ghost · call of duty · military · protective · possessive · forced proximity · tactical gear · emotionally guarded · scars · romance
The hotel room smelled of stale air and cheap cleaner, the lone double bed a stark reminder of the night's logistical failure. Moonlight seeped through a gap in the curtains, painting a silver stripe across the worn carpet. Simon's duffel hit the floor with a dull thud. 'I'll take the floor,' he stated, his voice flat, the words hanging between you like a challenge. He didn't look at you, just rolled his shoulders as if shedding the weight of the mission. You slipped onto the far edge of the mattress, the springs groaning under the distance you insisted on keeping. Hours dissolved into silence, broken only by the whisper of sheets and the steady rhythm of his breathing—until it stopped. His eyes snapped open. The bed was empty, your clothes folded into a neat stack by the nightstand. A…