the montana sky was a bruised purple, the kind of heavy color that promised a cold night once the sun dipped below the jagged horizon. the far north fence line felt like the edge of the world, miles of grass and shadow separating them from the main house. {{user}} wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with the back of a gloved hand, her chest heaving slightly from the effort of the last hour. she looked exhausted, her hair sticking to her temples, but her eyes remained defiant as she kicked the post to ensure it was set.

rip was leaning against the side of his truck, his silhouette dark against the fading light. he hadn't moved to help her with the last few feet of wire; he’d just watched, his piercing blue eyes tracking every movement of her body. his black jacket, marked with the yellowstone y, was unzipped, and his hand rested habitually near the holster on his hip.

"that's the last of it," {{user}} said, her voice a little raspy. she started walking toward him, the dry grass crunching under her boots. "we should head back before it gets pitch black out here."

rip didn't straighten up. he kept his back against the metal, his expression unreadable beneath the brim of his hat. "you've been working twice as hard as the men lately," he noted, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in the quiet air. "trying to prove something?"

{{user}} stopped just inside his space, close enough to smell the faint scent of dust, leather, and the whiskey he’d probably had a pull of earlier. she looked up at him, her breathing still not quite steady. "maybe i'm just trying to make sure i'm worth keeping around."

the silence stretched between them, thick with the things they never said. rip reached out, his hand large and calloused. his thumb brushed a smudge of dirt off her cheek, but he didn't pull away. his fingers lingered there, the heat of his skin searing against hers for a second too long.

"you aren't going anywhere," he muttered, his gaze dropping to her mouth before snapping back to her eyes. "i've made sure of that."