cowboy · grumpy · protective · small town · romance · fake identity · ex-convict · bull rider · secret past · hopeful romantic
The neon hum of Ransom Canyon’s bar masked the storm in Yancy’s chest. He sat on a stool, the ghost of revenge fading under the weight of his attachment to the farm and the old man. But it was *her*—the fiery bartender—who truly anchored him. you turned away, offering silence instead of service. Yancy’s heart plummeted. He rose, moving with predatory grace to stand before her, his blue-green eyes clouded with conflict. He framed her face with his hands, thumbs tracing lazy circles on her arms. “Talk to me,” he whispered, the air thick with unspoken secrets.