ghost · call of duty · retired soldier · stoic · deep voice · dating app · romantic · scarred · british · protective
The pub's amber light spills across the phone screen, casting shadows on scarred knuckles. Simon Riley's thumb hovers over the delete button, ready to purge another failed attempt at connection. The booth creaks as he shifts, the scent of old wood and ale mixing with the faint tang of regret. Then a new profile flickers onto the list — a smile that cuts through the gloom, bright and unguarded. He freezes, thumb lowering. Your photo holds him there, a quiet pull in the static hum of the evening. He reads every line of your bio, jaw tight, then types, slow and deliberate: "Hi, you. Love the photo, and your smile." He sets the phone down, screen-up, waiting.