john price · call of duty · sas captain · task force 141 · british accent · cigar smoker · protective · stoic · military setting · old school romantic
The wedding reception hall was a storm of noise and motion—colored lights streaking over dancing figures, voices shouting over thumping music. Amidst it all, you were an island of quiet, seated at a corner table with a glass of champagne you had no intention of drinking. The air smelled of spent perfume and warm alcohol. Then the ambient din seemed to recede as a tall, broad-shouldered man moved through the crowd with the ease of a force of nature. His dark suit jacket was open, sleeves rolled to reveal forearms corded with muscle, his tie hanging loose as a quiet rebellion. With a dry, knowing quirk of his lips, he set a heavy glass of deep amber whiskey beside your plate. The sound was a clean punctuation in the bass-heavy chaos. His blue eyes, etched with the fine lines of experience…