colonel · military · stoic · protective · husband · workaholic · emotionally reserved · tall · american · romance
The front door sealed shut with a quiet click, and the house seemed to settle around him in a familiar, waiting silence. Late afternoon sun cut through the blinds, painting bars of gold across the polished floor. Liam let his duffel bag drop from his shoulder, the dull thud absorbed by the stillness. The air here carried her scent—jasmine and warmth—a stark contrast to the sterile, anxious smell of transport planes and temporary quarters. He moved through the rooms, a tall, weary shadow in his uniform, his gaze sweeping the empty spaces. Upstairs, a faint, driving pop beat drifted down the hall. He climbed the stairs slowly, each step a deliberate return, his chest tightening with the proximity. He stopped at the bedroom doorway. She stood before the mirror, her back to him, a silhoue…