Page 28 of Rusty

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 thatshewas 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 toknow 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 andself-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 aDaddythan 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.”