Page 23 of Caging Cessie (Submissives of Rawhide Ranch #20)

They sat beside each other on the top rail of a fence. Cessie wasn’t sure where on the grounds they were—she hadn’t studied the map enough to remember. And she didn’t need to. She trusted that Leon knew.

It had been four blissful days of sex, submission, and domesticity.

They’d cooked together, eaten together, showered and slept together.

Two of the days she’d once more been his falcon, hooded unless she was in her cage.

The others they played more traditional (for them) games of bondage, pain, and pleasure.

Cessie shifted back, so she was balanced more on her thighs than on her sit spot, which was sore from the paddling she’d gotten yesterday.

They were leaving today, and part of her seriously considered asking Leon if they should give up their jobs, move here, and become full-time kinksters.

Part of her was afraid it would all fall apart when they left, but the time spent in their cabin not fucking had been spent talking.

They had structures and rules for their planned home playroom, to keep the dynamic from bleeding into their everyday interactions.

They’d talked about how they’d deal with her deeply held discomfort with accepting help rather than only giving it, and how he could support her in maintaining her new boundaries with her family.

She had a list of questions and discussion points for her next therapy session.

But for now, she’d enjoy the sunshine and impossibly wide blue sky with the man she loved.

“Look there. See that? It’s a kestrel.” Leon’s enthusiasm made him sound young and happy.

She looked over at him, and he returned the look, smile widening. Maybe it wasn’t the bird that made him happy.

She followed his pointing finger and peered at the small bird soaring above the trees. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, look at the wing shape. That’s a bird of prey. Relatively small, so I’m going to go with kestrel.”

“Planning to capture and train any more falcons?” she teased.

“No, the one I have is perfect.”

After wearing the jesses on and off for days, her wrists felt oddly naked, and the lack of bell sounds was sad rather than a relief.

Leon had promised to put them back on her once they were home.

It was almost time to leave. Their flight wasn’t until tonight, but there was a long way to go.

But there was one thing she still needed to do.

Cessie slipped off the fence, gently brushing off the back of her jeans.

“Let me help.” He slapped her ass, making her yelp.

“That’s just more spanking!” Her sore bottom felt those, even through the denim.

“Do you object?”

She could have teased him back, but instead smiled softly. “No. Never.”

He returned her smile.

Then Cessie gathered her courage and dropped down onto one knee.

Leon looked at her speculatively, already reaching for her hair, but Cessie shook her head, then took his hands in hers. “Leon?”

His expression shifted to confusion and then dawning realization.

“You’ve kept my heart and soul safe, even if sometimes you were protecting me from myself.

” She was shaking with nerves, unsure if he’d hate her doing this.

“You’re what I think of when I think of home.

I want to be with you as your lover, friend, and submissive, for the rest of my life.

” She tightened her hold on his hand, and his big warm fingers curled around hers.

He was smiling, and it was his touch and that smile that gave her the courage to get the next words out. “Will you marry me?”

Leon grinned down at her for a long moment, then hauled her up into his arms. “Yes,” he whispered against her temple. “Yes, baby. Yes.”

She let out a happy laugh that was tinged with equally happy tears.

Until Leon swung her up to sit on the fence rail. She yelped as her well-spanked ass made contact with the wood.

He wrapped one arm around her, leaning into her legs. “You just proposed.”

“You just said yes.”

“Too bad I’m going to have to punish you for it.”

Cessie blinked. “What?”

“Punish you.” His gaze slid down her body in a speculative way. “I’ve heard peppermint oil puts ginger to shame.”

“If you think you’re going to punish me because my proposing to you violates some stupid patriarchal?—”

“No.” He reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a small box.

A ring box.

Cessie’s eyes widened and she clamped one hand over her mouth.

“I’m going to punish you for beating me to the punch.” He released her long enough to open the box, then hooked an arm around her again.

“Since you asked me, now it’s my turn to ask you.”

“You had that? You brought it?”

“Yes, and yes.”

“But you said you thought we were going to break up.” Her heart was pounding against her ribs with happiness.

“My plan was to leave here either single or engaged. I was always hoping for engaged.”

Cessie looked at the ring, which sparkled in the sunlight—a brilliant pale blue stone on a simple silver-colored band that was probably platinum knowing him.

“Cessie?”

“Yes, Leon?” She raised her brows as if she had no idea what he was going to ask.

His flashing gaze promised delicious, wonderful retribution.

“I’ve loved you from the moment I first saw you, and the only versions of my future I care about are ones with you in them. I want your face to be the last thing I see at night, and the first thing I see in the morning.”

She breathed slow and deep, her desperate love for this man like champagne bubbles inside her.

“Will you marry me?”