Rusty (Littlecreek Ranch #6)

CHAPTER NINE

Janice

T he sun's rays caressed Janice's face as she knelt on the soft earth, putting sensory plants in the community garden. There were herbs like rosemary, lavender, and mint, along with flowers that smelled good or felt nice to touch: sunflowers, grasses, lavender.

Janice hummed as she worked. Excitement bubbled within her chest, her chapped lips a constant reminder of the passionate kiss shared with Rusty the night before. Their intense connection had awakened something deep inside her, and the memory was enough to elicit a secret smile.

"Looks like I’m turning back into Little Miss Giggles again," she whispered to herself, using the playful nickname Rusty had given her years ago. That was the whole reason she’d bought herself the stuffie of Little Miss Giggles after Rusty had left her—to remind her of the person she had once been.

The happiness she had once had.

Happiness which now—after one electric night of kissing—seemed to be back with a vengeance.

As Janice sowed seeds into the bare earth, she imagined herself planting magic beans instead of the sensory plants, each one promising new adventures and wondrous experiences.

"Imagine climbing up a beanstalk into the clouds," she mused aloud, picturing the fantastical world that awaited her. "Maybe there would be a land filled with horses and endless meadows for them to roam."

As she dug another hole for a plant, Janice felt a breeze tousle her red hair, gently tickling her cheeks. It reminded her of Rusty's tender touch, and she felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She knew she had been hard on herself in the past, but being here, surrounded by nature and rekindling her feelings for Rusty, she felt like she was finally finding some peace.

"Hey there, Janice," Chuck called out from across the garden, snapping her back to reality. "How's it going with those plants?"

"Great!" she replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she realized how easily she'd become lost in her daydream. "I'm almost finished over here."

"Good to hear," he said, giving her an encouraging nod. "Keep up the good work."

Janice smiled, feeling a sense of pride in her efforts. But more than anything, the thought of Rusty's loving embrace and the possibility of further exploring their connection filled her with an unshakable sense of optimism. Rusty had said last night that they couldn’t be together—but the way he had kissed her had made it obvious.

He still loved her.

And she loved him.

And where there was love, there was always hope.

She looked down at a handful of brown seeds in her hands. “These seeds? Why they're magical fairy dust plant seeds? Oh yeah, the flowers squirt out magic fairy dust! So everyone who walks past it will be able to fly!” She giggled again, then flapped her arms up and down as she pretended to fly around the garden.

“Woah there, little one,” said Chuck laughing. “Watch you don’t drop those seeds all over the place.”

“Oops!” said Janice. “Sorry, Chuck. I got a little carried away.”

Chuck smiled. “I’m glad you’re having fun, but don’t forget to focus on getting those seeds planted. We need this garden to bring joy to as many Littles as possible.”

Janice blushed, feeling suddenly sheepish. “Yes, you’re right. I need to concentrate. I’ll try harder.” She knew Chuck hadn’t been telling her off, but for some reason, she felt extremely guilty. She was reminded of painful memories from her childhood, when her father would chastise her for her flights of fancy, dismissing them as childish nonsense. She suddenly worried that Chuck might see her in the same light and decide that she didn't belong at the ranch after her trial period.

“Did Rusty tell you about how I helped Snickers yesterday?” asked Janice, trying to prove how helpful she was so that Chuck didn’t think she was a slacker.

“He did,” replied Chuck. “It's very impressive, Janice. I've heard of equine physiotherapy, and I love the idea of having a massage expert here on the ranch. But I want us to stay in the moment. life at the ranch means we all need to pitch in with lots of different jobs, so let’s keep our minds on this community garden right now, eh?”

“Right,” said Janice, looking at the ground as Chuck walked away. Under her breath, she chanted: “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

"Everything okay, Janice?" Rusty's concerned voice broke through her spiraling thoughts. He stood behind her, his hazel eyes filled with compassion.

She jumped to her feet, brushing the earth off her jeans as she looked around at Rusty in surprise. Had he been watching her while she worked? She hadn’t even seen him here.

"Of course," she replied with a brisk nod, trying to hide her vulnerability.

