Page 2 of Rediscovering Rubi

“I love you, Rubi,” he told her again.

And there it was. The words she’d needed to hear, even if she hadn’t realized it until this very moment. The words and the knowledge that it was true. This man loved her, and she loved him. Always had. Always would.

“I love you, too, Logan.”

She only hoped their love would be enough to carry them through.

CHAPTER 1

They’d both been quiet on the drive from the airport to Rawhide Ranch, just listening to music as the gorgeous, snowy mountain scenery flashed by. He’d played a lot of their old favorites: a little classic Johnny Cash and Patsy Kline, some of the New Wave they both still loved, like The Cars and David Bowie, and Rubi’s favorite Duran Duran songs. It had given Logan time to think. Not that he hadn’t been thinking for the last month, ever since they’d made their reservation.

Montana in February was beautiful, if a lot colder than they were used to at home in Texas. The rolling hills set against a backdrop of rugged mountains were covered in a layer of white, punctuated by the snow-tipped evergreen trees lining the road. By the time they rolled up to the big gates of Rawhide Ranch, he’d thought over all of the conversations that had led to them coming here. He thought about how much was at risk if they couldn’t find a way back to each other. They couldn’t continue to exist in this strange space where they moved through the house together as if they barely knew each other.

This has to work.

He slowed to a stop in front of the iron gates and lowered the window. A burly man leaned out the door of the small security booth.

“Hi there. How can I help you folks?”

“We’re Logan and Rubi Shaw. We have a reservation,” Logan answered, holding out the printed paperwork the Ranch had sent him, as well as both their IDs.

The guard took it and tapped something into a small laptop, then handed their ID cards back. “Yep, you’re all good to go. Just follow the road up to the main lodge, and park in front. I’ll call ahead, and someone will be out to help you with your bags. Enjoy your stay with us, Colonel Shaw, Mrs. Shaw.”

“Thanks.”

“It’s so beautiful here,” Rubi said, the first words she’d spoken in a good hour. She often got quiet when she was nervous, and he’d learned over the years to give her that space.

“It is, isn’t it? Look at the lodge. It’s like the biggest log cabin I’ve ever seen.”

“It is. But somehow it still looks so cozy. And the scenery here is unbelievable. I think… I think I’m really going to like it here.”

He reached over and gave his wife’s hand a squeeze as he pulled to a stop. “I think we both will.”

A young man in a well-worn cowboy hat came down the wide staircase of the lodge, a smile on his face as he approached their rental car. Logan got out.

“Hi there, my name’s Dax. Welcome to Rawhide Ranch. I can grab your luggage and bring it to your room. You two can go on in and check in at the desk, and Erika will give you all the info you’ll need, and your room key. Is everything in the trunk coming inside?”

“Hi, Dax. Yes, and thanks.”

He caught Rubi’s door opening from the corner of his eye and strode over to her side of the car, clicking his tongue.

“Nope, young lady,” he told her as he reached to swing her door open and offer her his hand. “You know better.”

“Oh, but I…”

She must have seen the look in his eye because she cut off her argument right there and let him help her out. And just this tiny exchange, where there was some power play at hand, gave him a boost he hadn’t realized he’d needed—not in such a concrete way.

But yeah, this was exactly what they needed; he was certain of it now. There was nothing like a kink dynamic to really bring them back together. To reconnect them on a deep level. To bind them to each other, the way they used to be.

He escorted his wife up the wide front steps and held the door for her as she stepped inside, and he followed. The place was exactly what anyone would think a lodge in the mountains of Montana would be: rustic wood floors, beams, and pillars, with a huge open stone fireplace in the middle of the lobby, and a sense of warmth and welcome. Well, maybe not the store at one end of the lobby, where the window was filled with stuffies and adult-sized onesies, Little girl party dresses, and toy trucks—no mountain cabin he’d ever seen had such a place. But he’d known the Ranch had started primarily as a play space and school for people into ageplay before they’d opened their well-equipped dungeon to kinky folks who were into other aspects. Ageplay may not be their thing, but he loved that a place existed that was safe and free of judgment, and Rubi did, too. In fact, she’d mentioned that it made her feel even more comfortable about coming here.

They moved to the registration desk, and a petite woman with short, dark hair and a wide smile greeted them.

“Colonel and Mrs. Shaw; hi! I’m Erika. I’m Master Derek’s personal assistant, so you’ll see me around, I’m sure. Right now I’m just watching the desk for a bit. But let’s get you all checkedin.” She turned to a computer screen for a moment. “Looks like all your forms are in order. Your suite is down that hallway. Do you have the map of the Ranch we sent to you via email? If not, there’s one in your room, along with a room service menu, and the list of spa services available, plus contact numbers for anything you might need during your stay.”

“I sure do,” Logan answered. “But thank you for all the info.”

“Great! And you’re very welcome. If you need anything else, you just pick up the phone and dial the desk. There’s always someone here to help. Now, here’s your room keys. Enjoy your stay, and please let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.”

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