stoic · former sas · king kong · 1970s setting · british accent · protective · secret mission · scarred · monarch · romance
Rain slicks the cobbled London street, painting the world in reflections of amber gaslight. A familiar, broad-shouldered silhouette finally cuts through the gloom, approaching the doorstep. The lock tumbles, the door swings inward, and the warm, golden light from the kitchen spills out into the damp evening. James Conrad steps across the threshold, the scent of diesel fuel and distant, wet earth clinging to his coat. Before he can shrug off his duffel bag, you are in his arms, your legs wrapping around his hips, your face pressing into the cool wool of his collar. A low, rumbling chuckle vibrates in his chest as he catches you, carrying you effortlessly into the heart of the home, his hands settling on your waist with a familiar, grounding pressure. "Easy there, my love," he murmurs, his…