Chapter 14 Hayes
Hayes
“Wait.” I shake my head like it’ll clear up and straighten out the information overload that just occurred in my fucking brain, then lock eyes with Demi. “ She’s your ex?”
Demi slowly nods, her eyes locked on Raegan.
“She has a name, you know. But I guess it would make sense that you’ve already forgotten after… what has it been now? Twenty years?” Raegan’s arms are crossed tightly and her hip is jutted out. It screams annoyance and resentment, which I guess I deserve.
“Raegan–” Demi whispers, her brows furrowed. “I, um… What are you doing here? Wait, don’t answer that.”
“You’re early,” I interject.
Her posture relaxes just a little. “I know. Your lawyer said I could come by any time.”
Fucking Ben.
“Wait–” Demi interrupts and we both stop, turning our attention to her. “Raegan is your… Your wife?”
“I’d hardly classify myself as his wife, Demetria–”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Sorry,” Raegan softens a little further. “As I was saying. I don’t think you can call us husband and wife when all we ever had was about a month two decades ago.” Ouch. “How is it, exactly, that the two of you know each other?”
“We–” Demi starts to answer.
I reach out to place my hand at the small of her back, then answer for both of us.
“Demi works for me. She helps out in the classes I teach.” I don’t miss the major side-eye Demi is giving at my very exaggerated answer considering I’ve yet to actually let her help me.
Relax, Little Pixie. I’ve got this. “Speaking of… we have a class to get ready for now. The paperwork isn’t here yet, but Ben should have it here within the hour.
Feel free to wait in my office in the meantime. ”
“I suppose I can do that,” Raegan nods hesitantly as I usher her into my office.
“We–I’ll–be back soon.”
The door clicks shut and my eyes are locked–once again–on Demi. “What the actual fuck? How is it that my wife, and your ex are the same goddamn person? Why didn’t you tell me your ex is Raegan Adler?”
“Oh, gee. I don’t know. Maybe because–aside from the small detail of me not even knowing your last name–her name didn’t seem all that relevant because I was with her in Kansas City.
Or maybe the fact that I assumed she was also gay.
Orrrrrr maybe it never occurred to me, that with all the fucking people in the entire goddamn country, we were pining over the same fucking person!
What sane person would have ever had that on their relationship bingo card. Did you even know she was into women?”
Fuck. I’m an asshole. “No, I didn’t know that.”
She’s right. Why would she mention her name when there was never any reason to think that was relevant information to share. I find it both odd and strangely ironic that neither of us even casually mentioned her name in conversation.
Demi and I have been friends since the night we both used each other to commiserate over my wife–her ex, who I also had no clue was ever into women.
This all feels like some kind of next-level Twilight Zone bullshit we’ve just walked into and I have no idea how I’m supposed to navigate this.
I’m a planner by nature, but I could have never seen this coming.
“Is this okay for the class?” Demi asks, sweeping her hands up and down her body like she’s presenting herself to me and breaking me from my swirling thoughts about our new red-headed, still hot as hell conundrum.
“Yeah, it’s fine. How are you so calm, right now? You seriously just found out my wife is the same person that broke your heart. If you need some time, Demi… take it. Or should I call you Demetria?”
We’ve talked about our mutual misery numerous times since the night we met. She was devastated when her ex-girlfriend–who I now know is Raegan–broke up with her. That can’t be easy for her. I’d be surprised if she didn’t need time to process all of this.
“Please, don’t call me that. I hate my full name and I hate that she uses it. I appreciate the consideration, but I’ll be fine.” Her words are quick, clipped and not subtle. Yeah. She’s going to need some time.
If I’m being honest, so do I. The images running through my head of the two of them together, are causing a physical reaction in my body I’m not prepared to deal with.
Don’t even get me started on the way she said her name…
Demetria… slowly… intentionally, like it was a delicacy and she was meant to savor each syllable.
She may hate it, but I certainly don’t. Christ. I might be all-the-way hard again.
“You remember your safeword?” I whisper in Demi’s ear.
Class is about to begin and I’ve got her positioned in a wooden chair at the front of the room, her bare legs on display and her tits begging to be released from the confines of the crop top that’s been annoyingly containing them since she showed up.
We went over everything before we came in, but I know she’s anxious and it never hurts to double or sometimes triple check.
“Yes, Sir,” she answers breathily. I didn’t instruct her to call me that, but I’m also not going to correct her. It is my preferred honorific and I love hearing it spill from her lips.
“Tell them,” I order. Safewords are one of the most important parts of engaging in any BDSM or kink related activity. I don’t want the class to only learn how to tie knots or whatever other details I’m sharing. They need the full picture and this is part of that, even if she’s only my demo bunny.
“My safeword is Pikachu.”
Quiet snickers pass through the dozen or so people in the room and I turn my head away from Demi to glare at them.
“Safewords are a vital piece of anything and everything you do here or elsewhere. It doesn’t matter what it is…
as long as you’ll remember it if you need it and it’s not something you’d normally say.
And they aren’t to be taken lightly.” The few that were smirking sit straight in their seats, schooling their expressions.
Good. They got the point. People pay a lot of money to be a member at Gravity, and then some to take part in my classes.
I want them to have fun but I won’t tolerate safety not being taken seriously.
If they want to fuck around, they can find out somewhere else.
I place both hands on her shoulders and subtly stroke her silky soft skin with my thumbs.
It’s almost indiscernible but I can feel the slightest hint of a tremor pass through her and I need her to know I’ve got her.
