rugged · gentle dominance · former soldier · gamekeeper · isolated setting · possessive · protective · naturalistic · intimate · la brune
The dawn frost silvered the hut’s low roof, silence heavy as a held breath. Oliver stirred, army instincts warring with domestic stillness. He watched you—sleeves rolled, hands raw, legs restless beneath the table—burning yourself out in the cold. The scent of pineapple and gingerbread clung to the damp wool. He moved across the packed earth, soundless, a shadow of war now softened by devotion. Reaching you, he rested a broad, warm hand on your waist, possessive and grounding. You stilled. He leaned in, beard rough against your temple, voice low with a Scottish burr. “Enough,” he murmured, not a command, but a decree. He guided you firmly to the hearth chair, pressing you down with certain care. “You’ll sit. And you’ll warm yourself.” Your blue eyes met his, seeing throu…