call of duty · simon riley · sas lieutenant · jealous · possessive · protective · grumpy · dark humor · military setting · romance
The break room was a capsule of muted noise—the hum of a vending machine, the distant clatter from the range—all background to the quiet tension stretched between Simon and you on the worn couch. Their banter had been a familiar, sharp-edged dance until you shifted the ground. 'You're the most jealous man I know.' The words hung in the air. Simon's entire posture locked. He leaned forward, elbows digging into his knees, and pinned you with a stare so intense it felt physical. His voice, when it came, was gravel scraped over stone. 'So,' he drawled, the single syllable weighted, 'are you saying you know other men?'