Chapter 2 #4
She gave an exasperated sniff and tried to free her hand. “Go on back to your students, please.”
“All done with them. They’re Jake’s now,” he said. “The way I see it, I owe you a class for helping me earlier. Let’s go to the pavilion where you’ll have some backup, and I’ll give you a taste of what you missed.”
“No.” The word jumped right out, but…lacked any conviction whatsoever.
And oh, he could tell. He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. His intent blue gaze stayed on her face.
She mustn’t. Shouldn’t. Actual participation would be insane. Stupid. Foolhardy.
But he’d said they’d go to the pavilion. Kallie’d rescue her if needed. Kallie and Jake might be friends with Atticus, but neither would permit anything abusive.
She’d scolded the heroine in her book for cowardice. Was she any braver? If she wanted to learn about BDSM, what better opportunity would she have?
Only…he’d touch her.
How badly she wanted his hands on her was disconcerting. Her swallow was loud in the quiet cabin.
Amusement lit his eyes.
Despite her inner quivers, she gave him a nod.
“Let me hear a yes from you.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Atta-girl.” His strong fingers rubbed warmth back into her palm. “I plan to do a bit of bondage.” He paused, his gaze holding her. “I’ll leave your clothing on—but might move it some.”
She managed another nod.
“And then I’ll use my hands on you. But nothing else, Virginia.”
“Use my hands on you.” Oh, my, yes. Heat rolled across her skin despite the chill in the cabin.
“I see you like the idea.”
How could she be so obvious? Yet he forestalled her sense of humiliation by squeezing her fingers and adding, “I like the idea too, pet.”
She struggled to behave as if she wasn’t a complete ninny. “Um. Should I have a safeword?”
His knuckles ran down her cheek, like the burning trail of a meteor. “Not this time, sweetheart. You’ll have enough to think about without having to remember a word. No will mean no.”
Would she even be able to speak if the Sahara Desert in her throat grew drier? “All right.”
“Then we’re good to go.” He used her hand to tug her right out of the bed.
His gaze raked over her, from her breasts, which seemed woefully exposed by the form-fitting lace bodice, to where her nightie stopped at her upper thighs. Thank goodness she’d worn the matching lacy bikini panty.
“I like how the color matches your eyes.”
The surprising compliment kept her from diving back under the covers.
Girl, pull it together. She was a tough, experienced social worker, not a historical romance heroine.
Before she could continue scolding herself, he slid his fingers behind her neck and gripped her hair, preventing her instinctive withdrawal. “Listen, Virginia. Every time your mind wanders from the here and now, I’m going to do something to drag it back.”
She stared up at him, feeling his strong grip, the utter confidence in his deep voice. Seeing only the resolve in his blue eyes.
“Yeah.” His lips curved. “Much better.”
Before she could respond, he scooped her up into his arms.
“Oh my goodness, put me down.” She punched at his arm, appalled, dizzy, terrified.
“I have you, sweetheart.” He hadn’t completely closed the cabin door, and he nudged it open with a boot and walked out into the dark night as if he was treading a well-lit hallway.
Kallie and Jake looked up as he entered the pavilion. The rest were busy. In the middle, Ralph had tied his wife to the picnic table and was teasing her with a vibrating toy. On the far side, Sylvia was tied forward over a post so her husband could take her from behind.
“Oh my stars.” This was way, way, way more than the students had done last night. “Let me down,” Gin demanded, even as her arms curled around Atticus’s neck.
“Easy, baby.” He turned so she got a far-too-good look at the activities. “Does anyone there appear worried about spectators?”
“I… They…”
He made a warning noise, as if to say, look before you talk.
One woman was giggling. And the second…climaxed then. Gin’s cheeks heated. “I guess they’re fine,” she muttered.
With a masculine chuckle, Atticus rubbed his chin on top of her head.
Jake strolled over. “Found yourself a pretty play partner, I see.” He gave an approving nod.
“More of a student,” Atticus corrected. “She’ll feel more at ease if you promise to keep an eye on her.”
Jake’s blue eyes—a shade less gray than Atticus’s—softened. “We’ll watch out for you, Gin,” he said gently. “Being careful is good. Anytime you don’t know the Dom, play where you have buddies around.”
She nodded.
“Atticus, your bag’s on the table there.” Jake gestured to the other side of the fire pit. “Kallie thought you might return.”
“Appreciate it,” Atticus said. He carried her across the pavilion with a detour to avoid the older couple in the center. Ralph was alternating spanking with teasing his wife with a sex toy. Her cries coincided with the fleshy smacking sounds.
