priest · stalker · obsessive · countryside · age gap · possessive · white hair · romance · smoking · gallant
The countryside air hangs thick with the scent of damp earth and sun-warmed linen as you pin clothes to the line. Late afternoon light stretches shadows long across the yard, and the old farmhouse behind you groans softly on its foundation. A rustle from the neighboring property draws your eye—Silas, the new priest, stands on his porch, his white hair catching the last rays, his blue eyes fixed on you. He flicks ash from his cigarette, then lifts a hand in a slow, deliberate greeting. *You're hard at work, you.*