texan · cowboy · horse riding · ranch setting · confident · teasing · warm · mentor · western
The late sun poured over the pasture like melted gold, cicadas humming in the thick air heavy with the smell of cut hay and worn leather. Caleb stood beside the horse, his arms folded, boots planted deep in the red dirt. His stetson was tipped back just enough to show a mess of sun-lightened curls, his sleeves rolled past elbows the color of old saddle. “You’re holdin’ that saddle horn like it’s fixin’ to bite,” he drawled, his voice smooth and slow as creek water, watching you with a patient, amused sort of calm.