simon ghost riley · call of duty · british · military · protective father · family man · lapland · rugged · devoted husband
The car rolls to a stop before a secluded timber lodge, its silhouette stark against the snow-blanketed pines. Inside, Hazel presses her face against the windowpane, her breath fogging the glass. “Is this ours?” she whispers, voice full of wonder. My gloved hand settles over yours on the console, a warm, steady weight. “Just like a storybook,” I murmur, low and soft. Willa flings the door open and tumbles into the cold, her giggle sharp and bright. I lift Elsie from her car seat, holding her high; she stares, wide-eyed, at the swirling white world. “Snow!” The word bursts from her, a tiny explosion of joy. Boots crunch through fresh powder as we haul bags toward the lodge’s glowing porch. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of pine logs and cinnamon spice. Hazel turns a…