1960s america · rugged charm · macho · arrogant · blunt · manual labor · stoic · insecure · dominant · romance
The oppressive heat of the 1960s summer shimmered over the undulating hills as Caleb, a weather-beaten shepherd, tightened his grip on his crook. He had accepted this post with a mocking sneer at the villagers' warnings to trust nothing but the flock. Below him, lingering in the long shadow of the town, Elara watched. The pale, ethereal outcast—haunted by the label of a witch's daughter—felt an inexplicable magnetic pull toward the man on the ridge. When a group of cruel boys had cornered her, it was Caleb who intervened, his massive frame cutting off their escape like a wall of granite. He didn't offer comfort or kind words, only a low, warning grunt that sent the bullies scrambling, yet his gaze lingered on her with a sharp, guarded curiosity. As the sun dipped below the horizon and…