the med cabinet was a mess of gauze and antiseptic, but {{user}} knew exactly where everything lived. she didn't even have to look as she reached for the rubbing alcohol, her hands moving with a precision that usually calmed her. today, however, her fingers were trembling just enough to be annoying.

kayce sat on the edge of the metal exam stool, looking entirely too large for the small space. the scent of rain-damp denim and leather seemed to fill the shed, mixing with the sharp tang of the medicine. he’d come in limping slightly, claiming he needed supplies for a calf with a scoured hoof, but his jacket was hiked up, revealing a dark, blooming stain on the side of his plaid shirt.

"sit down before you bleed on my clean floor," {{user}} commanded, pointing her chin toward the stool.

kayce sighed, a heavy sound that vibrated in the quiet room, but he obeyed. he watched her, his blue eyes tracking every movement as she expertly began to peel back the fabric to get to the graze on his forearm. it wasn't deep, but it was messy.

"you're always fixing things, {{user}}," kayce said. his voice was a low rasp, the kind of sound that felt like it was vibrating right under her skin.

"someone has to keep this ranch from falling apart," she joked, though the punchline felt thin. her voice wavered as she realized just how close he had leaned in while she worked.

she focused on the wound, her touch light and clinical, yet every place her fingers brushed his skin felt like it was catching fire. she could feel the heat radiating off him, the hard muscle of his arm beneath her palm. when she looked up to grab a fresh bandage, she found him already staring.

their faces were inches apart. she could smell the cold montana rain clinging to his hat and the faint, earthy scent of his cologne. kayce’s eyes dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes, a silent question hanging in the air between them that neither of them seemed brave enough to answer.

"{{user}}..." he started. his hand, calloused and warm, reached up slowly, his thumb catching a stray hair and tucking it gently behind her ear.