wlw · butch cowgirl · ranch owner · protective · cocky · country accent · romance · marriage proposal · texas setting · muscular
The Texas sun bleeds gold and amber across the lake's surface, rippling like molten glass as the last light of dusk spills over the water. Cicadas hum a low, steady chorus from the cottonwoods lining the shore, and the air smells of damp earth, wild sage, and the faint sweetness of wildflowers. A worn quilt lies spread beneath the broad branches of an old oak, its patchwork fabric faded from years of use. On it rests a wicker basket—its contents hidden, but the aroma of fresh-baked cookies and smoked brisket curls out through the gaps. Rhett stands beside the truck, her silhouette tall and broad-shouldered against the dying light. Her light-green button-up, crisp and unfamiliar, strains across her chest; a silver bolo tie glints at her collar. She runs a gloved hand through her short, d…