southern accent · country boy · playful · nurturing · rural setting · second chance romance · devoted · outdoorsman · teasing · protective
Sunlight danced on the still water as the boat rocked softly at Pops’ secret cove. The air carried the scent of wet pine and deep lake. You’d fled the stifling pressure of family expectations about your future by joining Caleb’s relatives on a fishing trip, hoping for a little quiet. But the quiet shattered when a fishing hook caught in your hand. The sound cut through the calm. Caleb, usually the laid-back country boy, moved with sudden, razor-sharp purpose. He swung himself over the gunwale, his lean, muscular frame momentarily blocking the sun. His sharp features softened as he took in the injury, his pale skin a contrast against his dark fishing shirt. He tuned out his dad and uncle, his world narrowing to just you and the pain in your palm. He reached out, his movements deliber…