I have a feeling the events of earlier aren’t helping her nerves.
I’m fucked up over seeing Raegan again and I knew she was coming.
I’ll have to make sure I check in with her when we’re done.
In the short amount of time we’ve been friends, I’ve become…
let’s just say a touch protective of her, which is… new, for me.
When her shoulders relax a little, I take it as my cue to continue.
“Today’s class is about rope. My personal favorite.
We’ve already covered safewords, but another important piece of safety is that you never leave a tied person unattended.
” I grab the hank of rope hanging from my back pocket and hold it up for the class to see.
“It’s also important to choose the right kind of rope.
Natural fibered, well-maintained ropes are best as they’re safer for the skin.
Synthetic ropes can slip or recoil and the last thing we want to do is unintentionally hurt the person we’re restraining. ”
Images flash in my mind of a certain redhead and the last time I saw her, broken from tying her just like I’m telling these people not to. She was so trusting and I ruined it for both of us, bursting our newly married bubble.
Now is not the time for me to be ruminating about this.
Pushing the rogue thoughts of my wife to the back of my mind, I move around to the front of Demi, pull my shirt over my head and toss it aside before squatting in front of her and catching her eyes.
Her skin is flushed and her breath hitches. Jesus, she’s fucking stunning. I haven’t even started and I have half a mind to throw away this friendship arrangement we have and do some very not friendly and ungentlemanly things to her.
“You ready, Little Pixie?” I mutter under my breath.
Her gaze never falters but her pupils blow wide and her head makes the slightest nod.
“Use your words, Babygirl.”
“Yes, Sir,” she answers quickly and I could swear I heard the hint of a moan follow it.
I’m dying to explore this with her and discover what exactly has her so aroused right now, but we have a job to do and the selfish asshole part of me doesn’t want anyone else to witness everything that I’d like to pull out of her. So I’ll table it… for now.
“Good girl.” I stand and gently place a kiss on her forehead before moving behind her. “Arms up.”
She complies and I reach down to grab the hem of her t-shirt, pulling it up and sliding it over her head, pausing just before I’ve completely removed it.
“For anyone that may like alternative restraint methods, clothing can be a useful tool for this. You can stop right about… here.” I tug the fabric taut against her just before her wrists and cinch it tight then turn back to the class.
“See?” I move her arms in a circular motion.
“She’s completely under my control and all I’ve used is her t-shirt. ”
Demi lets out a squeak as she adjusts herself in the chair.
I don’t miss the way she presses her thighs together as she settles back into position.
I need to remember that I’m not her type before I cross the line with her again and I do something I can’t take back.
She’s reacting to what I’m doing to her… not to me.
I release her from the shirt quickly and she leaves her arms up for me. Her obedience causes my dick to twitch. That’s not going to help.
“Anytime you tie someone up, the biggest thing you need to remember is to always allow a finger's width between the rope and skin. Check fingers and toes for color and warmth. You also want to make sure you avoid nerve-heavy areas like wrists, elbows, and neck.” I make a point to touch each area I mention on Demi. I suppose they don’t need that visual.
Everyone should know where all the parts are.
I just can’t seem to stop myself from touching her.
I spend the next forty-five minutes demonstrating different ties to the class, from a single column tie to a double coin knot, allowing them all time to practice on each other.
They’re currently practicing a square knot.
Walking through, I can already tell who will end up in my more advanced class and likely end up with a new kink to add to their list. Some ties look great and others…
not so much. The ones that take their time and use the rope to create an experience for the other person, rather than just tying them… those people get it.
If you do it correctly, the person being tied will feel a rush of adrenaline as the rope drags across their skin and settles into whatever array of knots you choose.
The perceived sense of helplessness causes the fight or flight response to be activated, which can heighten the senses and lead to intense arousal.
My eyes find Demi across the room. She’s still tied up from the demo, but I’ve made sure to check on her often.
Her legs are restrained to the chair using easy single column ties, but her arms…
her arms and chest are tied in a bunny tie, where I used a double column tie for her forearms and positioned her arms above her head before having her bend her arms behind her so I could secure them to the rope harness I made to go around her chest. Fuck, she looks sensational.
The bunny tie is perfect for exposing the chest since it forces a slight arch in the back.
Speaking of chests. Demi’s tits are fucking perfection.
Especially like this. And between the way her nipples are nearly poking through her black, sheer bra and the way her entire chest is heaving, I’d say she’s enjoying herself about as much as I am just looking at her like this.
The process of tying her up wasn’t much different.
I’m positive she panted through the entire process. All while I willed my dick to go down.
I wander back to her and pet her head as I reach her. “How are you doing over here, Babygirl? You look a little frustrated.”
“Hayes–” she pants, my name disappearing on her tongue. “I mean, Sir.”
Her breaths become more ragged as I stand beside her, waiting a little longer, if for no other reason than to drag this out just a bit more. She doesn’t seem to be upset or hurt and she hasn’t used her safeword, so I’m going to assume it’s her arousal that’s getting the best of her right now.
“What is it, Little Pixie?”
“I… uh…” Her words trail off again before she tries again a moment later. “I need you.”
Shit. “Is something hurting you? Do you need me to release the ties?” I can feel the slight tremble in my voice as I check in with her. Memories swirl in my head from twenty years ago when I ignored the signs and everything went wrong. That’s not something I’d ever like to re-live.
“N-no. That’s not it. Can you come closer please?”
I step into her and kneel next to the chair. “I’m here, Babygirl. Tell me what you need.”
“I need to come.”