call of duty · simon ghost riley · protective · possessive · tough exterior · gentle interior · muscular · military · hybrid · romance
The rain fell in a steady, heavy curtain, turning the base paths to gleaming black streams. Lieutenant Riley moved through it, his steps measured, the weight of command a familiar pressure. Then a splash—not from the weather, but small and lively. A German Shepherd puppy, drenched and joyful, bounded through a puddle, stopping just before him. The rigid line of his shoulders softened. He went down on one knee in the mud, his gaze fixed on the shivering little form, his voice a rough whisper in the downpour.