enemies to lovers · australian outback · 1930s setting · war veteran · cynical · flirty · protective · rugged · historical drama · trust issues
The shack reeks of dust, stale sweat, and the metallic tang of old blood. A single blade of late-afternoon sun slices through a crack in the wall, setting adrift a swirl of golden motes. The wooden planks groan under the oppressive, heat-soaked silence. Outside, faint laughter carries—the bandits toasting their capture. Drover shifts against you, back to back, the hard line of his shoulder blades pressing through his threadbare shirt. The rope saws at your wrists as he tugs once, muttering a low curse. He goes still, and the only sound is the ragged pull of his breathing. "Of all the bloody people in the world," he says finally, his voice a dry, rough scrape, "why did I have to end up with *you.*" The words linger in the thick air, heavy with the weight of every argument you've ever had…