Schooling Little Sage (Littles of Rawhide Ranch #33)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Welp, here I am.

Standing in front of the ginormous, fancy wrought iron gates that spanned the width of the driveway that led into Rawhide Ranch. About to begin a new life in a world I knew nothing about.

Ranching.

Who was I kidding? I knew nothing about any world outside of the four walls I grew up inside and even that was minimal given my parents rarely talked to me.

I stared the gates down, as if they’d open at my mindless command and my rescuer would arrive, riding atop his trusty steed to save me.

Clearly I’d read far too many of Mama’s romance novels over the years.

I’d been told a million times that I had my head in the clouds and to stop dreaming.

But if it wasn’t for my imagination, my days would’ve been spent sulking and wishing for a better life.

Not that I didn’t do both already.

Papa swore this was the best place for me to be.

Not sure what he meant by that but here I was.

Since he and Mama sold our house and decided to move to Florida, I’d gotten dropped off here along their way.

Sometimes being a later-in-life oopsie wasn’t the best. My parents fed and clothed me and did all the basic stuff, but it stopped there.

They weren’t mean, not always, they just kind of went through the parental motions with minimal effort and counted down the days until their responsibility came to an end.

Being in their sixties, the long, cold winter months were hard on them, and I wasn’t much help.

Papa always said, boy, you’ve got enough energy to fuel a factory, but when it comes to putting a hammer to nails, you’re damn near useless.

So um, yeah, hyperactivity wasn’t always my friend, nor were tools.

Pretty much nothing was.

My folks met at the Ranch when they were in their twenties.

Mama had been visiting with her family while Papa worked here when it was still a working ranch.

What I couldn’t understand was why it was so big if the people here no longer worked it?

Either way, he said there were good folks here who’d help me find my place in life.

Just didn’t get why their new plans didn’t include me.

Was I that much of a burden? Why couldn’t my place in life be in Florida too?

As soon as the ground thawed, they loaded up a trailer to tow behind their truck and were off on their new adventure.

Guess this was mine…

I didn’t choose this one, they chose it for me just like everything else right down to my clothes.

Even helped me fill out the online application to apply here.

The questions were way over my head, but Papa said they’d send me to school while I earned my keep.

Papa told me he’d been good friends with Master Derek’s grandfather before he’d passed away.

It was starting to sound more and more like a boarding school.

Great…

I could always turn and run, considering I still hadn’t been let in yet. Live in the trees like Tarzan. King of my own jungle, the only problem with that was that this king didn’t know the first thing about taking care of himself, let alone navigating a giant jungle.

What was wrong with me?

“My name is Tiago, and this is Rhodes. Can we help you? Are you lost?” the nearest guard asked, jolting me from my pity party for one.

“I-I, I’m Sage Mc-McDowell. Here to see Master, um”—come on Sage, you’ve got this—“Master Derek.”

He went back inside the small building and a few seconds later the gate opened and he returned. “Let me give you a ride to the main resort building where Master Derek’s office is.”

Guess that meant I was on the list. Hopefully, it was the right one to be on.

I clutched my bag tightly, filled with everything I owned as we rode along in the cart, twisting my fidget spinner to help ground myself. It didn’t always work, but with my nerves as on edge as they were, it was my only vice.

Huge trees lined the gravel driveway. The fresh air blew through my hair as we drove along. It was nice, soothing even and helped calm me down. Being outdoors had always done that for me.

The grass between their trunks was so thick and green the urge to run shoeless through it had me wishing my silent driver would stop, just for a second.

Who was I kidding? Even if he did speak to me I’d only retreat inside my shell and hide.

More than once, Mama had called me a turtle.

For a long time, I thought it was because of my love for the reptile.

Finally, in my teens the reality of the wayward nickname hit me.

Maybe I’d have some downtime after work tonight and could come back and run barefoot through it for a bit.

Would they let me? Was it against the rules?

I had so much to learn about life here. I just hoped it wasn’t all spent indoors and they didn’t kick me to the curb like my parents had when they figured out I was useless too.

Papa always said I was a full-time job. Now, I’d have my first one. I had no clue where Master Derek was gonna stick me, but at this point, I’d scrub dishes just to avoid being left out on my own and prove my parents wrong. I wasn’t a waste of the air I breathed. I was just… different.

There must be someone out there who’ll love me for me. Someone who wants to take care of me. Secret dreams and all.

Twenty-one years old and finally left the nest. Not by choice, but I was out just the same. Would my parents come back for me some day when I became the man they wanted me to be? Wasn’t twenty-one supposed to be some sort of big milestone?

Likely not.

“Sage?” Tiago asked.

Guess I waited too long to get out of the cart. “S-sorry.”

He smiled, easing the tension a bit. “No need to apologize. Rawhide Ranch is a beautiful place. I hope you get time to wander around our vast property. Master Derek’s office is through those doors on the right, second door past the café. He’s waiting for you.”

“Th-thank you.”

He tipped his cowboy hat, turned the cart around, and headed back down the driveway.

Was everything here huge? First the gates and now this house. Was it even a house? Did people live in it? It looked more like a hotel.

Never gonna find out standing outside it, Sage.

I climbed the front stairs, pretending it was a giant mountain, and landed on the porch, cheering for myself like an award-winning mountaineer. A lady came out and smiled at me, but I quickly looked away. She probably thought I was as ridiculous as my parents did. Always messing about, Sage.

“Whoa,” I said as I stepped inside the double doors. “That’s a lot of wood.”

“That it is.”

Startled by the deep voice, I nearly screamed and ran.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Master Derek. You must be Sage?”

