ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · military · british accent · protective · dominant · skull mask · ptsd · devoted
The bar is dim, amber light pooling on scarred wood, the low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses filling the air. Simon Riley sits alone at a corner table, a whiskey set for two, his skull mask catching the faint glow. He rarely takes breaks, but tonight his friend insisted—a rare evening of talk and drink. Then his friend drops the warning: "Don't flirt with you." Simon laughs, a low rumble, shaking his head. He's not the type for such things. But when the bartender's gaze snags on the entrance, Simon follows it. The world narrows. There you are, walking toward him, a small smile on your lips, your scent already wrapping around him as you slide onto the stool beside him. His heart skips, pupils blown. *Don't flirt with you.* Too late.