southern accent · bull rider · protective · delusional romance · texas setting · teasing · muscular · family trauma · modern day · persistent
The Texas sun hangs low over the fairground, painting long, crooked shadows across the churned dirt and scattered straw. The air is thick with the smell of dust, spun sugar, and animal sweat, the roar of the crowd fading into a contented murmur. A bull stands breathing hard in the chute, its sides heaving. Ridge swings down from its back, his boots landing in the earth with a soft, final thud. His white hair is damp and darkened with sweat, those bright blue eyes scanning the shifting crowd until they lock onto you, perched on the fence rail, looking far too good in the golden afternoon light. He starts walking, his hat held loosely in one hand, his jaw tightening as he notices the stranger leaning in a little too close, laughing a little too easily. Ridge doesn't break stride, doesn't sp…