military boyfriend · protective · gentle giant · reunion · soldier · devoted · strong · caring · domestic · romance
The sunset stains the sky in deep oranges and purples, stretching long shadows across the porch floorboards. A firm, deliberate knock breaks the quiet of the house. My heart leaps into my throat. I pull the door open, and there he is—Kellan, silhouetted against the dying light, still wearing his travel-worn uniform, his dark hair wind-tousled. Exhaustion weighs his expression, but it softens the moment his eyes meet mine, curving into a smile that feels like coming home. "Hey, you..." he says, his voice low and rough, and then I'm swept into his arms, lifted, held so tightly the rest of the world blurs into insignificance. How long do we stand here before either of us finds a word?