Page 66 of Shared on the Ranch

Just scoop it up with your hands, the devil on her shoulder suggested.

No. You can’t. They’d know,the angel cautioned.

They haven’t been here looking in on you. It’s been hours. They’ve forgotten all about you.

Chyanne gritted her teeth against the temptation, focusing on holding the tweezers just right. She released them over the bowl and watched with satisfaction as the grain fell in. She’d managed to get two at a time, but that was the largest amount she could do at one time.

Master Aaron had told her to pick them up with the tweezers, and she was determined not to take shortcuts this time. She didn’t want to get in more trouble than she was already in, that was true, but more than that, shewantedto be their good girl again. It was a sobering, unfamiliar thought, but she couldn’t shake it.

She opened the tweezers too early and the grain bounced off the side of the bowl. Chyanne groaned aloud and shifted so that the escapee was back in her line of vision. Flexing her fingers, she got the tweezers to the right width and lowered them to the floor, plucking the rice off the floor.

“Looks like you’ve made some progress.”

Chyanne’s head snapped up so quickly that she shifted suddenly and her bowl began wobbling. With a gasp, she reached out to steady it, breathing a sigh of relief when it stopped.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to spook ya.” Chandler gave her an apologetic grin.

She forced herself to speak as respectfully as possible. “That’s okay, sir.”

“What do you say I give you a hand?”

She returned the smile, though hers was wry. “You got another pair of tweezers? I kind of have a system going.”

“Nope.”

Her brow crinkled. “Then how—”

Aaron poked his head in. “How about a vacuum cleaner?” He held up the power-stick, and she could have wept with relief.

“I don’t think you’ve ever looked sexier to me.Eitherof you.”

She leapt to her feet, then had to catch her balance because her feet were both asleep. When she finally got her bearings, she penguin-walked on her heels and then gave each of them a loud, enthusiastic kiss on the cheek.

Then she stood by while Aaron vacuumed. It took him less than two minutes, and she’d never felt more grateful for vacuum cleaners. As soon as he was done, Chandler scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

Knowing she deserved a horrible punishment, she tensed, but there was nothing but concern and tenderness in his expression when he set her down. Then Aaron was there too, and she had a daddy on one side and a master on the other. They cuddled in close beside her, and before she even could think of how to properly thank them, she was asleep.

* * *

When she awoke, both men were still on either side. Aaron had his back turned to her while Chandler had an arm slung across her, snoring softly.

She felt her heart well with something that felt an awful lot like love. Realizing an urgent need to pee had awoken her, she slipped as quietly as she could down the bed until her feet touched the floor. She made her way to the bathroom, handled her business, and then stood in front of the sink, splashing cold water on her face.

It was hard not to cringe at her own reflection. Her eyes were crusty in the corners and dark with circles underneath, and her hair was rumpled as though she had tossed and turned all night long.

“Who wouldn’t want to wake up to this?” she muttered, scowling before she turned away.

Chyanne walked back into the bedroom and glanced at the window. She could see the pale gray of the early morning and knew she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. Though things didn’t feel as heavy as they had the day before, she still had a lot on her mind.

Maybe I need a little fresh air to think things over.The decision made, she grabbed a buffalo plaid robe hanging over the La-Z-Boy in the living room. As soon as she fastened the belt around her waist, she quietly let herself out the door.

She was still shaken from everything that had happened yesterday. Not only mentally, either. The more she walked, the more she became aware of her twisted ankle.

I can’t believe I threw a literal tantrum. No wonder Chandler keeps insisting I’m a little girl.

But she hadn’t just gone off like a bottle rocket for no reason—it was because of…him. Or, rather, them. Though the man she’d seen at the front desk was the biggest of her enemies, the others with him were still on the list.

Why are they here? They can’t just be following me… that’s not their style. They’re bullies, but not stalkers.

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