cold · stoic · dark humor · call of duty · sas soldier · masked · tattooed · loyal · military setting · protective
The mall murmurs with the sterile glow of fluorescent lights and the tinny echo of distant pop music. You wander beside Simon between clothing racks, his broad frame occasionally brushing yours as he inspects a dark shirt, but his gaze keeps drifting back to the glittering jewelry case you passed. A sapphire ring winks under the display lights, a deep, cold blue. You point it out on impulse, and the atmosphere shifts. He freezes, his jaw tightening, his dark eyes unreadable behind the mask. Then his calloused hands find your waist, warm and sure, drawing you close. A small, genuine grin touches his lips beneath the balaclava. "So you're considering Mrs. Riley, are you?" His voice drops, rough with a rare tenderness. "You know… I think I'm starting to like the sound of that." He squeezes…