"Are you sure?" Rusty pressed, clearly not convinced. "You don't have to pretend with me, you know."

She appreciated Rusty saying that, but she didn't want to burden him with her insecurities. Last night, he had seemed truly attracted to her. He might not feel that way for long if he saw how messed up she really was inside.

"Honestly, I'm fine," she insisted, putting on her best brave face.

Rusty studied her for a moment before nodding slowly. "Alright, if you say so. Just remember, I'm here for you if you ever need to talk."

"Thank you, Rusty," she said softly, touched by his genuine concern.

With one last reassuring smile, Rusty turned and walked away, leaving Janice to her work. As she continued planting, she found herself wishing she had told Rusty the truth. He knew about her insecurities, back when they were together.

So, when Chuck told her it was time to take a break, she decided to be brave. She left the other Littles and went over to the stables, looking for Rusty. He wasn’t in the stables, though she saw the table still set up from their last therapy session. The wildflowers had wilted in the vase on the crate and she hoped that wasn’t a bad omen.

She found Rusty out in the pasture with Snickers, and was pleased to see that Snickers was letting him stroke her mane. The moment Rusty saw her, his eyes lit up.

“Hey, Janice!” he called out, being careful not to be too loud in case it startled the mare. “Looks like you made Snickers a lot more comfortable yesterday. She seems much happier today.”

“That’s great,” said Janice, but she couldn’t bring herself to smile. “Rusty, can I talk to you about something?”

Rusty put down his brush and gave Snickers a gentle pat, then walked toward her. “Sure. What’s up, little one?”

“I’m feeling . . . I don’t know. Kinda sad. Like maybe I screwed up in the community garden by not concentrating on my work. I’m worried Chuck’s upset with me, and I feel stupid for trying to win his favor by talking about massaging Snickers. He’s probably planning on getting rid of me at the end of my trial period anyway, and—”

“Woah, woah, woah,” said Rusty, reaching out and pressing his finger softly against her lips. She could taste him: earth, leather, grass. “Janice, sweetheart. Thank you for coming to talk to me about this. It’s a very brave thing to do. But we are going to need to work on this negativity, young lady. Are you willing to have an emergency session with me right now?”

Janice looked back toward the ranch house. “The community garden—”

“Don’t worry about that,” said Rusty. “I’ll talk to Chuck about it later. He’ll understand that some things are more important.”

Janice felt a warmth spread through her at Rusty’s implication that she was more important. “Okay,” she said. “If that’s what you think is best.”

Rusty nodded. “Follow me.”

He led her away from the pasture through an area of beautiful woodland.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I’m taking you to the Maple cabin,” he replied. “This is a very special place available to anyone who needs it, and I happen to know it’s free today because I heard Trent telling me he’d had to cancel a discipline session with Patti after she caught a cold.”

Janice’s eyes widened. “Patti did something naughty?”

Patti worked in the petting zoo and had seemed very well-behaved every time Janice had seen her around the ranch.

Rusty chuckled at Janice’s surprise, his hazel eyes twinkling with amusement. “Even the best-behaved Littles have their mischievous moments, Janice. No one is perfect, and that’s okay.”

Nestled in a tranquil woodland on the ranch, the cozy Maple cabin exuded rustic charm with its weathered wood exterior and stone chimney. Surrounded by towering pines and vibrant foliage, it featured a wraparound porch that seemed to invite curiosity, making it appear like a secret hideaway in the heart of Montana's landscape.

Rusty opened the cabin door for Janice to enter first. The interior was warm and inviting, and smelled of aged wood and pine, mingled with the comforting scent of lingering woodsmoke. A plush rug covered the wooden floor beneath their feet, and a large armchair sat by a stone fireplace. There was also a large wooden desk in here.

“Take a seat, Janice,” Rusty said softly, gesturing towards the armchair while he sat at the desk. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Janice obeyed, settling into the chair as Rusty took a seat opposite her. His expression was one of calm reassurance, his demeanor radiating patience and understanding.

“Now,” Rusty began, his voice steady and gentle. “I want you to know that this space is entirely dedicated to you and your well-being. We are here to work through your emotions and support you in your journey, Janice.”

