Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Cami
The next few days that followed felt both endless and far too short.
I threw myself into work, styling three different clients for major events, updating my blog with new content, and generally trying not to obsess over what was coming.
Shelly called me every other day to check in, each conversation a blend of excitement and gentle interrogation about how I was feeling.
“Nervous,” I’d tell her. “But the good kind of nervous.”
“That’s the right kind,” she’d assure me.
I’d started a list of questions, things I wanted to ask Majesty and Lex when I got to the Ranch.
It grew longer every day, a mix of practical concerns and deeper curiosities about how multi-partner dynamics actually worked.
About boundaries and jealousy and communication.
About whether I was really capable of what I was curious about.
Ten days before I was supposed to leave, my phone buzzed from the group text.
Lex:
Quick question. Any chance you could come to the Ranch a few days early?
Majesty:
We want to go over protocol with you before the students arrive. Give you time to get comfortable with the space and what we’ll be asking you to do.
My heart rate picked up. They wanted me there earlier.
Me:
How early are we talking?
Lex:
This weekend. We’d cover your flight change, obviously.
Majesty:
No pressure if you can’t swing it with work. Just thought it might help ease some of the nerves.
I stared at my phone. This weekend was four days away. Four days instead of ten.
Me:
Let me check with my clients and get back to you in an hour?
Lex:
Take your time.
It took me thirty minutes to rearrange my schedule, push one appointment, and confirm another client could meet me a day earlier. When I texted them back with a yes, the response was immediate.
Majesty:
Perfect. Sending new flight info now.
Lex:
Looking forward to having you here, Cami.
The flight to Montana was smooth, the landscape below shifting from urban sprawl to vast stretches of mountains and forests.
I’d packed according to the list they’d sent, casual clothes, a few nicer outfits for evening sessions, comfortable shoes.
And tucked in the bottom of my suitcase, wrapped carefully in tissue paper, was a black silk robe Shelly had insisted I bring.
“Trust me,” she’d said. “You’ll want something that makes you feel good.”
A driver was waiting for me at the airport, holding a sign with my name. Professional, polite, he loaded my bags and didn’t ask questions during the hour-long drive.
Rawhide Ranch appeared like something out of a dream.
A massive layout of wooden buildings with stone accents, set against a backdrop of pine trees and distant peaks.
The main lodge was intense, with a wide porch extending the entire length of the front and floor-to-ceiling windows that reflected the late afternoon sun.
The iron gates that we’d entered through put us on a path to this building, making it impossible to miss the entrance.
The driver helped me with my bags, then tipped his hat and left. I stood there for a moment, luggage at my feet, trying to absorb the reality of where I was. The door opened before I could ascend the half dozen steps to the set of double doors.
Majesty stood there, his smile immediate and warm. “You made it.”
“I did.” My nervousness melted slightly at the sight of him. He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, but somehow still carried that commanding presence.
“Come on, let’s get you settled.” He grabbed my bags like they weighed nothing and gestured for me to follow.
Inside, the lodge was even more impressive. Exposed beams, a massive stone fireplace, comfortable furniture arranged in intimate groupings. It managed to feel both grand and welcoming at the same time.
Lex appeared from a hallway to the left, and my breath caught slightly. He wore dark slacks and a fitted button-down, sleeves rolled up, looking every bit the professional educator.
“Cami. Good flight?” he asked, his dark eyes assessing but kind.
“Uneventful, which is the best kind,” I replied.
“We’ll take you to your room first, then we’ll give you the full tour,” Majesty said, leading the way.
We went on a golf cart with the bags and arrived at one of the many cabins around the Ranch.
This one appeared larger than most of the others we’d passed.
I no longer needed to worry about if we were going to be cramped into a small space.
This place was big enough for a family of six.
My room was on the second floor, spacious and beautifully appointed with a large bed, sitting area, and windows overlooking the mountains. An attached bathroom with a soaking tub made me want to immediately hide in there for an hour.
“This is incredible,” I said, setting my purse down on the dresser.
“We want you comfortable,” Lex said from the doorway. “You’ll be spending the next few weeks here, after all.”
