Page 38 of Shared on the Ranch

“How can you tell if a woman is a Little or a sub?”

Nate sat back in his overstuffed armchair, his expression thoughtful. “Well, have you tried asking?”

“Is that the best you got?” Aaron chuckled, although he had to acknowledge that they had not, in fact, asked.

Nate ignored him. “And I guess the other thing is thatallLittles are submissives, but not all submissives are Littles. Does that make sense?”

Before he could respond, there was a knock at the door. “I thought you said this place was top-secret, invite only, bro.”

“Oh, does that hurt your feelings? That you’re not the only one who knows the password?” Nate grinned. “Come in!” he called.

When the door opened, Chandler’s head poked in. He seemed just as surprised to see Aaron as he was to see him. Before Chyanne, he’d never run into the other man much. Now, it seemed he couldn’t get away from him.

“Hey. How’s it going?”

“I was looking for you. We’ve got a bit of a… situation.” Then his gaze slid over to include Nate. “I’m guessin’ you’re gonna want to hear about this, too.”

“See what I mean?” Nate sighed, lifting his glass and downing the contents in a quick swallow. “Never a dull moment.”

Aaron stood up beside his friend and boss. “Well, in that case I politely decline your, ah, generous offer.”

Nate sighed again and clapped him on the shoulder. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

* * *

Chyanne

Breathe. Just breathe, she tried to tell herself as she did her best to ignore the pain. She shifted her weight, but that just made it worse.

Her thoughts went to the other girls. Had they gotten into trouble too? Because of her? The thought made her feel incredibly sad. They’d only tried to help her, and now they might be sore and sad just like she was.

Well, okay, probably notexactlylike she was. Because let’s face it, not a one of them had a sadistic so-called master to put up with. Which meant that while they’d possibly gotten scolded, maybe even spanked, the odds were good that not one of them was having to endure what she was.

She’d expected to be scolded and spanked too, maybe even by both of them, but no. She hadn’t been anywhere near that lucky.

She’d been frog-marched into the room between Chandler and Aaron and not a single word had passed between them. She’d kept shooting them anxious, furtive looks, but if they felt them, they didn’t show it.

They hadn’t spared her so much as a glance until Chandler had opened the door and ushered her in.

Then Aaron had given her a single, searing stare and pointed. “Go.”

That was all he’d said. So, she’d gone, of course. But she’d never, ever expected what happened next.

“Corner,” she’d heard him call from the living room.

She had been trembling with barely concealed guilt and shame. Her tummy was already in knots, but hearing that silky, authoritative voice had made them tighten even more.

“I’m a grown woman.” She had meant the words to come out scathing and hard, but when they reached her ears they were merely whiny. “I don’t think I need—”

Aaron cut the distance between them and put his finger to her trembling lips. “The problem is that youdon’tthink half the time. Andwedecide what you need.”

She was torn between submitting—the unyielding fire in his eyes made her want to just give up and do as she was told. But the other half was more than a little pissed that she found herself in this position, and mad at the part that wanted to give in.

So she scowled at him and shook her head.

Aaron didn’t look like her defiance bothered him in the slightest. In fact, the arch of his brow, the shadow of a smile on his lips, told her that he welcomed it. “One more word, Chyanne, and you will regret it.”

Her scowl deepened, but inwardly, she was waffling harder than before. She hadn’t known either of them long, but she was quickly learning that they didn’t say a single thing they didn’t mean. She let her gaze flit between both of their determined expressions, and at last, she rolled her eyes and let her breath out in a huff. But she didn’t speak.

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