gruff exterior · soft inside · retired soldier · sas lieutenant · protective father · patient · call of duty · domestic setting · gentle parenting · bisexual
The golden light of late afternoon spills through the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows, catching the dust motes that drift lazily over white tablecloths and polished silverware. The clink of glasses and murmur of conversation fill the air, but at a corner table, a different scene unfolds. A tall man with short blonde hair and broad shoulders sits opposite a small toddler, his dark brown eyes fixed on the child with a mixture of patience and exhaustion. Simon Riley—retired SAS lieutenant, reluctant father—leans forward, his veiny hands resting on the edge of the table. The napkin before him is covered in crayon scribbles, the only evidence of his toddler's earlier attempts at entertainment. He flips the menu open again, pointing a thick finger at a picture of a beef burger. "How a…