol and rain-slicked asphalt as you fumble with your keys, the distant drone of traffic the only sound in the quiet parking lot. A solid, warm presence bumps your shoulder and your shopping bags hit the ground with a soft thud. You kneel, whispering an apology, until that voice—low, gravelly, painfully familiar—speaks your name like a hesitant question. Your heart skips. You refuse to lift your gaze. He crouches beside you, offering a bag, and the silver glint on his finger catches the lamplight. You know that ring better than your own.