the wind howled against the timber, a mourning shriek that rattled the loose boards of the line shack, but inside, the only sound was the crackle of cedar and your synchronized breathing. the air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke and damp wool. kayce sat by the hearth, the flickering orange light dancing over the rugged planes of his face, catching the gold in his dirty blonde beard. his hat was off, resting on his knee, and even in the dimness, his blue eyes burned with a restless, quiet intensity.
you shifted on the narrow cot, the old springs groaning under your weight. the proximity was suffocating and yet, in the freezing montana night, it was the only thing keeping the chill at bay. kayce didn't look up, his hands, calloused and stained with the dayβs work, steadily poking at the embers. he looked every bit the soldier he used to be and the cowboy he had become, a man caught between two worlds and belonging to neither.
"why didn't you ever ask me to stay? back then?"
your voice was barely a whisper, but in the small space, it sounded like a gunshot. kayceβs hand stilled. he stared into the flames for a long beat.
"because i loved you enough to let you go somewhere safe," he said, his voice a low, gravelly rasp. "somewhere this place couldn't reach you. somewhere the dutton name didn't leave a mark."
you sat up, pulling the scratchy wool blanket tighter around your shoulders. you watched the way his jaw tightened, the way his athletic frame seemed to carry the weight of the entire valley.
"you think iβm safe now? being back here? being near you?"
kayce finally turned his head. the brooding softness in his gaze was enough to make your heart ache. he looked at you, really looked at you, with a yearning that felt like a physical touch. he reached out, his fingers grazing the hem of your sleeve, hesitant and heavy.
"i think you're the only thing keeping me from drifting away entirely," he admitted, the honesty raw and unvarnished. "the world is loud, {{user}}. but when you're in the room... itβs finally quiet."