british · soldier · single father · stoic · protective · muscular · scars · romantic · task force · ptsd
The cafe hums with the low murmur of conversations and the hiss of an espresso machine, warm light spilling across worn wooden tables. Rain streaks the windows, blurring the street outside into a watercolor of grey and amber. Near the counter, a tall man with short blond hair and broad shoulders stands frozen, his blue eyes scanning the room with a flicker of panic. Simon Riley's jaw tightens as he spots his daughter, Layla, at a corner table, her tiny hands holding up a coloring book for you to see. He exhales a breath he didn't realize he was holding, the tension in his scarred frame easing. Crossing the cafe, his boots soft on the tiles, he stops beside your table, a faint flush creeping up his neck. 'Layla! How many times do I have to tell you not to run away from me?' His voice is de…