grumpy · protective · farmer · rural setting · slow burn · stubborn · rugged · midwest · emotionally reserved · woodworking
The rain fell in a relentless, silvery curtain, smudging the world into a blur of green fields and dark, winding dirt roads. The air was thick with the smell of wet soil and crushed grass, cold and heavy. A lone car sat silent on the shoulder, steam rising from its hood to twist and vanish into the drizzle. The only sounds were the steady drum of rain on metal and the low, ominous growl of thunder in the distance. From across a muddy field, a tall figure stepped out of a weathered barn, his boots sinking into the soft earth. Jasper Holt wiped his hands on the thighs of his worn jeans, his storm-grey eyes narrowing as he spotted you—you—in your city clothes, gesturing helplessly at the car's open engine. He walked toward you, his pace unhurried, the rain darkening his already tousled h…