Janice felt a mix of nerves and gratitude as she gazed at Rusty. His hazel eyes held hers with unwavering sincerity. “I want us to focus on addressing those feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt that have been clouding your mind today. You're not stupid, Janice. You’re a bright, caring individual with so much potential.”

Tears welled up in Janice's eyes, the layers of self-blame slowly unraveling under Rusty's words. She nodded quietly, feeling the vulnerability of letting someone in on her deepest fears. She had carried the weight of her father's constant disapproval for so long that she had forgotten what it felt like to be seen and appreciated for who she truly was.

“This afternoon, I would like to use discipline as a form of therapy, to spank some of that negativity out of you. But before we do anything like this, we need to agree on a safeword. If I hear you using that safeword, I will stop whatever I’m doing immediately, and make sure that you’re okay.”

Janice nodded. “That sounds good.”

She couldn’t deny it—hearing Rusty speak like this aroused her. Back when they had been together, Rusty had been much more of a Daddy than a Daddy Dom. They’d played around with a little light roleplay, and with Rusty pinching her ass or giving her a light butt slap while they made love, but not what she would call spanking. Certainly nothing as structured and extreme as this.

She wondered if Rusty wanted her to get naked. She kind of hoped so.

“Do you have any thoughts on a safeword then, Janice?” he asked.

Janice bit her lip. “Uh, how about ‘hug?’”

Rusty smiled. “That’s perfect. I’m sure Little Miss Hug would approve, too.”

Janice giggled.

“And how about your soft and hard limits for punishment?” Rusty reached into the drawer of the large desk and pulled out a sheet of paper entitled “Punishments.”

“Now, is there anything on this list that you don’t want me to do, or that you’re not sure of? If it’s a definite ‘no’, put a check in the ‘hard limits’ box. For a ‘maybe,’ mark it down as a ‘soft limit.’”

Janice looked at the list. It was very long. There were things on there she didn’t even understand.

Figging.

Brazilian wax.

Pegging.

She asked Rusty what all of them meant, and as he explained, her head almost exploded. To be on the safe side, she marked a lot of them down as “soft limits” but she made sure to mark down humiliation as a “hard limit”, as well as a few other slightly scary-sounding things.

By the time they were done, the late afternoon sun streamed through the Maple cabin's windows, casting dappled light upon the worn wooden floor. Janice felt a mix of nervousness and trust as she stood in the cozy space with Rusty, preparing to embark on a new chapter in their relationship.

"Alright," she said softly, her voice wavering slightly. "I'm ready."

Rusty nodded, his eyes filled with warmth and understanding. "Remember, we're doing this together. I'll be here for you every step of the way."

Rusty led Janice into the back room of the cabin, and when she saw what was waiting in there, she gasped. There was all kinds of equipment in the simple wooden cabin: stools, racks, swings, whips, chains, paddles. It was like being in a BDSM dungeon—not that she’d ever been anywhere like that. She’d certainly fantasized about it, though.

“Wow,” she said. “This is . . . impressive.”

“It’s a lot to take in, huh?” Rusty asked.

Janice nodded. “Rusty, do you . . . do you take a lot of girls in here?”

Rusty took Janice by the hand, looking deep into her eyes. “I’ve never used the Maple cabin before,” he told her. “I’ve been in the space before, helping to clean it and fix equipment from time to time. But no, I’ve never been in here with another Little.”

Janice blinked at him. “What about other stuff? Have you had a girlfriend here? I know I have no right to ask, I just—”

“Darlin’, you have every right. And the answer is no. I haven’t had a single girlfriend at Littlecreek Ranch. Not even a fling.”

Janice felt relief surge through her. She knew she had no right to feel jealous, but the thought of Rusty getting intimate with other girls here made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

“You okay, honey?” Rusty asked. “You look sad.”

Janice nodded. “I’m okay. I guess I just realized how much I hate the idea of you being with other people.”

Rusty put his arms around her. “The truth of the matter, Janice Jameson, is that I haven’t even so much as kissed a girl since we were together.”

Janice’s mouth gaped open. “You haven’t?”

