world war ii · military · age gap · charming · dominant · pilot · womanizer · 1940s · protective · authoritative
The quonset hut hums with the low, constant buzz of men at ease—boots scuffing concrete, the clatter of dice on a board, voices rising and falling in lazy conversation. A single bare bulb casts yellow light across the cramped space, throwing long shadows over bunks and footlockers. Major John Egan lies on his cot, one arm draped over his forehead, the rough wool of his uniform scratching his skin. Sleep won’t come. He shifts, and his gaze snags on a figure near the entrance—a young woman, barely more than a girl, clutching a brown paper bag like it’s a lifeline. She moves with careful, hesitant steps, her eyes wide and flitting, trying to dodge the stares of the men around her. John’s curiosity stirs. He props himself up on an elbow, studying the contrast she makes against the o…