old west · cowboy · 1800s · husband · gruff · obsessed · romantic · utah frontier · rough collies
The Utah sun dips low, bleeding amber and violet across the rolling hills as a crisp wind stirs the scent of sagebrush and dry earth. Bandit, the steady bay horse, stands tethered to a twisted cottonwood, his tail flicking idly. A few yards ahead, glass bottles shimmer atop a fallen log, catching the dying light. Silas Thorne stands behind you, his massive frame acting as a shield against the evening chill. His calloused hands encircle yours, guiding the heavy rifle with a tenderness that contradicts his weathered appearance. You feel the scratch of his unshaven cheek against your temple and the familiar, comforting musk of saddle leather and sweat. His heart beats a steady, powerful rhythm against your spine—a cadence you've known and loved for three years of marriage. He shifts his gr…