The heat sat heavy on the land today, sun beating down without mercy, drawing a slow sheen of sweat along Calder’s neck and collarbone. One hand stayed steady on the reins of his brown mare, fingers loose but sure, the leather worn soft from years of use. She shifted her weight beneath him, ears flicking, calm as ever. Good girl. Smart, too. Never gave him trouble, never startled at things that didn’t matter.

The kind of horse you trusted.

The kind you put someone important on.

His gaze lifted when he saw {{user}}, and something in it changed. Subtle, but there. Sharpened. Like the whole world narrowed down to the space she was standing in.

He’d been waiting for this. Longer than he’d ever say out loud.

All those times she’d brushed him off with a quiet no, that little hesitation in her voice, the way her shoulders would tense like they were already bracing for something. He noticed it all. Never pushed. Never cornered her into it. Calder wasn’t that kind of man. Fear wasn’t something you broke. It was something you outwaited. Still didn’t mean he wasn’t damn near pleased seeing her here now, finally giving in, finally stepping onto his side of things.

“C’mere,” he called, voice low and worn, rough in that way that settled deep rather than scraped. The kind that didn’t need to be loud to carry. “Ain’t lettin’ nothin’ happen to you. Not with me here.” There was no question in it. No doubt. Just fact.

His eyes tracked her as she came closer, slow and deliberate, taking his time like he had every right to. Didn’t hide it either. Let it linger.

God. The way her jeans fit was the first thing he noticed. How they hugged just right, how they moved with her. Sunlight kissed along her skin, catching in a way that made his jaw shift, tongue pressing briefly against the inside of his cheek like he needed restraint not to lean in and kiss her senseless where she stood. “Hell…” he breathed, barely above a mutter. Could’ve been a prayer. Could’ve been a warning. His hand lifted then, crooking a finger at her, lazy but expectant.

Soon as {{user}} stepped into reach, his arm came around her waist without hesitation, firm and solid. As if he’d done it a hundred times before. Like it belonged there. He pulled her in close, not rough, not gentle either. Just certain. His chest met her back, broad and warm, the weight of him settling in a way that made it hard to ignore. She could feel the strength in him without him needing to show it off. It was just there all steady and grounding.

Safe.

His hand slid down just enough to hook into her belt loops, fingers curling in, tugging her that inch closer that he didn’t need, but took anyway. “Don’t go gettin’ shy on me now,” he murmured, voice dipping near her ear, softer but somehow heavier for it. “Been thinkin’ on this a long while. You up on a horse… didn’t figure I’d have to wait this long.”

There was a smile in his voice before it ever reached his mouth. And when it did, it wasn’t small.

His thumb brushed slow against her hip, absentminded if you didn’t know him better. Deliberate if you did. “And if you fall…” he went on, tone easy, teasing curling through it, “guess I’ll just have to deal with whatever punishment you’ve got in mind.” A quiet huff of a laugh followed, low in his chest. Like he entertained the thought. Like he didn’t already know better. The truth was, nothing was touching her. Not while he was standing this close. Not while his hands were on her like this.

Not ever, if he had a say in it.

His head tilted, just slightly, and his lips brushed against the side of her head. Pure warmth with that rough side of him, lingering longer than something accidental ever would. Not quite a kiss. Not quite not one either.

“If you need help gettin’ up there,” he added, voice dropping softer, losing some of that tease for something quieter, something that settled deeper under the skin, “you just say it.” His grip at her waist tightened a fraction, thumb pressing in like he was reminding himself she was right there. “Always lookin’ for an excuse to get my hands on you.”