Chapter 5

Raelynn

"How have you been?"Les asked.

"I've been good. Busy, but good."

God, this was so awkward, like neither of them knew what to say or how to say it. Raelynn was really hoping they'd find a rhythm. It might have been twenty years, but she was sure they hadn't changed that much.

"What are you doing for work now?"

She hadn't planned on talking work, but she also wasn't planning on running into him. Life often threw curve balls at people and plans changed.

"I own and run a shelter for battered women."

Please don't ask, please don't ask, please...

"Wow! That's awesome! It's a really great thing to do, helping women like that." Les scratched his beard and then asked the question she'd been dreading, "That's a long way from the law degree you were studying for. What made you decide to change your plans?"

Shoot!

Raelynn hated this question. She hated dwelling on that portion of her life. She'd rather forget it completely. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible as she often had nightmares or flashbacks. Even fifteen years later, she couldn't shake all of the trauma. It had gotten better over time, but it hadn't completely disappeared.

"I left an abusive relationship and stayed in a shelter that was terribly run. I got back on my feet as quickly as possible because I wanted out of there. I probably left it too soon; I wasn't as ready as I wanted to be. It was then that I decided I wanted to offer women something better. Somewhere they could feel comfortable taking their time and doing it right. So, I saved up and when I had enough money, I bought a run-down industrial building and had it renovated."

Les

Les felt a mixture of sympathy,rage and sheer pride. Someone had hurt his babygirl, and he found himself wishing he could find the culprit and teach him a lesson.

"Jesus, baby. Is the bastard in jail?"

He hoped the answer would be yes, because otherwise he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep himself from finding the son of a bitch.

"I pressed charges. He was convicted, but he's done his time now. This all happened fifteen years ago. I've made my peace with it and because he's left me alone since, I just focus on my mission."

She was incredible. She'd gone through so much and risen above it. Not only that but used her experience as a stepping stone to dedicate her life to helping other people. He couldn't be prouder of her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I've..." Just as he was answering, their breakfast arrived.

Les automatically reached for her plate, planning to cut up her food, but he remembered at the last minute that it wasn't something he had the right to do anymore. He planned to change that as quickly as possible. She noticed his movement and smiled at him. Was it just his imagination or did that smile hold a bit of regret?

They ate in silence for a moment before Rae-Rae asked her question again. He had to decipher it through the food in her mouth and before he could stop himself, he said, "No talking with your mouth full."

She raised her eyebrow at him, an expression she'd mastered in order to use it to be a bit of a brat twenty years ago. For a moment, he was transported back to when he'd been happy, thinking his life was complete and he'd found his forever. A time before she abandoned him without a single word.

Resentment rose up in him for just a moment, surprising him since he'd forgiven her a long time ago. He set the resentment aside. That was then, this was now. There was no place for hard feelings in the now.

After she'd swallowed her food, Rae-Rae asked again, "So, what have you been up to for the last twenty years?"

"I finished at the academy and got my badge. It took five years, but I finally made detective as I'd dreamed."

"That's great! I know how badly you wanted it. I'm so proud of you!"

Somehow, hearing Rae-Rae say she was proud of him felt even better than having that detective's badge presented to him. It made him feel accomplished to hear that from her.

"Yeah, I was walking on air for weeks," he said and chuckled.

"I bet." She thought for a moment, and he knew what was coming. "So, how'd you go from Detective to working at Rawhide Ranch?"

"I got injured on the job about four years ago. You might have noticed the limp. It didn't heal properly, and I never could pass the physical to get back on duty. So I retired for ‘medical reasons' with my pension. I probably could have spent the rest of my life without having to work again, but it was driving me mad. I started researching jobs where I could help with security. You know, still be serving and protecting but in a simpler, quieter way. But then a friend told me about the website for Rawhide Ranch. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to work a job where I could be authentically me twenty-four-seven."

"Wow," she said, "that's a lot. But you're okay now, right?"

His heart warmed at her concern. They talked for a while about small things, little details of their lives and the dreams they had for the future. Before Les knew it, they'd spent two and a half hours in the cafe. He wasn't ready to leave her. If he had his choice, he'd glue himself to her side for her entire stay. But he couldn't monopolize her time like that. She was here to enjoy the Ranch and as much as he didn't want to, he needed to get some sleep.

Before he left her, though, he needed to know something, "How are you enjoying your stay? Have you spent time in Little space yet?"

"It's beautiful here and all the things to do are amazing! I just got here last night, and I want to try them all, but I only have a week," she explained.

He'd noticed the short amount of time she'd be here when he looked up her room number. That's why he needed to establish his intentions quickly. He didn't have time to take it slow.

"And Little space? Did you spend time last evening doing the Little activities or socializing with the other Littles?"

"Honestly?" she asked, and he nodded. "I've found it hard to get into Little space. Even though I'm a Middle, I still go pretty young when I'm stressed or when I've neglected my Little for too long. Right now, I have both of those going on. It scares me to get into that mind frame without a Big to watch me. I know that the Ranch has a program to assign a temporary Big, but I don't know any of them and that makes it just as difficult, even if they have been vetted and approved."

"You know me," he reminded her, and she looked at him in shock. He'd opened the door; he was ready to rush through it. "Rae-Rae, I've missed you so much. Nothing would bring me more pleasure than to be your Daddy for the week. It doesn't have to be anything sexual if you don't want. You can set the rules on that, but you deserve the whole experience, and I want to give it to you." He took a deep breath and asked the question consuming his mind and heart, "What do you say? Will you let me be your Daddy?"