“Speaking of which,” Kaiden interjected, grinning widely, “this place is also an incredible opportunity. Where else could you make this kind of money at our age? I've been here over four years, and I've got a full investment portfolio waiting for me when I'm done. I’ll never have to work again if I don’t want to.”
“Seriously?” I asked, impressed.
“Seriously,” Kaiden confirmed with a satisfied smile. “I live modestly, invest wisely, and save like crazy. The beauty of this job is that all our basic needs are covered—room, board, healthcare. The salary is almost pure profit.”
“I’m not quite as disciplined as Kaiden,” Carter admitted with a chuckle, “but even I’ve got a decent nest egg building up. Enough to open my own restaurant one day, which is the dream.”
“What about you, Mitchell?” I asked. “What’s your post-Ranch plan?”
Mitchell stretched lazily in his chair, water droplets glistening off his sun-kissed skin. “Travel, mostly. I want to see the world, experience different cultures, foods, languages. I’ve got enough saved to take a couple of years off and just wander. After that, who knows?”
For the first time since arriving, I allowed myself to think beyond Casey’s immediate needs, envisioning a future where we were both taken care of.
“You know,” I said slowly, “when I took this job, I was just thinking about the money. About Casey. I didn’t expect to actually...like it here.”
“It grows on you,” Carter said with a knowing smile. “For all its craziness, The Ranch is a pretty special place.”
“The work is interesting, the people are generally chill, and the benefits are unbeatable,” Mitchell added. “Plus, where else can you get paid to have mind-blowing sex with attractive people?”
“And occasionally fall for unattainable European royalty,” Kaiden teased gently, but his eyes held that special kindness, tempering the jab.
I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”
“Not a chance,” Carter confirmed cheerfully. “But if it makes you feel better, you’re not the first, and you definitely won’t be the last. Part of the Ranch experience is the occasional heartache. Just like the occasional muscle strain or interesting bruise.”
“Speaking of bruises,” Mitchell said with a mischievous glint in his eye, “you should see what this oil tycoon from Houston left on my—”
“TMI, Mitch!” Kaiden interrupted, launching a pool noodle in his direction, aiming with uncanny accuracy. “Some of us are trying to digest lunch over here.”
Mitchell caught the noodle mid-air and retaliated with a playful whack back, leading to an all-out splash war that had us all involved. By the time we collapsed back into our chairs, the sun began to descend, casting long shadows across the patio.
“We should probably start getting ready for our evening shifts,” Carter said, glancing at his watch. “I’ve got a client at seven. You guys?”
“I’m in a BDSM dungeon,” Mitchell chimed in, his enthusiasm palpable. “My favorite. Got a new client who’s never explored impact play before.” His eyes sparkled with genuine excitement. “There’s something special about the newbies.”
“Sounds about right,” Kaiden snorted, shaking his head with mock seriousness. “I’ll be helping Renato with a private lesson. I’m already tingling just thinking about it.” He turned to me, a grin stretching across his face. “And you, boychick?”
“Um, just the bar by the pool again,” I replied. “They seem to like me there. Oh, and tomorrow night I’m scheduled for the Dark Room.” All three sets of eyes shot up to me. “Is it as intense as everyone makes it sound?”
Carter chuckled. “Well, it’s an anonymous sexual encounter space,” he explained matter-of-factly, clearly enjoying the chance to spill the tea. “Think bathhouse meets orgy room. Low lighting, sometimes no lighting at all. Clients can come and go as they please, engage with whoever they want. All without the pressure of conversation or introductions.”
“So I’m basically there for people to hook up with?” I deadpanned, leaning forward with genuine interest.Okay, maybe there was something thrilling about the rawness of it.
“More or less,” Mitchell confirmed, raising his eyebrows in affirmation. “Though it's not just about being used. You're still there to facilitate pleasure, just like the other assignments. The anonymity adds a different thrill for some clients. It can be intense.”
“Right,” I said slowly, absorbing the new information. “What’s the shift like?”
“Four hours, usually,” Kaiden replied. “But it flies by, trust me. Time gets weird in there. It's like this bubble where nothing exists except sensation.”
“You’ll be fine,” Carter reassured me, his quiet confidence lifting some of the weight off my shoulders. “Just remember your training. And remember what we talked about today. Protect your heart.”
I nodded slowly, realizing the sincerity behind his words. All this was new territory, and while I was excited about stepping into the Dark Room, I also felt a twinge of apprehension at what lay ahead.
As we gathered our belongings and started to head back toward the staff quarters, my mood had lifted considerably. My roommates and Mitchell reminded me I wasn’t alone here. I had friends who understood the unique challenges of this job, who could offer advice and support when things got complicated. Somehow, that made the burdens feel lighter.
Carter caught my eye as I turned toward the front door, his expression unreadable for a moment. “Theo,” he said quietly, so the others couldn't hear, “it does get easier. The emotional part, I mean.”
I offered him a small smile, appreciating the gesture. “Does it? Or do we just get better at pretending it doesn’t affect us?”
