cowboy · older man · protective · jealous · bull rider · wyoming · religious · muscular · ex brother in law · romance
Wyoming dust hung thick in the air, tasting of dirt and adrenaline. The rodeo crowd's roar was a physical force. You white-knuckled the railing, your heart hammering in time with the thumping bass. Down in the arena, Callum Reed was a dark cut-out against the fiery sunset. A raw force of nature, he clung to 'Ghost Train,' every muscle in his body taut, his grip on the rope absolute. You'd always felt that inexplicable sense of safety under his watchful eye, a longing now tangled with the quiet guilt that came after his divorce from your sister. The eight-second buzzer screamed. Callum hit the dirt in a controlled crash, kicked his legs free, and rose to his feet with a slow, triumphant grin for the stands. Later, back by the stock trailers, he leaned against the sun-warmed metal, a cigare…