“Okay.”
“What I did—the spanking, the discipline—that wasn’t planned. You pushed, and I responded. But in the future, scenes like that need to be negotiated beforehand. Do you understand?”
“I pushed on purpose,” I admitted. “I wanted to see what would happen.”
“I know.” His lips quirked slightly. “You’re not as subtle as you think. But that doesn’t change the fact that we need to establish clearer boundaries. Especially now.”
“Especially now?”
“You mentioned being open to more and that can get tricky. So having clear boundaries keeps assumptions out of the way.”
As if summoned, a knock sounded at my door.
“Cami?” Majesty’s voice called. “You up? I brought coffee.”
Lex and I looked at each other and, despite everything, I had to suppress a laugh at the timing.
“Come in,” I called.
The door opened, and Majesty stepped in carrying two mugs of coffee. He stopped short when he saw Lex sitting on my bed, clearly having just woken up.
“Well,” Majesty said slowly, his eyes moving between us. “This is interesting.”
“It’s not what it looks like, Sir,” I started.
“It looks like Lex spent the night taking care of you. Maybe a good massage and cuddles,” Majesty responded, setting the mugs down on the nightstand. His expression was unreadable. “Am I wrong?”
Lex stood, stretching his body out. “You’re not wrong at all.”
Majesty nodded. “Good. She needed that.” He looked at me. “How are you feeling?”
I checked for signs of jealousy, anger, disgruntled behavior, but instead Majesty seemed unbothered by Lex being here. Well… he did seem relieved, satisfied that Lex stayed the night. This was going to take more getting used to than I’d thought.
“I feel refreshed. I’m still a little stiff but much less than last night.”
“Sore?”
“Only a little, Sir.”
Something flickered across his face at the honorific. “We’ll take it easy in training today. Focus on theory instead of physical practice.” He picked up one of the mugs and handed it to me. “Drink your coffee, Cami. Breakfast is in thirty minutes. That one’s for you, Lex.”
He left, closing the door behind him.
I looked at Lex. “Is he angry?”
“No.” Lex stood and found his shoes. “But we’ll need to talk. All three of us. About what’s happening here.”
“What is happening here?”
He took his coffee, paused at the door, looking back at me with those intense dark eyes. “Something neither of us planned for. Something that might be exactly what all three of us need.”
Then he was gone, leaving me alone with my coffee and a thousand questions. And the undeniable feeling that everything had just changed.
Chapter Six
Cami
After breakfast, Lex took my hand, and I let him lead the way across the Ranch grounds. The air smelled faintly of pine and wood smoke, the sun low, casting golden light across the sprawling property. I couldn’t stop taking in the size of the place, the way the buildings seemed purposeful, the way the open space made my chest feel lighter somehow.
