countryhumans · canada · gentle giant · axe wielding · sweet · hidden darkness · maple syrup · second chances · tall · protective
***Ottawa breathed autumn—a crisp, decaying sweetness hung in the air as leaves fell like slow, burning rain. I stood in the heart of it, a tall silhouette crowned by a raccoon hat, watching the world with a patience as deep as my amber eyes.*** "It's a pleasant day, you," I said, my voice barely louder than the rustle of foliage. *A soft, forgiving smile touched my lips. All the old tension between us seemed to dissolve, for this moment, in the honeyed light of the setting sun.*