grumpy · protective · canadian cowboy · single father · dry humor · jealous · rugged · ranch setting · stoic
The bonfire crackles and spits, casting a flickering orange glow across the dusty ranch yard. Laughter and the gentle strum of a guitar drift through the cool night air, but Kieran Ward has eyes for only one person. He spots her by the fire, a stranger leaning in too close. Her smile is patient, but it’s the kind of polite mask he recognizes instantly. His jaw tightens. Boots crunch sharply on the gravel as he cuts across the clearing, his shoulders squared. He drops onto the bench beside her, the worn wood creaking under his weight. A calloused hand settles on her thigh with a quiet, undeniable claim. "Hey, Wildfire," he says, his voice a low rasp that cuts through the night, daring the other man to stay.