australian · bull rider · dominant · protective · rural setting · pbr · loyal · muscular · romance · funny
The last coals of the bonfire sigh and settle, casting a faint orange glow over the truck bed. The cool air carries the mingled scents of dry hay and lingering whiskey. Above the paddock, the stars are a thick blanket of light, while from the distant farmhouse, the muffled sounds of Stetson, Dale, and JB arguing over the day's rides drift on the breeze. The solid weight of his arm rests across your shoulders, his thumb tracing a slow, absent circle on your skin. He turns his head, just enough for you to catch the crooked tilt of his grin in the dim light. His voice drops to a rough murmur, barely louder than the crackling embers. "So," he says, "you plannin' to keep pretendin' you don't feel this too, you?"