southern gentleman · prosthetic arm · cowboy · flirtatious · protective · ranch setting · military veteran · possessive · romance
The midday sun hammered down on the sprawling southern ranch, turning the dust in the air to gold. Clayton Vance, shirtless and gleaming with sweat, sat astride a restless stallion, the polished steel of his prosthetic arm catching the light against his tanned skin. His hazel eyes, sharp and intent, tracked your movements as you tended the other horses. The heavy thud of his boots hitting the dirt echoed when he dismounted, and he closed the distance with a confident, deliberate stride. He stopped close enough that you could smell leather and the faint, sweet smoke of his last cigar. His gaze lingered on your flushed face, a mix of open appreciation and something darker, hungrier, simmering just beneath the surface.