Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The day after Christmas brought a stillness to the Ranch that Sebastian hadn’t expected. As he stepped out of the truck, the icy air immediately hit his face, cold enough to steal his breath for a second. Snow still blanketed the ground, untouched except for the footprints and tire tracks from the few other Ranch guests. Sebastian took a deep breath, savoring the quiet and the clean scent of the mountain air.

Behind him, Rowan hopped out of the passenger side and rubbed his hands together. “If this is how we’re ringing in the New Year, count me in,” he said, glancing around with a grin. “Perfect setup for some R&R.”

Forrest, already standing outside the truck and stretching his legs, gave Rowan a knowing look. “You? Relax? I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Rawhide Ranch was exactly as Sebastian remembered from the website he’d been given access to after his acceptance to visit the Ranch—rustic, a sprawling main building, and wide open spaces, the perfect backdrop for the New Year’s celebrations. It was peaceful, serene. The kind of place where time seemed to slow down.

For Sebastian, this holiday wasn’t just about ringing in the New Year. It was about resetting after everything that had happened—after the surgery he still hadn’t told his friends about. He pressed his hands to his chest for a moment, feeling the scar hidden beneath the layers of clothing. The heart valve replacement had been necessary, but it had shaken him more than he’d let on. It was also the wake-up call he’d sorely needed. For the longest time, he had spent way too many hours in the office, and not enough of his energy on just living. This vacation with his friends was a chance to breathe again. He just wasn’t ready to share information about the surgery with them yet.

“Well, I’m glad one of us thought to book this place,” Rowan said, turning in a slow circle to take in the view. “Good call, Seb.”

“Yeah, man,” Forrest agreed, pulling his bag from the back of the truck. “It’s good to see your ugly mugs again.” He eyed the Ranch, and by the tightening of his expression, Sebastian could tell that Forrest wasn’t completely sold on their choice of location.

It was one of the reasons Sebastian had chosen it. It was high time Forrest went back to his roots. He was made for the lifestyle, and hiding from it wasn’t helping anyone.

Sebastian offered them a brief smile, watching as Rowan and Forrest made their way to the Ranch’s main lodge. The promise of warmth from the logs burning in the huge fireplace inside was visible through the large windows, making the cozy interior all the more inviting. As they approached, the scent of pine and lingering holiday spices filled the air, reminding him that it had only been one day since Christmas. The Ranch had kept the festive decorations up—twinkling lights wrapped around the eaves and a large snow-dusted wreath hung on the front door. Handmade decorations could also be seen through the large windows, obviously crafted by some clever Little’s hands.

“Come on, let’s get inside before I freeze my ass off,” Rowan joked, shaking snow from his boots as they entered.

The lodge was bustling, but not overwhelmingly so. Couples were cuddled on couches in front of the fireplace. Some people were talking in front of a large reception desk and some sneaky Little girl was busy creeping up on a man dressed in chef’s whites.

Ranch staff moved about, tending to guests who had either stayed through Christmas or arrived like they had for the New Year celebrations. The place had a welcoming energy, with the crackling fire in the massive fireplace casting a warm glow over the wooden beams and walls.

“Welcome to Rawhide Ranch,” the receptionist greeted them, smiling at them. “Your names, please?”

“Sebastian Heathfield,” Sebastian answered as he’d made the booking under his name. “Three rooms.”

“We’ll have someone take your bags and show you to your rooms shortly,” she said, motioning to a staff member nearby.

As Rowan joked with the staff about amenities, Sebastian’s attention wandered. His gaze drifted around the lodge. And that was when he saw her.

A young woman, petite and fragile-looking, with two long dark braids falling over her shoulders, stood there holding a steaming mug. She was wrapped in a thick, rainbow-colored sweater, but even from across the room, he could tell she was small—almost too small. There was something about her that caught his eye, something... delicate.

She was speaking quietly with another woman—older, with a motherly presence, likely someone from the staff. The girl looked nervous, her posture tense, but there was a calmness in her face that suggested she was working hard to relax in her surroundings.

Sebastian’s stomach twisted. He didn’t know why he felt drawn to her, but there was something in the way she held herself, something that reminded him of his own vulnerability. Before he could think too much about it, Forrest nudged him.

“Seb? You with us?”

Sebastian blinked, snapping back to reality. “Yeah. Sorry. Just... taking it all in.”

Rowan clapped him on the back. “Come on, man. We’ve got a couple of weeks to take it all in. Let’s get settled first.”

As they were led to their rooms, Sebastian’s thoughts kept drifting back to the girl in the rainbow sweater. There was something about her, something that stirred emotions he hadn’t felt in a long time. If ever.

Sebastian looked at his two best friends. Rowan’s clothes looked a bit more road-worn than the last time he’d seen him, and Sebastian wondered if his friend was struggling for work. And Forrest? He looked so uncomfortable being in this kink-friendly resort. Like he was ready to climb out of his skin.

Maybe his friends needed this vacation just as much as he did.

Perhaps this trip would be more than just a way to recover. It could just be the beginning of something unexpected.

He just hoped he was ready for whatever came next. That they all were.

With thoughts of his friends, and the pretty brown-haired princess in reception, Sebastian walked into his room and closed the door behind him.

First, he’d unpack. Then he’d go back out there and see if he could find the girl again. Maybe talk to her if she was receptive to it.

Excitement bubbled in Sebastian’s chest. Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling so weary anymore.

After unpacking, Sebastian couldn’t shake the image of the Little by the fireplace. Her delicate frame, the quiet determination in her expression—it stirred something protective in him. There was a part of him that wanted to know more, to understand why she seemed so out of place, yet at peace.

The lodge’s lively atmosphere had died down when Sebastian stepped back into the main hall. The fire crackled, casting warm shadows along the wooden beams. His eyes scanned the room, hoping to catch another glimpse of her, but she was nowhere in sight. Instead, he found Forrest and Rowan seated by the fireplace, deep in conversation with two women. Both Littles, judging by their attire and mannerisms. Rowan was already in his element, laughing and gesturing animatedly.

“Where’d you go?” Forrest asked as Sebastian approached, his expression more relaxed than earlier.

“Unpacking. What’s going on here?” Sebastian nodded toward the women, who giggled at something Rowan had said.

“Just making friends,” Rowan answered, flashing a mischievous grin. “You should join us. They were telling us about the New Year’s festivities here. Apparently, it’s a whole week-long thing—workshops, parties, plenty to keep us busy. Starting with a mixer tonight.”

Sebastian smiled faintly but felt his mind drifting again. Maybe he would meet the Little from earlier there. “Sounds good. We can relax and catch up at a mixer as much as anywhere else, right?”

Forrest stared at Sebastian, his brows furrowed, but he didn’t respond to his best friend, instead opting to continue in his conversation with the Littles in front of him. Rowan just smiled before doing the same.

“I’m going to get myself something to drink,” Sebastian said to his friends, but before he could step away, one of the girls sitting by his friends jumped up with an eager smile.

“Oh, let me, Sir! What would you like?”

Sebastian looked at her, trying to see if he’d have the same reaction to her he’d had to the rainbow-sweater girl, but nothing happened.

“That’s fine, sweetheart. I’ve got it.” He clapped Rowan on the back and wandered off in search of some coffee. Maybe a decaf, Sebastian thought while rubbing at the scar on his chest.