“Nope,” Rusty replied. “Never wanted to. Not when my heart was elsewhere.”

“Your heart is . . . still with me?”

“Always,” Rusty replied without pausing.

Janice swallowed. “But we still can’t be together? And you still can’t tell me why you left me?”

“I’m afraid not, sweetheart. But what I can do is kiss you and spank you until you feel better about yourself. And, after that, once I’ve built you up again . . . well. Then you’re free to go and be with a better man than me.”

There is no better man than you.

“Alright, Rusty,” said Janice. “I understand. This is a no-strings kind of a deal.”

“Exactly,” said Rusty, leaning down to kiss her. The kiss was deeper and more passionate than a no-strings kind of kiss had any right to be, though, and she responded with equal fervor. In fact, as the kiss went on, the two of them were moaning and rubbing up against one another like horny teenagers.

“Damn it,” Rusty groaned. “You make me so damn horny, little one. We’d better get on with this punishment before I take things further than we’re allowed to go.”

“We’re not allowed to sleep together?”

“I think anything involving me taking off my pants would be taking things too far, don’t you?” Rusty asked. “There’s crossing a line, after all, and then there’s crossing it so far you can’t even see the line anymore when you look back.”

“I see,” said Janice sadly. But then, looking around the room, her room brightened a little. With a twinkle in her eye, she asked: “So, how about me taking off my pants? And my panties? Is that allowed?”

“Hmmm. I suppose,” said Rusty, his voice cracking. “Go and stand in the corner and remove all the clothes on your bottom half, and then come and sit over my knee.”

Rusty sat down on a black leather couch, and Janice could already see how turned on he was from the shape at his groin.

She tried to swallow away her lust, then went to stand in the corner, facing the wall. Slowly, slightly provocatively, she pulled down her jeans and panties and kicked off her shoes. She bent over as she did it, enjoying the feeling that she was teasing Rusty and making him even more turned on.

“Good girl,” said Rusty, his voice husky. “Now come here.” He patted his lap and Janice walked over to him. She lay down on the couch, her belly pressing down over his hard groin. “Now, in a moment, I’m going to ask you to tell me all the negative thoughts flying around your head, one by one. Each time you voice a negative thought, I’m going to spank you. And we’re going to keep going until you’re done.”

“Really?” Janice asked, looking back up at him. “Until I’m done? That could go on forever.”

Rusty smiled. “I bet you it won’t.” He paused. “And by the way, if you decide to say something good about yourself, you’ll be rewarded.”

Interesting .

Although it was unlikely Janice would think of anything good to say about herself.

“Don’t forget your safeword if you need it,” Rusty reminded her.

“Hug,” said Janice with a small smile.

“Perfect.”

Janice took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her insecurities pressing down upon her chest. She began to vocalize her feelings of inadequacy, each word cutting like a knife. "I feel so stupid so much of the time," she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

Rusty moved behind her, his presence strong and reassuring. He administered a firm, symbolic spanking—a physical manifestation of the emotional release she sought.

"I'm just a foolish dreamer," said Janice.

Rusty spanked her again.

“I’m always getting things wrong.”

Smack.

“I suck at making friends.”

Smack.

“I’m weird and childish and play with stuffed toys.”

Smack.

She began to cry now. “I’m disgusting for being a Little.”

Janice found herself feeling lighter after this smack, as if the burden of her self-perceived inadequacies was slowly lifting away. Each confession brought forth more tears, but they were accompanied by a growing sense of relief, as though she was finally being granted permission to let go of her pain.

“I . . . I don’t deserve love.”

Smack.

Janice noticed that Rusty smacked her extra hard for that one. The smack was so hard, in fact, that the pain radiated around her lower back and thighs, and she felt like she almost vibrated with it. The sensation wasn’t altogether unpleasant. It was like a spark of electricity, or a red-hot poker, branding her with some kind of truth that she hadn’t figured out yet.

“Chuck’s going to see how useless I am and throw me out of the ranch,” she said, quietly sniffing.

Smack.

“And you, Rusty, you’re going to grow fed up of trying to fix me. When you realize how broken I am, you’re going to walk away again, just like you did last time.”

