“You are. And if you want to be the Domme, I’ll let you be. You can’t get upset when the Domme ends up being used by the submissive ‘boy’ as his own personal fucktoy.”
“See!” I shouted. “That’s not the way this works.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m only playing the hand I was dealt.”
I rolled my eyes upward toward the ceiling, and Lex backed me against the wall.
“Are the Littles rubbing off on you? Are your eyes broken?” he asked while hovering above me.
“No, Sir.”
“Then…”
I licked my lips nervously. “I was checking the ceiling for spiders. Didn’t you say this building has been here for a while?”
Lex snickered. “Good catch, brat.” He kissed my nose and turned to walk toward the exit.
I exhaled, grateful that he’d given me grace. There was something about being on the Ranch that made Lex more aggressive. I loved it; it was like his own walls were falling and he was letting me in more. I hurried after him, not wanting to get in trouble for being out of sight.
Back upstairs, I spotted Majesty and another man walking toward us. I felt my smile melt when I looked at their faces. The other guy’s expression was professional, but Majesty’s eyes immediately locked on Lex with that unmistakable urgency. This didn’t bode well for the rest of our day.
“Lex,” Majesty called out, voice firm, carrying across the distance. “Derek needs to talk over some of the material for the class and some safety checks.”
Lex glanced back at me, ready to argue, but I interrupted him with a quiet firmness. “Go,” I said. My voice had no hesitation. “It’s fine. I’ll explore on my own. I’d never interrupt your job, especially when it’s the reason we’re here. You can make it up to me later.”
Majesty’s gaze softened as he looked at me. “I’ll make sure she’s okay,” he said, nodding in my direction. “I can finish the tour.”
“See.” I smiled at Lex, trying to convey reassurance. “I’m okay, promise. Go handle it, Sir.”
He exhaled, clearly torn, but he kissed my forehead before he turned and jogged toward the main lobby with Derek, leaving me with Majesty in the hall.
Even as I watched him go, I could feel the pull of him in my chest, the mix of longing and anticipation twisting in my stomach. I realized I didn’t mind being left behind if it meant he could focus on what needed to be done. Then I could spend time with him later.
Majesty stepped closer, his presence grounding, his eyes seemed to survey my mood when they met mine. “You okay?” he asked, voice low, almost careful.
I nodded, though my heart was still pounding. “I’ll be fine.”
Majesty glanced at me, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “I know Lex has somewhere for you to be in about twenty minutes,” he said, voice low, just enough for me to hear. “I’ll walk you over.”
I nodded, feeling a little flutter in my chest. It wasn’t just the proximity to him, but that calm certainty he carried, the kind of confidence that made me trust that he knew what he was doing.
He steered me toward the Ranch shop. “You can’t go in those sneakers,” he said with a playful glance down at my feet. “Cowgirl boots are non-negotiable.”
I laughed, letting him guide me to the display. He picked out a pair, holding them up for me to see. “These,” he said, “fit your style—and your legs.”
I rolled my eyes but let him help me slip them on. The gentle way he took over, removing my sneakers and putting the boots on slowly, made me feel cared for in a way that I hadn’t expected. The leather was soft and molded perfectly to my calves. He definitely knew what he was talking about. These were perfect. I loved the pale pink stitching in the caramel leather. They were beautiful on my feet.
I flexed and then wiggled my toes, grinning. “I feel powerful already,” I said.
The boots felt strange like I was stepping into something new, but in a good way. Majesty stood beside me, arms folded, eyes sweeping down to the perfectly scuffed leather with a small approving grin.
“Mhm…” he said. “Now you look like you belong here.”
I arched a brow. “Next thing you’ll tell me is I need a hat.”
He chuckled. “Not unless you want one. Don’t want to spook any of the animals before you’ve met them.”
“Animals?” I asked.
