Page 3 of Lasso Lovebirds (Rainbow Ranch #4)

priscilla

Boss.

Beau was the boss. That was a well-known fact. And yet, every time I called him boss, all I could think about was what it would be like to see Mr. Bossy Pants on his knees. Begging.

I’d never ever tell him about that little dream in a thousand years, though. Or that I’d been pining for the masked cowboy for years.

The first time I came to Rainbow Ranch, I was a teenager.

Just like many of the foster kids that helped out, I’d come here to escape, only to find that the slower pace of life and long days of hard work were exactly what I needed.

Then I’d left Oklahoma for a few years after graduation.

I got a degree in Agronomy Management, met someone I thought I was going to love for the rest of my life, had my heart shattered, and came right back to the ranch.

Rainbow Ranch was home.

Coming back here, the little crush I’d had as a teen blossomed into something entirely different as an adult. The seven-year age gap between Beau and me no longer felt like too much—especially now that I was twenty-eight and he was thirty-five.

But Beau was off limits.

Still, I couldn't help but watch him walk away. I swallowed hard, trying to refocus on our guest—the attractive storm chaser with pretty eyes and bright green hair. They were a little bit shorter than me, a little bit curvier, and wore a look on their face that I knew all too well.

I’d never forget the first time I came to Rainbow Ranch, or the feeling of being accepted for who I was.

There was something special about this place, which was why I’d stayed here for so long and probably would stay here the rest of my life.

I loved the ranch, loved the people, loved our mission, and loved what we did here. I could make a lot more money elsewhere with my degree, but I was able to help people at Rainbow Ranch. And that made up for everything else.

Now, if only I could find someone to love.

“Let me help you grab your things,” I said to Sky.

They shook their head. “You've already done enough. Let me grab my bag, it's just a suitcase. And then I'm all yours to help with whatever you need.”

All yours. I hid my smirk as they went down the stairs to their van, yanking the door open to retrieve their things. I leaned against the post, watching them with interest.

There was something about them I just couldn't look away from. Maybe it was because they were a new face, or maybe it was because I saw the way Beau looked at them, or maybe it was because I saw the way they looked at me .

Regardless, I was interested.

I blamed Boone and Wylie. With their newfound love, it was hard not to think about what life could look like with someone by your side—that type of companionship I'd always craved. Those two were cavity-sweet together.

The thing was, I was polyamorous—which meant that not everyone would be open to the kind of connection I was looking for.

On top of that, I really liked solo polyamory.

I wanted to be able to make my bed the way I liked it, have my space the way I liked it, and do everything the way I liked it, but I still wanted to have meaningful relationships.

I still wanted to fall in love and be loved.

I just would never be the domestic type, with one partner and a house full of kids, or any of the other things most people wanted.

I wanted to be loved, but I also still wanted to be with myself.

I would never put myself in a position again where I wasn't the one in control. I'd never be with someone who told me what to do, or didn't respect my decisions. I've already been there once, and the trauma from that son of a bitch had taken a lot of therapy and years to work past.

And there were still days where I wasn't over it.

Those types of relationships ruined everything.

That experience made me see each situation in a new light, and question everyone's motives around me. How much pain had I gone through, simply for loving the wrong person? Nathan had not been the Prince Charming I’d believed he was, but at least he was out of my life for good.

Rainbow Ranch healed those parts of me as well as it could, but opening myself up to someone new was frightening.

So instead, I spent my time pining for someone that would never love me back. And I hoped for the day where I would find the one—or ones —who would understand and accept the lifestyle I chose to live.

Was that so wrong?

To top all of that off, I was kinky. Not just a playful hair tug or a light slap on the ass type of kinky—but actually kinky.

There were things that I liked to do in the bedroom .

. . and living in a house full of other people didn't exactly offer the privacy I needed for any of them.

I loved being a Domme. It turned me on to tie someone up and make them come over and over again until they were nothing but a little mess.

It turned me on to spank them, push them, use them, and pleasure them.

And just to add another layer to the Priscilla-never-finding-love cake—my standards were high.

That was probably the real reason I would never find someone.

And why I was perfectly content only thinking of the new storm chaser as eye candy. A fling wasn't what I wanted, and it never would be.

So I would just admire them and dream about what could be, then move on with my life. They'd be in and out, just like the countless other people that had come through this ranch. We'd be nothing but a memory covered in a layer of Oklahoma dust and rainbow glitter.

Sky came back up the steps with their suitcase and glanced back at the van. “Should I be parking somewhere else?”

“I think it’s fine there for now,” I said. “Beau usually parks the truck closer to the barn, so I’m sure he’ll have you move it. Let’s go find you a room.”

Before Sky could protest, I picked up their suitcase and found that it was way lighter than I’d expected. I carried it into the house with them right behind me, leading the way until we reached the long hallway.

“Beau’s bedroom has a lasso on it,” I said, gesturing toward the end of the hall.

“Oh,” Sky said, cheeks flushing. “I guess that’s good to know.”

I smiled wistfully and slowed, rapping on the door to my bedroom. “This one is mine.” I pointed at the door across from us. “And that can be yours. It’s not too much. The rooms are humble, but they’re cozy. And you get used to them.”

Sky stepped past the threshold, head tilting as they looked around. I leaned in through the doorway and set their bag down, and then propped my shoulder against the frame.

“What do ya think?” I asked.

They smiled. “It’ll do. Not too glamorous, but neither was the motel in Johnson Springs. And this is a lot safer.”

My chest squeezed. “It is. If you ever need anything, I’m here. Although, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble out here.”

They breathed out, their shoulders sinking.

“How about you take some time to get settled in? I’ll give you some peace.”

“I think I'd rather help you,” Sky said. “I can settle in tonight, but I kind of interrupted your entire morning. And Beau told me you have lots of work to do.”

“You just went through a tornado, and you want to work?” I raised a brow.

Sky shifted from side to side, then shrugged their shoulders. “If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to. But, I suppose I can show you around the ranch. I already did most of my work before anyone was up, and I’ll do more after lunch.”

“Okay.” Sky smiled and dragged their suitcase to the other side of the room, then pulled their phone out of their denim pocket. They made a face.

“Oh yeah,” I said. “Cell service out here is rough. Beau has better internet access in his office if you need it.”

“I will later,” Sky said with a nod. “But it’s fine for now. How on earth do y’all live out here without good cell service?”

“It’s kind of nice sometimes,” I said. “And frankly, I just sneak into Beau’s office when I need to connect with the rest of the world. I have an Instagram account I started a couple years ago to post pictures from around the ranch.”

They grinned. “Really? I’m sure people love it.”

“For the most part,” I chuckled. “Alright, Sky. Come with me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”