I looked way-way-way up high before I saw his face.

“Howdy,” Master Derek said with a grin.

“How-howdy. I-I”—I shook my head—“I’m Sage.” Duh, Sage, he just said that.

“Welcome, Sage. Where’s your luggage?”

“This is it.” I clutched my bag tighter, struggling to reach my spinner.

“Ah,” Master Derek’s brow raised. “Right, why don’t you follow me. We can meet in my office before we tour the property.”

I followed him across the room, past a giant fireplace. Was nothing here small besides me?

“Have a seat.”

I sat in the large, leather chair he pointed to. It was just high enough that my feet didn’t touch the ground. Being as out of sorts as I was, the jitters hit and my legs started swinging.

“I have to say, your application wasn’t as complete as I’d normally accept.”

“Papa filled it out.”

“That explains a lot and that’s also why I didn’t ignore it. Your Papa was a good friend of my grandfather’s, and I like to pay it forward to those who helped the Ranch along whenever I can. Do you know what Rawhide Ranch is all about, Sage?”

“No-no, Sir. Papa said when he worked here it was a working ranch, but that it wasn’t any more. I saw horses and stuff, so is it working again? Was it just broken and its fixed now?” Don’t talk like a baby, Sage. You know that makes grown-ups mad.

Master Derek chuckled. “Yes and No. The farming we do is for what we utilize on the Ranch. Our resort is open to individuals who enjoy a specialized environment. We offer schooling in various subjects as well as operate an accredited college.” When I didn’t say anything, he continued.

“Rawhide Ranch is for individuals who are living in or are interested in a BDSM lifestyle.”

“A BDS-what?”

“I see.” He scribbled something down. “Let’s start with some of the questions you answered online. You’ve already completed the employee packet, signed the NDA and submitted the necessary medical forms.”

“They took my blood.” I didn’t like needles or blood, they made me feel all yucky inside.

“Yes”—he finally smiled again—“it’s necessary and helps us make sure you’re not sick.”

“’kay.” Good to know, but I still didn’t like it.

“I’m curious about something that was added to the notes section of your application, I’m guessing by your father. He said, and I quote, ‘This boy needs someone to whip him into shape and make a man out of him. His head is in the clouds all the time and he can’t sit still for the life of him’.”

Great, five minutes in and Papa’s already ruining it for me.

“I’m not a bad boy, I swear!”

“It’s okay, Sage. I’m not saying you are, but we do have punishments for those who step out of line.”

“No!” I jumped up. “No spankings, please.” My hands immediately went to cover my rear even though that never stopped Papa. “I’ll listen. I’ll be good. I’ll do dishes or-or scrub the toilets. Just no spanking. Please.” Tears fell as I remembered all the times that Papa took a switch to my hiney.

Master Derek came around the desk and hugged me. I was afraid to hug him back and leave my backside unprotected.

“Ssshhh, it’s alright, sweet boy. No spankings. I’ll make note of that in your file.” He pulled a couple of tissues from a box and handed them to me. “Feel better?”

I shook my head. No one ever called me sweet before.

“I’ll get you a bottle of water, go ahead and sit back down.”

I blew my nose and hoped the stupid tears would hurry up and stop.

“Here you go.”

“Th-thank you.”

“I have a feeling your father thought this school was something other than it is. But on the bright side, I believe you’ll learn a lot about yourself here and fit right in.

” He was quiet for a few minutes, typing something on his phone before a girl with brown pigtails came in.

“Right on time.” She skipped across the room and kissed Master Derek before she sat on his lap.

“Sage, this is my wife, Sadie. She works here and goes to school in the Littles’ Wing. ”

“I never babysat before.” Sadie giggled when I said that, but I wasn’t sure what was so funny. Maybe she’s always just happy.

“And that, little girl, is your cue to show Sage around. I’ve got a couple of things to work on. Can you get him set up with the new-hire onboarding and security access then show him to his room in the Littles’ Dorms?”

She turned her head to the side like a puppy. Before I could stop myself, I giggled.

“Not the employee apartments, Daddy?”

Why did she call him Daddy when he was her husband?

“No, sweet girl. Daddy made a change.”

Sadie hopped off his lap. “Daddy, you always know what’s best.”

“Smart girl.” He gave her another kiss. “Sage, after Sadie’s done showing you around she’ll bring you back here so we can get you started.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“No thanks or Sir needed. You can call me Master Derek.”

Sadie took my hand and led me across the lobby and into another office.

“Okay, here’s the rules for you to read.

I need your fingerprint, that’s how you get into your room and all the other places you’re allowed to go.

This card”—she handed me a credit card thingy— “you have to always keep it with you. It’s how you pay for stuff here.

Supplies, toiletries, clothes, snacks. We’re a cashless resort.

Um, what else.” She tapped a finger to her lip.

“Huh, I think that’s it. You’ll like the Littles’ Wing.

It’s fun and you get to play and I have friends there I visit sometimes. ”

“Where do you live?”

“Daddy and I have our own house ’bout half mile down the road. But sometimes I have sleepovers with my friends where you’ll be staying. All your food is free ’cause you’re an employee.”

Blink-blink.

She giggled. “You’re so silly, Sage. I know we’re gonna be the bestest friends.

” She squished my thumb into a weird device then clicked away on her computer.

“There, you’re all set up. Well, I pretty much had it all ready to go before you got here.

Just needed the deets, and your thumb.” She giggled again.

“Come on, I can’t wait to show you around.

It’s so nice here. You’re gonna love it. ”

Sadie was the first person I ever met with more energy than me. This might turn out to be the best worst day ever.