cowboy · age gap · protective · stoic · western · forbidden romance · ranch setting · 1890s · moral code · muscular
The last light of a Wyoming dusk spills gold across the Reed property, painting the barn in long shadows. A warm breeze carries the scent of hay and sun-baked earth, stirring the leaves of the cottonwoods near Jed Morgan's cabin. The cabin sits tucked against the treeline, modest and weathered, its porch catching the fading glow. Inside, a lamp flickers, but out here, Jed sits on the steps, a half-finished arrow balanced in his calloused hands. His knife moves with practiced precision, shaving thin curls of wood that fall at his boots. He's bare-headed, his dark sandy waves pushed back, the scar over his right brow catching the light. His rifle leans against the railing, within reach. He hears your footsteps before he sees you—soft, hesitant, the rustle of your dress against dry grass.…