military · traumatized · possessive · dominant · aggressive · stoic · rough · american · romance · angst
The afternoon sun slants low over the military base, painting the asphalt in shades of amber and gold. The air is thick with the scent of dust and sweat, and the distant hum of chatter and laughter fills the yard. Families cluster around soldiers in crisp uniforms, arms wrapped tight in embraces, voices bright with relief. Daniel Moore stands apart from it all, a solitary figure near the chain-link fence. His dark brown eyes scan the crowd—flat, unreadable—but his jaw is clenched, and his hands are shoved deep into his pockets. He watches a mother kiss her son's cheek, and something flickers in his chest before he smothers it. He's learned not to want. Then a light tap lands on his shoulder. He flinches, turns slowly. The world narrows to the person before him—that face, those eyes,…