Don’t look. Gin set her forehead against Atticus’s shoulder and heard him laugh again.
At the picnic table, Atticus set Gin on her feet. “Stand right there, Virginia.” Atticus’s relaxed voice couldn’t conceal the power beneath.
Gin’s knees shook as she waited, and she couldn’t tell if she were chilled…or scared. She knew darn well she was excited though.
How many times had she imagined herself in a book heroine’s place? And here she stood.
Lord have mercy.
After laying the shaggy six-foot rug on the ground, he shrugged off his flannel shirt. The black T-shirt beneath stretched over contoured chest muscles and hugged his flat stomach in a way that made her mouth dry.
He opened his bag, draped a thick blue rope over his arm, and tucked blunt-tipped scissors in his jeans pocket. He studied her, standing close enough she could feel his body’s heat. “Injuries? Medical problems? Any past circumstances or triggers that might make you panic?”
The questions were reassuring. He was being careful. “No. Only—you won’t use a gag, will you?” Just the thought made her heart rate increase.
“Gags are for people who know each other,” he said. “I need you to tell me if anything is painful or too frightening.” He ran his finger over her lips. “The ropes shouldn’t hurt you, babe.”
Her next breath came a little easier…until her mind focused on the slight emphasis he’d given “the ropes.” Would something else hurt? She held back her question. The Doms in her books required their submissives stay quiet.
Annoying Atticus might not be a smart idea.
He was still standing there. Watching her.
When her eyes lifted to his, he gave a nod, as if satisfied, then walked around her.
Touching her. Running a hand down her bare arm.
Across her lower back. Moving her hair to fall down her back.
He stroked down her spine, as if assessing her vertebrae.
His fingers massaged her left shoulder, then the right.
His hand was warm and callused. Firm.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Virginia.” He unbuttoned her nightie, letting it hang open. “I’m going to tie a modified karada—a rope web for the torso.”
Her hands closed into fists as she kept herself from moving. She was still covered, she reminded herself. The silky material caught on her peaked nipples, making her think of the old question, Are you cold or glad to see me?
She had an uncomfortable feeling that Atticus already knew the answer.
He draped the rope behind her neck, the ends dangling in front. Slowly, but without hesitation, he began to weave the rope around her, above her breasts, below her breasts.
With the first knot, she tensed. He stopped.
His gaze on her was steady, revealing no irritation or impatience.
Jake and Kallie liked him, she could tell.
She’d seen him work with the other people here and how he emphasized safety and honest communication.
Everything about the man said he was in control.
He wasn’t a little boy—he was a man, an honorable one.
“We’ll stop if you need to, but you can trust me, baby,” he said quietly.
“I know. I do.”
The appreciation in his gaze said he knew she’d offered him a gift. “Thank you, sweetling.”
She felt slight tugs as he created a series of diamond-like patterns down the center of her body.
Gradually a latticework of rope snugly formed around her torso, and the sensation of being enclosed was oddly comforting.
Back when she’d worked with children, some of the autistic ones could be settled by firmly wrapping a blanket around them, as if the sensation of being hugged would subdue their nerves so they could process the world’s input more normally.
This was…nice. Under the slight scrape of the ropes and the sure movements of Atticus’s hands, she felt her pulse slow. He never left her, always kept a hand on her somewhere, as if she might float away if he let her go.
“You take rope well.” He grasped her upper arms. “I want you on the ground now.”
She started to reach for him for balance…and couldn’t. While she’d been daydreaming, he’d bound her arms. Tipping her head to examine her left arm, she saw an enthralling gridwork running from her wrist to over her elbow, like a woven sheath, all attached to the blue ropes patterning her torso.
Wiggling, she tried to move her arms out, and nothing budged. Her heart rate kicked up a beat and increased exponentially as she struggled. She couldn’t move.
A strong hand closed on her shoulder. “Easy, Virginia, easy. Look at me now.”
Her breathing felt too fast, but she was fine. Wasn’t panicking or anything. Much. It was just…she couldn’t move.
He cupped her chin and got right into her space, his blue eyes trapping hers. “Take a slow breath, babe. Another.” His voice was easy and low, like the rumble of thunder in the distance.
She inhaled.
“Good. You knew this was what was going to happen. This isn’t scary—you’re just surprised at the feeling, I know. Very normal.” He was close enough she inhaled his crisp pine scent with each breath.