Majesty set my bags on the luggage rack. “Take some time to unpack and settle in. Meet us downstairs in an hour? We’ll show you around, then have dinner.”
“That sounds perfect.”
After they left, I stood in the middle of the room and exhaled slowly.
I was here and ready to dig into everything.
The sights, the animals, seeing what all the other buildings were.
And they’d mentioned me sitting down and going through registration with somebody so they could make sure that I understood all the rules.
Whatever. Whenever. I was open to everything I needed to do in order to explore the Ranch fully.
Hurrying, I began to unpack to get this part over with so I could get to the good stuff.
An hour later, I found them in the living room.
“Ready for the tour?” Majesty asked, standing as I approached.
“Ready.”
After returning to the main building, they walked me through the lodge first. I saw libraries, Littles playing, game rooms, restaurants, and so much more.
They gave me a map that I tucked into my pocket so I wouldn’t get lost if I were ever alone.
There were steps that we walked down before Lex spoke.
“And this,” Lex said, “is the main play space.”
I stepped inside and my breath caught.
The room was enormous, with various stations set up throughout. Lex pointed them out by name, spanking benches, a St. Andrew’s cross, suspension points in the ceiling, tables with restraint points.
“Whoa” I said, running my hand along my jeans. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s functional,” Lex corrected, but there was pride in his voice. “Beauty is secondary to purpose.”
“Can’t it be both?” I asked.
His mouth quirked. “It can, and it is.”
We continued through the space, and they explained what each station was used for, what kind of scenes typically happened where, how they maintained safety and cleanliness.
“Tomorrow we’ll start going over protocol,” Lex said as we headed back toward the themed rooms. “Basic positions, forms of address, how scenes are structured. Nothing too intense, just giving you the foundation.”
“And we’ll introduce you to the volunteer who’s helping us demonstrate,” Majesty added. “She’s experienced, easy to work with. You’ll like her.”
My stomach growled and both men chuckled. “I think that’s enough for today. Let’s get you back to the cabin so we can feed you.”
Back in the cabin, they worked to set up dinner on the large table near the windows, simple but delicious food, wine, and we had a comfortable conversation while they worked, not letting me lift a finger.
There was lamb, garlic-roasted asparagus, and spaghetti squash with spinach, tomato, and Brie cheese.
My mouth watered as I looked at my plate, ready to indulge.
“How are you feeling about all of this?” Lex asked when we sat down to eat. “Honestly.”
I considered the question and took a sip of wine. “Nervous. Curious. A little overwhelmed but in a good way.”
“That’s normal,” Majesty assured me. “We’d be worried if you weren’t at least a little nervous.”
“What if I mess up?” The question came out before I could stop it. “What if I forget something or do it wrong or…”
“Then we’ll correct you,” Lex said simply. “That’s part of the process. You’re here to learn, Cami. Mistakes are expected. We’re also aware that this is all new to you. When we agreed to have you as our assistant, we were aware of what we were signing up for.”
“And honestly,” Majesty added with a grin, “some of the best learning happens when things don’t go perfectly. It’s how you recover that matters.”
I chewed on that logic while trying my food.
Lex knew his way around meat. You could tell because of the flavor he’d put in these lamb chops.
They were tender and succulent, and I wondered if I’d truly had them before if they were supposed to taste like this.
The side dishes weren’t anything to demean either.
Though they were made by Majesty, the flavor complemented the lamb as if it were all cooked by the same person.
I knew immediately that this was how it was going to be with them.
Exciting together, palatable, and, frankly, irresistible.
I needed to be careful or I was going to get used to being spoiled by them.
I tried to help clear away dishes but was told to go and sit down on the couch near the fireplace. Majesty built a fire while Lex poured each of them a glass of whiskey. I opted for fruit juice instead of more wine.
“So tell us,” Majesty said, settling into the chair across from me, “what are you most curious about? Not nervous about… curious.”
I wrapped my hands around the glass, feeling the coolness. “How you make it work. The communication, the balance. How you teach people to navigate jealousy and insecurity and all the things that come up.”
Lex said, “That’s complex. The short answer is that it takes work. Constant communication, regular check-ins, willingness to be uncomfortable.”