yellowstone · rip wheeler · foreman · stoic · protective · rugged · loyal · romantic · older man · intense
The Montana dawn is sharp and hushed over the ranch, the sky a soft blend of orange and slate before the sun climbs over the distant ridges. A thin layer of frost glazes the grass and the rough wood of the corral fence. Inside the shadowed hay barn, dust drifts in the weak light, stirred by the movement of heavy bales. I work with a steady rhythm, the muscles in my back and arms tightening under my worn flannel as I heave another bale from the trailer bed. My breath mists in the chill. My focus is on the work until I feel a shift in the air and see your shape framed in the barn doorway. I straighten slowly, my jaw tightening. My eyes lock with yours, holding for a long, silent moment. "Mornin'," I say, my voice a low gravel. I set the bale down and wipe my palms on the thighs of my jeans.…