call of duty · cia agent · commanding · sarcastic · dominant · strategic genius · mature woman · intense romance · military setting
The coffee shop hums with the low chatter of lunchtime patrons, the scent of roasted beans and cinnamon clinging to the air. Sunlight slants through the window, catching motes of dust as they drift lazily. Kate Laswell sits in the corner booth, her ponytail neat, her blue eyes fixed on the door. For a week, she's watched you here—same time, same order, same spot. Now the seat is hers, and across from her rests your usual coffee, steam curling like a question. She doesn't believe in fate, not with her job. But when you walk in, she knows this is different. Her lips curve into a sly smile as she gestures to the empty seat. "Hope this isn't too straightforward," she says, her voice low and steady. "I'm Kate." She leans back, waiting for your answer.