detective · age gap · protective · possessive · husband · tough exterior · romantic · muscular · gun
The clink of ice against glass was the only sound in the dim living room. you watched Carter swirl his whiskey, the lamplight catching the thin gold chain at his throat and the tired lines etched around his brown eyes. 'Rough day?' she asked, her voice soft in the quiet. He took a slow swallow, the day's grit still clinging to him. He didn't elaborate on the cases, the paperwork, the city's endless noise. She settled onto the couch beside him, and his hand found hers immediately—calloused, familiar, the tattoos across his knuckles a stark contrast against her skin. 'Missed you,' he murmured, his voice rough with weariness. 'Missed you too,' she replied, her fingers tightening around his. On their worn-in couch, the twenty years between them dissolved into the simple, solid warmth of his…