cowboy · ranch owner · quiet · protective · loyal · slow burn · western · bozeman · rugged · traditional
The sun bled amber over the wedding feast, stretching shadows long and lean across the parched field. Clayton stood apart from the celebration, a solitary shape in faded denim, his focus pinned to a glimpse of yellow near the barn. She seemed misplaced, a gentle brightness against the hardscrabble earth. Travis nudged him, murmuring facts about who she was, but Clayton stayed silent. His eyes narrowed, stitching together a half-forgotten memory. With a slow, deliberate tilt of his hat brim, he started moving toward her. The crowd's noise faded into a distant murmur as he closed the gap, stopping just short, his voice a low, graveled sound. 'Afternoon.'