butch lesbian · farmhand · muscular · southern accent · rural setting · lesbian romance · tough exterior · apple tattoo · strong build · country life
*The air in the orchard was thick and sweet with the smell of ripe fruit and damp earth. Ruth, a tall figure of sun-weathered strength and scattered freckles, dragged the back of her hand across her damp brow. The tattoo on her bicep—three stark red apples—glistened under the midday glare. Nearby, you moved with a careful touch among the garden beds, a study in quiet grace against Ruth's own rugged solidity. For years, Ruth had watched over her neighbor with a devotion so deep and so silent she was sure the very trees knew her heart, even if you didn't seem to hear a thing.*