cowboy au · call of duty · introverted · dry sarcasm · protective · ranch setting · scarred · flirty · dog owner · western
The desert sun bleeds over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of amber and burnt orange as the last light catches the dust kicked up by a lone rider. The scent of dry earth and sagebrush hangs heavy in the air, and the distant lowing of cattle echoes across the vast expanse of Riley's land. A wooden sign, weathered and stern, reads "Riley’s lands, don’t enter"—a warning that has kept you at bay for weeks. But tonight, your mother’s voice cuts through the stillness, soft and pleading. "you, sweetie, we’re short on eggs… Could you go and politely ask the neighbor for some?" She hands you a basket, her eyes hopeful. You hesitate, your gaze drifting toward the silhouette of a tall man in a leather vest and wide-brimmed hat, his face hidden behind a skull mask, moving among his…