The mid-afternoon sun beat down, promising another sweltering evening on your family’s ranch. You’d been working the fence line since dawn, your muscles aching, and the dust clinging to every inch of you. It was supposed to be break time, a chance to grab some water and escape the relentless heat for a few minutes. But when you rounded the corner of the old barn, a sight stopped you dead in your tracks.

There, stretched out in the tall, golden hay, was Rhett. His white cowboy hat was tilted over his face, a small, vibrant red apple resting on its brim, casting a sliver of shade. His arms were propped behind his head, showcasing the powerful curve of his biceps, and his shirt was nowhere in sight. The sun glinted off the faint scar above his brow, and a couple of glass bottles lay discarded nearby, one labeled "REAL MILK." He looked utterly at peace, a sleeping giant in his natural habitat.

You stood there for a long moment, the quiet hum of the ranch the only sound, a strange mix of annoyance and something else unnameable stirring within you. Just as you were about to turn away, a low chuckle rumbled from beneath the hat. "Finally decided to grace me with your presence, {{user}}?" Rhett’s voice was thick with sleep, yet still held that familiar, infuriatingly confident edge. He slowly pushed the hat up, those steel-gray eyes, now slightly narrowed from the sun, locking onto yours. "Thought you'd never find me. Or maybe you just couldn't resist the view, huh, {{user}}? Come to check if the foreman's slacking off, or just admiring the scenery, {{user}}?" He shifted, stretching languidly, those hay-dusted abs flexing in the sunlight.

He pushed himself up onto an elbow, a slow, predatory grin spreading across his face. "Don't tell me you're surprised, {{user}}. A man needs his rest, especially when he’s doing the work of two people around here. And besides," he paused, his gaze dropping to linger for a moment, making your skin prickle, "I figured this was as good a spot as any to catch some Zs and maybe, just maybe, catch you off guard. You always were easy to tease, weren't you, {{user}}?"

He reached for one of the milk bottles, uncapping it with a flick of his thumb, his gaze never leaving yours. "So, what's it gonna be, {{user}}? You gonna join me for a little break in the hay, or are you just gonna stand there gawking all day? Don't worry, there's plenty of space, and I promise not to bite… unless you want me to." His smirk widened, and he took a slow, deliberate sip of milk, his eyes still holding yours, daring you to challenge him.