Smack. Smack. Smack.

Rusty’s spanks rained down on her now, thick and fast, leaving her almost no time to breathe between them. But even though it hurt, she didn’t even think about using her safeword. Not once.

When Rusty stopped spanking her, she felt a strange, buzzing clarity that she hadn’t experienced before.

“I’m brave,” she said quietly.

Rusty didn’t spank her this time. In fact, he laid his palm down softly on her buttock, and stroked it ever so softly. It was still stinging, still vibrating, from his spanks, but this act was so gentle it felt like the most tender touch she’d ever felt. Involuntarily, she shivered with pleasure.

“I’m good at massaging horses.”

Rusty’s palm moved over her buttock now, down to her thigh, and she felt his hand prying apart her legs a little. She wondered if Rusty was looking between her legs now, and seeing how wet she was down below.

“I guess I’m a good learner because I taught myself how to do physio on animals all by myself.”

Rusty’s fingers edged toward her velvet-soft lips. She ached and shivered and squirmed with desire feeling his warm hand so close to her most private part.

“I’m caring,” she choked out in a whisper.

Rusty’s fingers dipped into her wetness now. Then stopped.

“I have a lovely laugh?” she said, desperately trying to think of something else good about her.

Clearly, it did the trick, because now, Rusty began stroking her clit with his slick finger. It felt like the clock had instantly been turned back ten years, like Rusty had never stopped doing this to her. He remembered exactly how she like to be touched, exactly how much pressure, what sort of motion, and within mere minutes, she was arching her back and shouting out in pure ecstasy at the perfection of his touch.

She climaxed hard, as though she had been waiting a decade to do it, and then she spasmed and shivered and shook as his finger slid deep inside her. She had forgotten how he liked to do that—inserting a finger into her the moment she came so that he could feel her muscles tense and tighten around his digit. She felt like her spasms were never-ending today—each time one ended another began, like a wave. Rusty kept his finger inside her the entire time.

When she was done, he lifted her up onto his lap, cradling her in his arms and kissing her cheek.

“You did so well, darlin’,” he told her. “I’m so proud of you.”

"Thank you, Rusty," she said softly. "Thank you for helping me face my fears and for reminding me that I'm not alone."

"Of course, Janice," Rusty replied gently. "But really, the credit is all yours. You let out some of the negative things you’ve been bottling up today. And you even started to acknowledge some of your many strengths.”

“I came pretty hard too,” Janice said mischievously. “Don’t forget that if you’re listing my accomplishments.”

Rusty smiled at her. “You did come hard. Harder than I think I’ve ever felt you come before.”

Janice bit her lip. “Are you sure you don’t want a turn now, Rusty?”

Rusty shook his head. “This is all about you, sweetheart. I’m going to run a bath for you now and take good care of you. You’re an amazing woman, Janice. You're strong, resilient, and deserving of love."

“I’m strong, resilient, and deserving of love,” Janice repeated under her breath.

The soft light filtering through the cabin windows bathed Janice's tear-streaked face in a warm glow as Rusty gathered her into his strong arms. His touch was gentle and soothing, providing a reassuring contrast to the structured spanking that had just taken place. Janice felt the sting of her reddened bottom against his embrace, but the pain was overshadowed by the relief flooding through her.

“Come on, little one,” he said, lifting her up and guiding her to yet another room of the cabin, in which there was a large cast iron tub next to a big window that overlooked the serene forest.

“Woah,” she said. “This is amazing.”

Rusty ran a warm bubble bath for Janice and then carefully undressed the clothes which were on her top half, before helping her step into the bath. As she sank into the warm water, the tension in her muscles began to dissipate, replaced by a profound sense of peace.

"Let me wash away all those negative thoughts," Rusty said gently, reaching for a sponge and soap. He lathered her body with slow, deliberate strokes, paying extra attention to her tender skin. The sudsy water trickled down her body, taking with it the remnants of her self-doubt and insecurity.

"Rusty, I can't believe how much better I feel," Janice confessed, her eyes welling up with fresh tears. "I never thought something like this could help me so much."

