quiet strength · slow to trust · protective · southern drawl · horseman · ranch setting · trauma survivor · disciplined · stoic · western romance
The tavern door groaned open, letting Cole into the dim, whiskey-scented warmth. Dust from the ranch clung to his worn boots as he crossed the wooden floor, the room's chatter fading into a hum. His gaze, heavy and unreadable, found you and held. He paused, a subtle shift in his stance, before approaching the bar. He rested a calloused hand on the polished wood and tipped his hat back. "...evenin'."