As Eris stepped out of the car, eyeing the porch where a few people were sitting in the large basket chairs in the midmorning light, she felt like she was stepping back into a piece of herself. Rawhide Ranch had given her an escape from the everyday hustle last time, letting her explore in the safest environment around. Now it would let her explore a new side of herself.
Primal play. CNC. She had convinced herself back at her house that she didn’t want the CNC aspect, but now, presented with the opportunity, she wasn’t sure if that was still true or if she was just used to denying herself.
“Hello! You must be Eris. Nice to see you again.”
Surprised, she stopped studying the Ranch to eye the men walking towards her. She recognized them from last time, but it took a few moments for their names to slide into place. “Oh! Hello, Dax, Moses.”
Moses smiled as he grabbed the single checked bag she’d brought with her, the contents loaded down with some sex toys she brought from home. She didn’t need to do that with the luxuries the Ranch could offer, but there were a few things that were her favorites, and on the off chance that things went horribly wrong, she wanted the opportunity to be able to still chase her pleasure herself.
“Welcome back to the Ranch,” Dax continued. Her carry-on doubled as her purse, which was already slung over her shoulder. Moses' friendly smile reminded her of her previous visit, and she found her eyes tracking the gentle sway of his long braid as the three of them wandered across the threshold. She recalled admiring his long hair during her last visit too, and Dax was plenty friendly as well. That was part of what she loved about the Ranch the most; everyone was open and willing to talk about themselves, about kink, and just about anything.
Eris followed along quietly, waving to the people who sat on the porch. It looked like a few Littles, though she didn’t see a Dominant with them until they crossed into the lobby. Then she spotted someone heading out with what appeared to be a tray holding glasses and a pitcher of orange juice.
“Master Derek is expecting you,” Dax continued conversationally, stopping beside the desk and distracting her. Eris smiled again when she recognized Erika, the same person who had checked her in the last time.
“Thank you,” Eris replied, smiling as Moses set down the bag he carried before nodding and hurrying off. He moved back towards the doors, and she wondered if there was another guest arriving today. She turned and focused her attention on Erika, who gave her a wide grin.
“Welcome back.” Erika said, her friendly eyes easing Eris’ jumpy nerves. She wore a smart business-casual suit in a deepgreen that offset her short, brown hair. It looked amazing on her. Erika nodded towards the doorway to Master Derek’s office.
The door was already open, and Eris realized that things were moving at lightning speed this time around.
“We’ve been getting things in order, and Master Derek is expecting you. He should be available now to talk. He set aside some time for your arrival.”
Eyeing her bag, Eris noticed that it hadn’t yet been taken up to a room. “What about?—”
“We’ll take care of everything,” Erika interrupted, winking when Eris looked back. “Your bag, and your purse, will be in your accommodation once you arrive.”
Eris thought that sounded odd. Last time she was here as a visitor she stayed in the guest rooms, but her bag had been taken directly upstairs before she’d ever gone into Master Derek’s office. This was a little different. And previously, there had been no issue with her keeping her purse as she spoke with Master Derek before going upstairs to settle in.
“Don’t overthink it,” Erika continued, meeting Eris’ gaze once more. “Go on. He can answer any questions you have.”
That sounded more like it. Master Derek had been very direct when they’d spoken last time, and he’d openly answered anything she asked. A small detail about her check-in shouldn’t affect the rest of her stay.
Smiling, she set her carry-on with her suitcase and nodded to Erika. She moved towards the office door, ready to get her Rawhide Ranch experience underway.
It wasn’t that different of a check-in from the previous year. Master Derek went over things at the Ranch, just like last time, although this time they had a whole discussion on primal play and CNC.
She was surprised, after seeing no CNC during her previous stay, how diverse the options were. Master Derek gave her abreakdown of what could and couldn’t be expected, and assured her, just as the email had, that she would be seeing Gabriel again.
Whenwas now the question. Instead of ending their conversation and offering for her to settle in, he suggested she go to the stables and revisit her favorite spot. Primal play, especially ongoing for a full five days during her stay, required different accommodations.
“The cabins allow easy access to our outdoor play area,” Master Derek explained, and Eris found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet, eager to go exploring. She never considered herself a Little before, but right now, she had the energy of one justthinkingabout what awaited her once she left the office.
“During your visit, you are always allowed here in the main lodge, and we expect that you use any and all facilities that you like. For this particular visit though, we thought the cabins would be the most beneficial.”
Eris remembered seeing the guest cabins sprinkled around the property when she’d gone out riding. She’d briefly mentioned to Gabriel during one of their rides that she would love to see the inside of one, but it hadn’t happened during her last visit. They’d really only managed to go out once with the weather last time, and most of her riding had been done in the indoor arena to keep both herself and Magic safe.
Now though, someone had thought ahead and decided if Eris and Gabriel were planning on some primal play, the privacy of the cabins for aftercare might be the right idea. She was well aware that witnessing primal play might be triggering to some of the other people on the Ranch, and she didn’t want to push anyone’s boundaries.
Her own boundaries on the other hand? She couldn’t wait to see what she could handle.
“Thank you for letting us use the cabins,” Eris said, smiling up at Master Derek. During their first meeting the last time he’d predominantly stayed seated, and she hadn’t really gotten to take in his full size until a few days into her stay. Now they stood together, her head nowhere near his shoulder, and she was reminded of how powerful and strong the Ranch owner really was.
“The cabins are there to be used,” Master Derek replied easily, giving her a grin. “We believe they will help you live out your fantasy to its full effect. I read the details of your email, and we’ve taken into account your limits. I’ve shared the specifics with Gabriel ahead of time.”
Gabriel.Just thinking about him made tingles shoot through her from her head to toe. She had yet to see him, which wasn’t much of a surprise since speaking with Master Derek always happened first. But her mind drifted back to light blond hair, muscular shoulders, and those deep, dark eyes that drew her into their depths. She missed the way his bulging arms could circle around her, or hold her down, depending on the moment.
When she’d first stepped into Master Derek’s office, after some brief chatter, he laid out the plans to enact her primal fantasy. She’d always had a dream of being hunted, going out on a horseback ride and exploring the areas around her just to be hunted and chased before her Dominant fucked her into the ground. It was a fantasy she couldn’t imagine with just anyone. It took too much trust to try something like this with a perfect stranger.