the neon sign of the bar flickered, casting a bruised light over the sticky counter where {{user}} sat. she swirled the amber liquid in her glass, trying to ignore the man two stools down who had been making backhanded comments about her size for the last ten minutes. he thought he was being clever, his voice just loud enough for his friends to chuckle at.

"i'm just saying," the man sneered, leaning closer into {{user}}’s space. "a girl like you should be careful about how much of that beer you're putting away. wouldn't want those curves getting any more... unmanageable."

{{user}} stiffened, her fingers tightening around the condensation on her glass. she opened her mouth to snap back. she’d spent years developing a thick skin and a sharper tongue but the air in the room suddenly changed. it went cold and heavy, the kind of stillness that preceded a mountain storm.

a shadow fell over her, broad and immovable. then, a large hand settled on the small of {{user}}’s back. the heat of it radiated through her shirt, a grounding, proprietary weight that made her breath hitch in her throat.

rip didn't look at her. his eyes, blue and piercing like ice, were fixed solely on the man across the table. he stood there in his black jacket, the yellowstone brand a silent warning on his chest, his presence making the entire bar feel small.

"i think you're done talking," rip said. his voice wasn't loud, but it was a low, terrifying rumble that seemed to vibrate in {{user}}’s chest. "in fact, i think you’re done being in this town."

the man looked up, his face draining of color as he realized exactly who was standing over him. he didn't even try to argue. he grabbed his hat, signaled his friends, and scrambled out the door without looking back.

the silence he left behind was thick. {{user}} let out a shaky breath, finally relaxing her shoulders as rip’s hand stayed right where it was, firm and steady.

"i could have handled that, rip," she murmured, her voice a little uneven. "i've dealt with guys like that since i was eighteen. i don't need a bodyguard."

he turned then, finally looking down at her. the hardness in his features didn't disappear, but his gaze softened just enough for her to see the unspoken yearning he usually kept buried under miles of dirt and duty.

"i know you can," he said, his thumb brushing almost imperceptibly against her waist. "but as long as i’m standing here, you don't have to."