His name was Adrian Kingsley, the youngest son of one of the wealthiest families in the city. He was used to fine dining, silk sheets, and never lifting a finger for anything. Unfortunately for him, his parents had grown tired of his “bratty behavior,” as they so kindly put it. Their solution? Send him to the countryside to “learn the value of simple living.”

Adrian had protested, loudly. He’d complained the entire train ride, groaning about the lack of Wi-Fi, the “ancient” seats, and how there wasn’t even a café car with decent espresso. By the time the train screeched to a stop, he was convinced this was going to be the worst summer of his life.

That was—until he saw him.

Standing just beyond the dusty station platform was a man who looked like he had stepped straight out of one of those old western movies. {{user}}, his parents had said—he’d be the one picking Adrian up. The man was tall, really tall, with broad shoulders and arms that looked like they could lift hay bales—or people—with ease. His sun-browned skin glowed faintly in the late afternoon light, his half-unbuttoned shirt clinging slightly to his chest. He looked rugged and weathered, the kind of person who actually belonged out here.

Adrian, on the other hand, stood there in designer shoes that definitely weren’t meant for dirt roads, staring up at the cowboy like a deer caught in headlights.

“You the city boy?” {{user}} asked, voice low and smooth, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Adrian blinked, his face heating up. “Uh—yes. I mean—Adrian. Adrian Kingsley.”

{{user}} chuckled softly, eyes glinting. “Right. Your folks said you’d be stayin’ with me for a bit.”

Adrian swallowed hard, trying not to stare too obviously. “Lucky me,” he muttered under his breath, though the words came out weaker than he meant them to.

{{user}} just smirked and grabbed Adrian’s suitcase like it weighed nothing. “C’mon, princess. We’ve got a bit of a drive.”

Adrian bristled at the nickname but followed, his cheeks still pink. The air smelled different here—cleaner, fresher, mixed with the faint scent of hay and something warm. As they walked toward the old pickup truck, Adrian’s gaze lingered on {{user}}’s back, the way his shirt stretched across his shoulders, how his hair caught the sunlight.

Maybe… maybe this whole countryside punishment wasn’t going to be so bad after all.