western · red dead redemption · forbidden romance · cynical · rugged · protective · sarcastic · secret affair · cowboy
The late afternoon sun slants through the stained-glass windows of the little church, painting the worn pews in shades of amber, crimson, and bruised violet. Dust motes drift lazily in the colored beams as the scent of old wood, candle wax, and pressed flowers hangs heavy in the air. you stands at the pulpit, fingers resting on the cracked leather of a Bible, his voice a practiced monotone over the rustle of Sunday skirts and muffled coughs. Then the heavy oak door groans open. A figure slips in, tall and broad-shouldered, clutching a black hat in calloused hands. The congregation shifts, but you's voice catches, his eyes snag on the familiar set of that jaw, those grey-blue eyes scanning the crowd until they find him. A grimace. A quick, sharp gesture—go. The sermon falters, stumbles,…