Page 1 of Motivating Mira
Prologue
Before
Mira
Waiting outside Master Derek’s office was an interesting place to be. Lots of different people came to see him and for varying reasons. I was here to bring him two paintings I’d completed. One he’d requested, which was a rendering of the Ranch with the Sapphire Mountains in the background for his office wall. But the other was a surprise. This one was of Rawhide Ranch circa 1890s, when it was a safe haven for women with nowhere else to go.
I’d found a grainy black and white photo in a newspaper article from 1892 on microfiche at the library in Porter’s Corner. It was taken before the sapphire mine had been found and the Ranch was still in its original state. In front of the Ranch stood two handsome cowboys. One was Master Derek’s great-great-great grandfather and the other, his equally great uncle. They were the twin brothers who originally started Rawhide Ranch. I’d painted them standing out front of the original building, arms over each other’s shoulders, smiling at the camera.
The smiling part was artistic license though, since no one smiled in photos back then.
I fiddled with the brown paper that was wrapped over both paintings as I waited. I was both nervous and excited to show him. I was nervous because the painting he commissioned was my first ever piece that someone had actually paid for and was meant for display in such a public place. And I hoped it met his expectations. The excitement I felt, though, was for the surprise painting. I couldn’t wait for him to see it. I just knew he was going to love it. And more than anything, I wanted to show him how grateful I was for letting me come to Rawhide and explore a part of myself I’d kept hidden my whole life.
That sounds silly, since my whole life consisted of a mere twenty-two years, but that felt like a long time to me. And I appreciated Master Derek’s generosity. And it wasn’t just about exploring the hidden side of myself either. He’d given me a place to stay while I figured out my next move. My mother was impossible to be around when she was constantly hounding me about my future. How was a girl to think? The only thing I’d ever wanted to do, was paint. And apparently painting wasn’t a career path my mother felt I should pursue.
I glanced at the woman beside me. Her knee bounced up and down and she was staring at the knob of Master Derek’s door as if it were about to pop off and hit her in the nose, which told me she was probably in some trouble with Master Derek.
I instantly felt for her. Being in trouble with Master Derek was something I didn’t want to experience. Although being over the knee of a dominant man like him was pretty frisson-inducing.
When the door to Master Derek’s office opened, the woman beside me let out a small squeak and I gave her a reassuring smile. But before she could return my gesture, a man walkedout of the office with Master Derek and my breath stuck in my throat.
If I painted my fantasy man, this would be him.
“Thanks, Master Derek. I appreciate you taking the time to see me.” He spoke in a voice that was both deep and velvety. It also seemed to have a direct connection to my insides, which instantly turned gooey.
But after a second I realized the goo situation had nothing on the puddle I turned into when that man looked at me.
“I can see you’re a busy man,” he said, his words sort of trailing off as he noticed me. Our gazes locked, and I felt as if I were in a romance novel. After all this didn’t happen in real life—Their gazes lockedwas a romance novel cliché, wasn’t it?
“Of course, of course. Master Kyle had amazing things to say about you. And a recommendation from him goes far around here. Is K Club as nice as they say? I’ve yet to get up there.”
As if Master Derek’s question snapped him out of a trance, the man broke our stare to turn back to the Ranch’s owner.
“It doesn’t compare to your Rawhide. Not that I’ve seen the facilities yet, but the grounds are stunning. Those mountains—the lake…” He shook his head and then turned back to me, his eyes clicking with mine like four magnets locking into place. “The scenery around here is heavenly.”
The man’s stunning light brown eyes, fringed with the kind of thick lashes that a lot of women might make a deal with the devil for—me included—held mine and he smiled. The genuine kind that you felt in your gut. Except I sort of felt it in my soul.
Damn, I needed to lay off the romances.
“Let’s get you a tour of the facilities then, shall we?”
That’s when Master Derek noticed me. “Ah, Miss Wilcox!” He glanced at the woman beside me and her eyes instantly found the floor.
Yep, she was definitely in hot water with Master Derek.
“This is actually great timing, since I have another meeting.” He gave the woman another glance before gracing me with a smile and waving me over.
Leaving my paper wrapped packages, I stood and took the five steps it took to close the gap between us.
“This is Master Wes. He’s going to be spending some time with us. One of my very close friends from years ago informed me Master Wes would be in town visiting for a few as well as attending a conference while in Montana. He asked if I might show Master Wes some of our Rawhide hospitality.”
Master Wes didn’t move his gaze from mine as he shoved his hand out. I took it and felt instant electricity. Not the kind you feel in the winter by dragging your feet, but the kind you might feel in the air during a summer heatwave just before lightning struck.
I swallowed hard. Okay, someone wake me up, because I am clearly in a romance book. Hopefully an erotic romance, I thought, and pressed the smile from my lips.
“Master Wes, this is Mira. She’s one of our newest submissives.” He cocked his head, looking proudly at me. “She’s an artist.”
The pride on his face hit me hard. Hard enough that I couldn’t find my breath for a second. It was the kind of look I’d been desperate for my entire life which was just further proof I belonged here rather than home with my mom. He glanced at the wrapped paintings and looked back at me. “Two?”
