Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Penny
I was thankful the instructor had written the title of the class on the board: Sensory Deprivation.
Everything had been a blur since yesterday, starting with the piggyback ride, well, no, starting with Everest playing the guitar.
I was smitten by Atlas, Phoenix and Everest, but they were just here as employees, although that didn’t really seem to matter. But wouldn’t that mean they weren’t really looking for a connection outside of the Ranch?
Did I want a connection outside of the Ranch? I hadn’t even considered it a—
The clank of my pen hitting the floor pulled me out of my thoughts. A few people looked in my direction, but the instructor didn’t miss a beat. “Blackened rooms offer one type of visual deprivation and affect everyone in the room.”
I used the toe of my shoe to move the pen closer, then leaned down, grabbed it, and pretended to resume taking notes.
I really needed to come up with something to call them other than their collective names. I tried making words with the first letters of their names, but that was a flop: APE, PEA, EPA…
If Everest hadn’t lit the candles in the Dungeon that first time, that would have been a blackened room since there were no windows.
But I wouldn’t have seen the bulge in his pants during the massage.
And when all four of us were in the room, thanks to the candles, I’d seen the way Phoenix and Everest couldn’t take their eyes off of me. I’d never felt so adored or desired.
Yet, the thought of the darkness had my pulse racing. The darkness would take the pressure off of getting things right.
“Blindfolds limit visual deprivation to the person wearing the blindfold, leaving the other person with greater capacity.” The instructor switched to a slide with various blindfolds. “Texture should be considered.”
Oh yes, definitely consider the texture, but the slide also contained an image of a man’s tie.
I tried to imagine my fingers undoing the instructor’s tie, but when I looked at the instructor’s face, I saw Atlas—the command, the control, the authority.
I’ve only seen Atlas in work shirts and t-shirts. Did he wear a tie when he’s not on the Ranch? Did he have a day job? What would he do to me if I handed him a tie?
The instructor’s excitement pulled me back. “Anyone want to guess our number one sense?”
Several students called out, “Sight,” as if the question had been more than rhetorical. Okay, I was being petty. Participation was a good thing, just not my cup of tea… and I had to change that if I wanted the full experience of my stay.
“Removing our number one method of input can heighten our other senses, giving the same scenario an entirely different dynamic. Everyone close your eyes for a minute.”
He paused. “Does anyone hear something they didn’t hear before?”
The sound of Atlas’ hand swatting my bottom.
Oops, not a classroom sound. I shuddered, fumbling my pen, but this time, catching it before it clattered to the floor. No need to add sound, although I could have played it off as being for the sake of the experiment since I’d previously dropped it when our eyes were open.
I drifted in and out of the lecture, with one prominent point catching my attention. The instructor explained, “Without a visual, many people can’t identify the taste of simple foods such as strawberries.”
Interesting but terrifying at the same time—trusting someone to put food in my mouth when I couldn’t see. That must be expert level. It also made me think about the strawberry fruit leather I’d chosen as a snack. Could I experiment? Later. Maybe.
Then he moved to anticipation, and the fact that when a person was deprived of sight, their other senses could pick up cues as to what their partner was doing and provide another level of stimulation.
I swallowed hard. Could I ask Atlas to try that with me? I liked not knowing exactly when he was going to spank me.
“It also deprives a person from being able to see which implement a partner is choosing…”
My mind wandered to how soon I could have my next orgasm and spanking, not necessarily in that order. Phoenix and Atlas have given me the best two in my entire life. Would it be the same with Everest?
It was fascinating that I could imagine intimacy with each of them.
I glanced around the room, wondering whether I could bond with any of the other students. Sure, I could imagine trying something with a few of them, but simply in an “I could try that,” sort of way. But there was absolutely zero attraction.
I didn’t want any of them the way I wanted the trio who seemed to have taken an interest in me. Why didn’t that happen in real life? I was always the outcast, the friend who didn’t have a story to tell. The friend who didn’t have a reverse harem at her fingertips.
The friend who’d had to ask Atlas to carry me back to my cabin after the orgasm because I was in sensory overload and couldn’t walk.
Would blindfolds help with sensory overload? Or would I drop into a thought spiral the moment they gathered around me?
Movement shattered my fantasy. The other students were packing up their notebooks and leaving. Class was over. How much had I missed?
A kind-faced man stopped beside me. “If you’re leaving, I’d like to walk you out.”
“Thank you. I can…” I stopped myself. I was here to learn and practice. When I had scanned the room, he was one I’d put in the could try category. “I would be happy to walk out with you.”
I quickly shoved my notebook into my bag, embarrassed by the lack of notes. We walked up the steps to the exit at the back of the room and made our way outside before he said a word.
At least, I don’t think he did, but I couldn’t get my mind off the possibility of trying things with my trio. I shrugged off the foolish thought since three men at once in real life would be vastly harder than in my fantasies.
No one got grumpy over another one infringing on their turn, as they called it, as if I were a game. None of them were interested in sharing. They were only playing to see who won.
Sunlight warmed me as we stepped outside. “It was nice to meet you…” Shoot. I couldn’t remember his name.
“Nice to meet you, too, Penny.”
Crud, I was too distracted to remember that we’d introduced ourselves. “I’m sorry, I need to return to my cabin.”
“I’ll see you around then, maybe at more classes?”
“Yes.” I scurried back to my cabin and skipped the next session on erotic literature. It was a repeat workshop from a previous time, and while I loved books and reading, I was going to take thirty minutes of well-deserved downtime.
The rest of the day was pretty much the same, although I did my best to force my brain to remain in the moment during conversations with other guests.
After sessions on impact play and bondage and restraints, and meeting several more people, my social battery was maxed out.
Returning, once again to the safety of my cabin, I opened the group chat with Bellamie, Jolene, and Starla. They’d made me promise to check in since I’d been vague about what kind of dating event I was attending. An innocent pretense, but I knew they were dying for more information.
I’d promised to tell all when I got home, but why wait? I finally had something interesting to contribute. They’re my friends, people I trust. In experiencing the safe space at Rawhide Ranch, I realized my girlfriends were also a safe space for me.
Yes, it was scary and I had to be vulnerable but they were a place for me to practice opening up. In a wall of text, I explained that I’d gone to a kink ranch and was exploring the possibility that I was a submissive.
Jolene was first to text back: OMG! I knew it, Penny! Did you find a Dom?
I explained that I’d practiced with three different men so far.
Starla joined the chat: Why choose?
Me: I haven’t.
Bellamie messaged: You’re learning about kinks?
Spanking, blindfolds, restraints, being fed… I replied
Jolene: Did you have sex?
I didn’t want to explain my slow progression or that kinks didn’t necessarily involve sex, so I stuck with the truth.
Me: I’ve had more fun than my vibrator offers.
That was enough sharing for one day. Time to retreat into myself. I pulled out my bookgami project then set it aside. Time for my vibrator to do its best.