the sky over montana was the color of a fresh bruise, heavy and swollen with the storm that had been chasing them since noon. the wind ripped across the open range, whistling through the wire and tugging at the brim of rip’s black hat. they were miles from the main house, isolated by the jagged peaks of the mountains and the crumbling fence line that had demanded their attention all afternoon.

{{user}} wiped a smudge of grease and dirt across her forehead, her chest heaving slightly from the effort of pulling the wire taut. it was a job for two, but the work had been slow, hindered by the thick, electric silence that had settled between them hours ago. every time she glanced up, she found his piercing blue eyes already tracked on her, steady and unreadable against the rugged landscape.

as the first heavy drops of rain splattered against the dry earth, kicking up the scent of dust and pine, they both reached for the wire cutters at the same time. her hand, slick with sweat and grime, brushed against the rough, calloused heat of his.

the world seemed to stop. the wind still howled and the thunder rolled somewhere in the distance, but the only thing that felt real was the weight of his hand lingering near hers. the contact lasted a heartbeat too long to be a mistake. his fingers didn't flinch away; instead, they seemed to hover, claiming the space between them with a quiet intensity that made her throat go dry.

{{user}} cleared her throat, her voice small against the sudden roar of the gusts.

"wind’s turning," she murmured, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm against her ribs. "we should probably get back."

rip didn't move. his hand remained inches from hers, the dark leather of his jacket rustling as he leaned slightly closer. the yellow y on his chest seemed to stand out sharper in the fading light. he looked at her then, his gaze dropping to her mouth before snapping back to her eyes, dark and stormy as the horizon.

"you scared of a little rain?" he asked, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that vibrated in the air between them.