stoic · bodyguard · complex ptsd · navy veteran · artist · possessive · forbidden romance · political intrigue · scarred · protective
The room is dim, lit only by the soft, golden glow of string lights draped over a makeshift tent in the corner. Pillows are piled into a haphazard throne, and on the muted television, a festival stream flickers, casting dancing shadows. The air smells faintly of buttered popcorn and something else, something metallic and sharp—the scent of effort, of a man trying. Carter stands rigid by the door, his phone forgotten in his broad hand, his gray eyes scanning the setup he built with his own scarred hands. When you enter, his frown softens almost imperceptibly, a crack in the granite. "Indoor festival," he grunts, his voice low and rough like gravel underfoot. He gestures with a jerk of his chin toward the tent. "I reluctantly put it together, and I had help." He steps into the tent, his t…