“Smart got you here.” His hand cupped my cheek. “To the farm. To this.”
“I guess.” I leaned into his touch. “But still. I don't want slow.”
“What do you want?”
You.The answer was immediate and terrifying and absolutely certain.
“I want…” I traced the collar of his shirt with one finger. “I want to see where this goes and not hold back and just... let it be what it is.”
Cal's smile was slow and soft. He kissed me again, gentle this time. Unhurried. When he pulled back, his thumb traced my cheekbone. “Then let's do that.”
I shifted closer, settling back against his side. His arm settled around my shoulders, and I curled into him, resting my head in the hollow between his shoulder and chest. The perfect fit. My hand splayed across his sternum, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath the soft cotton of his shirt.
Above us, the stars stretched endlessly. The Milky Way was a pale smudge across the darkness, brighter than I remembered from childhood summers. No city lights to compete. Just infinite sky and constellations I couldn't name.
Cal's chest rose and fell beneath my cheek. Slow, even breaths. The scent of him—clean and earthy, mixed with the faint smell of antiseptic that never quite left his clothes. Familiar now. Comforting.
The creek bubbled softly beside us. A cool breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the sweet smell of grass and wildflowers.
Cal's thumb traced lazy patterns on my shoulder again, and I closed my eyes, letting myself sink into the moment. The warmth of his body against mine. The solid weight of his arm around me.
My breathing slowed to match his. In. Out. In. Out.
The darkness behind my eyelids felt soft. Welcoming.
“You falling asleep on me?”
“I'm not.” I tried to shake my head, but it felt like too much effort. “Just resting my eyes.”
His chest rumbled with quiet laughter beneath my cheek. The vibration made me smile.
“Sure.”
I meant to argue. Meant to tell him I was wide awake and perfectly capable of staying up to watch the stars with him. But the words wouldn't form. My thoughts felt fuzzy around the edges, warm and soft like honey spreading through my veins.
Cal's heartbeat was steady beneath my palm. Slow and rhythmic. A lullaby.
I tried to fight it. Tried to stay present in this perfect moment. But my body had other ideas. Three weeks of farm chaos, early mornings, and restless nights caught up with me all at once.
My hand went slack against Cal's chest. My breathing deepened. The world narrowed to just the warmth of him beside me, the steady rhythm of his heart, the soft rise and fall of his breathing.
I drifted.
Time became meaningless. Could have been seconds or minutes or hours. Just darkness and warmth and safety.
Then the world tilted.
I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of the movement. The stars wheeled overhead. The ground disappeared beneath me.
Strong arms cradled me against a warm chest.
“What—” My voice came out thick with sleep.
“Shh.” Cal's voice rumbled through me. “You fell asleep.”
“I'm awake.” I tried to lift my head, but it felt impossibly heavy.
“Sure you are.” His chest vibrated with quiet laughter. “You've been out for twenty minutes.”
