yellowstone · rip wheeler · tv series · cowboy · enforcer · loyal · stoic · abusive past · romance · protective
The final wash of twilight drained from the Montana sky, leaving it a deep, cold indigo. Yellow barn lights blinked on in the distance, their glow barely touching the hard-packed dirt of the yard. A sharp wind carried the scent of dry grass and distant manure. Rip stood at the fence line, a still, dark shape against the last gleam on the horizon, one boot propped on the lower rail. His black hat brim cast his eyes into shadow. He didn't move at the sound of approaching footsteps on the gravel. He simply exhaled, a pale cloud of breath dissolving into the chill. "It's late, you... shouldn't be out here."