Page 20 of Disciplining Dana

“Gimmie a sec and I’ll be right back.”

“They take security here pretty seriously,” Dana murmured as the man walked away.

“Obviously.”

The guard returned a moment later. “Alright, Mr. Ellery, Ms. Aziz, welcome to Rawhide Ranch.” He pointed ahead of them. “Just stay on this road until you come to the main building. You won’t be able to miss it. Check in at the front desk, and you’ll be all set.”

“Thank you,” Kurt replied.

“My pleasure, folks. Enjoy your stay!” With that the man turned away, and a moment later, the gates swung open.

Following the road, they eventually found their way to the ranch’s main building where Kurt pulled to a stop outside.

He turned to Dana. “Is it just me, or is this place bigger than expected?”

She nodded. “It’s not just you.” As they’d been driving, Dana had taken in what they could see of Rawhide, and it had become abundantly clear this wasn’t just a dude ranch. There were buildings here—big buildings—that clearly went beyond what would be required to run a tourist attraction, even if it did cater to clientele in the lifestyle. There was something more here than just a resort, BDSM adjacent or not.

“Did you see those buildings back there?” She pointed beyond the main building to a pair of larger structures nearby.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Those,” she said emphatically, “do not look like resort buildings.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “They don’t.”

She looked over with raised eyebrows, and he shrugged in silent reply.

The lobby of the main building was huge, with vaulted ceilings of exposed log beams that soared above the room. The walls were warm with wood paneling, enormous windows set into several of them that looked out onto pastures and mountains in the distance. Passing a massive, double-sided stone fireplace, she and Kurt approached the front desk.

“Afternoon, folks, I’m Yasmin. Checking in?” a young, dark-haired woman with bright eyes and a bouncy, cheerful demeanor greeted them.

“Yes. Dana Aziz and Kurt Ellery,” Kurt answered as Dana continued scanning the room.

The check-in clerk bent to her computer screen, tapping at her keyboard. “Ah, there we are. You’re staying with us for a week?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kurt nodded.

“Well, I see this is your first time visiting us, so let me go over a few rules and give you an overview of where everything is.” She gestured around her. “You’re in the main resort building right now, and this is probably where you’ll spend most of your stay here. The wing to your right is for our Littles, and your rooms will be to the left in the guest wing.” She went on to describe all the amenities in the main building which included two specialty restaurants, a cafeteria, and a café. She pointed to the large glass wall behind her, explaining it was the Ranch store. As she described what could be found inside, both Kurt and Dana’s gazes roamed over the rather eclectic items they could see on display: snack items, toiletries, western wear, and a rather large assortment of implements and toys for all ages.

“Downstairs… well,” she grinned broadly. “That’s where you’ll find the fun stuff. Gym, indoor pool, lounge and bar…” She paused for a second. “Those last two will be in the Dungeon.”

“Dungeon.” Kurt’s eyebrow ticked up a notch.

The woman giggled. “Yes, sir.”

“Good to know,” he murmured, and Dana shot him a warning glare.

“The rest of the Ranch has a lot to offer too. We’ve got riding stables, hiking paths, two lakes…” She continued with a list that seemed to go on and on. “For our longer-term guests, there are dorms they can take residence in if needed, and then we have the university?—”

“Wait,” Dana stopped her. “Did you just say… university?”

“Yes, ma’am. Fully accredited by the State of Montana and the Council for Higher Education.”

“Would that be the large buildings we saw beyond this one?” She gestured toward the edifices she’d pointed out to Kurt earlier. The ones she’d emphasized did “not look like resort buildings”. Because they hadn’t, and they weren’t.

“Yes, ma’am, those house our university.”

“Wow.” A… university. What the hell was up with this place?

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