"Sometimes we need to confront our fears and insecurities head-on, even if it seems daunting at first," Rusty replied, his eyes locking onto hers with genuine compassion. "You were brave to face them, and I'm proud of you for taking that step."

"Thank you for being there for me," Janice said, her heart swelling with gratitude for the man who had stood by her side through this emotional journey. "I feel closer to you than ever before. Is that crazy?"

"No,” Rusty said quickly. “I feel the same way.” His hazel eyes shone with warmth as he squeezed her hand. "Just remember, Janice, you've faced some tough times in your life, but you're still standing. All you need to do now is believe how amazing you are."

As Janice gazed into Rusty's earnest eyes, she knew that something inside her had fundamentally shifted. The therapy had not only provided a much-needed release from her guilt and self-hatred, but it had also forged an unbreakable bond between her and Rusty. For the first time in years, Janice felt truly seen, understood, and cherished.

As the warm water lapped at her body Rusty knelt by the tub, his hazel eyes trailing over the curves of her naked form, admiration and desire dancing in the depths of his gaze.

Janice couldn't help but blush under his focused attention.

"Rusty," she whispered, biting her lip nervously, "is it okay if we . . . kiss?"

His gaze met hers, full of hunger and tenderness. "If you want it, I want it."

Janice's breath hitched as their lips finally met again, the passion that had been simmering between them since last night igniting like wildfire. She wrapped her arms around Rusty's neck, pulling him deeper into the embrace, their shared longing making the kiss all the more intense.

"Rusty, I want us to be together, truly together," Janice confessed as they broke apart for air, her eyes shimmering with vulnerability. "Please, show me how much you care."

In response, Rusty gently lifted her from the warm waters of the bath, cradling Janice in his strong arms as he laid her down on a soft towel nearby. He brushed a stray lock of her red hair away from her face, his touch tender and reverent.

"I can’t fuck you no matter how much I want to, sweetheart. And believe me, I want to. See?” He took her hand it guided it down to the hardness at his crotch.

She wanted so badly to unzip his fly and release the part of him that she knew could bring her so much pleasure. But Rusty’s hand guided her away again.

“I can’t fuck you,” said Rusty, “but let me make you feel good, babygirl. Let me show you how much you mean to me.”

With a trembling nod, Janice acquiesced, allowing herself to fully trust Rusty in this moment of intimacy. As his lips trailed a path of fiery kisses down her body, she couldn't help but let out a moan of pleasure.

"Rusty, oh, Rusty," she sighed as he continued to worship her body, her fingers tangling in his salt-and-pepper hair. The moment his mouth made contact with her pussy, the sensations built within her like a crescendo, pushing her closer and closer to the edge once more.

His tongue danced over her clit as his hands pinned her down to the wooden floor. She felt his strength grounding her and she squirmed under his touch. His mouth responded eagerly, licking and teasing her even more, and his fingers moved in and out of her two at a time, making it impossible for her to hold back.

Janice felt a warmth spread through her body as she came, starting from the tips of her toes and reaching all the way up to the crown of her head. Then, she felt the tremors and release of her climax radiating out from her core.

“Oh wow,” she panted. “Don’t know if you ever made me come twice in one day before.”

Rusty laughed. “Didn’t I? I was a fool.”

The evening sun streaming in through the window of the Maple cabin illuminated motes of dust that danced around them and Janice watched them in awe, as though looking at fairy dust. Heck, maybe it was fairy dust. This place definitely felt magic.

"Thank you for today, Rusty," she murmured as they rested in each other's arms, her fingers tracing idle patterns on his chest. “I can’t tell you how much I needed it.”

"I needed it, too," he replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “More than you could know.”

As their lips met once more, Janice allowed herself to get lost in the moment—in the feeling of Rusty's arms around her, the taste of his kisses, and the love that had persevered through a decade of separation. With each touch, each tender caress, she felt the weight of her past worries and fears slowly being stripped away.

"Rusty," she murmured between kisses, "is this really going to end?"

Rusty didn’t reply to her. Not with words. But she was certain his kisses told her that this was everlasting.