Chapter 12 JOSIE
“Are you ready?” Ares’s sea-green eyes raked along her body, bringing gooseflesh to the surface. His gaze sent flutters through her belly.
Josie dug her toes into the carpet, trying to ground her nerves. She glanced at the vaulted ceilings and back to Ares. This is what she wanted.
And to be with this man felt like she was still dreaming in a cocoon of the softest, lushest sheets.
From the moment she woke up to see Ares perched on the end of the bed, this whole day had felt like a dream.
He was dressed in his crisp white business shirt and a pair of grey slacks. Kissing him first thing in the morning made her feel like a princess.
A phone call took him away, and she’d wandered through his library, taking note of the books on urban design and landscape theory. She found a sketch of a sprawling garden and then felt like she was snooping, because nothing in that room of immaculate books felt like it had been touched.
Needing food, she’d gone downstairs, tinkered with the fancy espresso machine, and made them breakfast using ingredients in the fridge.
“I didn’t expect you to cook,” Ares came behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist. “Or to use the espresso machine. Harper is the only one who can figure it out.”
“I’ve seen one or two before. Gorgeous kitchen, a fridge full of food. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Then let me clean up.” he kissed the shell of her ear playfully.
“Deal.”
When they were finished, she got to watch him tidy and put dishes away. The bright room started to get darker because the weather outside changed from a sunny winter day to a blustering one with flurries.
“What’s your favourite way to relax?”
Josie frowned. “My friends would say I don’t relax. I read or I research recipes, love coming up with new combinations of flavours or a spin on a classic.”
“Why did you frown?”
“Remembering that one of the other suggestions my counsellor made at school was to be a recipe developer.”
“But your heart was stuck on being a chef.”
“Yep.”
Ares flashed her a grin. “My brother is a genius. A world-renowned inventor, he’s brilliant when it comes to reading people and leaps ahead when it comes to developing technology, but he is awful at making presentations. He’s also bad at dealing with people.”
“He looks like he could handle anything,” Josie spun the coffee cup around in a circle.
“Yeah, and he can, but it always costs him. He needs a day or two to recover from talking to groups of people. If he has a full day of meetings, he’s down the next day. It’s fine now that we are successful, but in the beginning, it was hard. So, what’s your cost, Josie?”
The question hit her like a punch to the gut. She wrapped her arms around herself.
“I miss out on things I would like to do because I’m saving my energy for the next day of full orders that have to be meal prepped.
If I was working in a fine dining restaurant, it would be physically more demanding, and I wouldn’t have to factor in all the things about running my own business. But I like that part of it.”
“There you go. You’ve decided the cost is worth it.”
“Is this what you do for your brother, for Axis Management?”
“Cost analysis is part of it, yes. I’m good at numbers, which is why I’m not designing greenspace and playgrounds,” he leaned across the counter, his lips brushing hers, before capturing them in a kiss that sent her pulse pounding with want.
She shuddered as Ares danced his fingertips along her arm, bringing her focus back to him.
“When I imagined someone tying me, I didn’t see it taking place in the morning. But this feels good.”
“Yeah?” Ares caressed her cheek. “The light coming from the windows reflecting on your hair is making it shine like black silk. You’re beautiful.”
“You keep saying that,” her pulse jumped.
“Because it’s true. Should we start?”
“Yes.” She stood in only her sports bra and her plain black panties with a little bow in the front.
“You will tell me if you are uncomfortable at any point. Don’t power through, Josie, let me know and we’ll adjust. This isn’t about how much pain you can take or how long you can hold the pose. This is about us exploring and building a connection.”
The warmth of his hands on her shoulders sent shivers of pleasures through her spine. She exhaled a shuddering breath. Her whole life was about overcoming. For someone to ask her to set that aside felt like taking a step off a cliff. Unknown and scary.
“Okay.”
“Good. Can you drop your arms at your side?”
Josie unfurled herself and stood, glancing up at Ares.
“Good. Stand here with me for a moment.” Ares took her hands in his.
He took a breath and exhaled. Josie copied him, matching him breath for breath.
The air crackled with anticipation. Her heart rate slowed, and she felt safe holding his hands, secure and reassured.
“This is how I like to start the scene. Would you unbutton my shirt, my pretty girl?” He dropped her hands and stroked the back of her cheek with his knuckles.
“I can do that.” Her fingers trembled, but she started unbuttoning Ares’s shirt.
The intimate gesture infused warmth through her body, causing her to blush.
She worked the buttons opened, then she brushed the shirt off his well-defined shoulders, sweeping her hands down his muscled pecks, to his abs over his undershirt and slid it over his smooth chest.
“Good girl.” Ares slid his shirt off and set it on a chair. “Sit crossed-legged on the floor for me.”
His warm, deep tone sent prickles on the back of her neck. Ares held out his hand, and Josie grabbed it for support. She flushed again. “You offer me support automatically.”
“It’s a little thing I can do to make it easier for you. Comfortable?”
Josie straightened her back, placed her palms up. “Yes.”
Ares knelt down beside her. “Here we go. I’m using jute rope and safety scissors are over by the table. I also have a bolster and yoga blocks if you need more stability.”
“You thought of everything.”
“I try.” Ares folded the length of rope in half, then wrapped it around her crossed ankles, slowly, while holding eye contact with her.
With every slide of the rope, her breathing grew deeper, as if she was being lulled by the rough material against her skin.
Ares wrapped the rope three times before pulling it up snugly. “How does that feel?”
“Good.” The band of rope made her feel snug.
Ares brushed a kiss against the hollow of her neck. She felt so vulnerable. But so cared for.
Then he reached behind her leg, grabbed the end of the rope and made a knot, pulling it tight.
He took the tail of the rope, brought it straight back, ran it under her thigh. Then he leaned down to her and kissed her neck, nuzzling her throat. He grabbed the rope and ran it under her crossed leg between her thigh and foot.
“I’m feeling secured,” she swallowed.
“You look so pretty in rope,” Ares pulled the rope, knotting it between her leg and thigh.
Slowly, he ran the length of rope along her back. The feel of his fingers against her skin sent chills up her spine as he tugged and commanded the rope. Her breathing became hitched. She felt exposed, vulnerable, sitting cross-legged with bands of rope holding her leg open.
“Josie, where are you?”
“So good.”
“Perfect.” Ares pressed a kiss to her nape, brought the rope under her thigh, wrapping it around her leg, like he had done on her right side and as he pulled and tugged the rope, knotting it so it matched the knot on the other side, Josie’s breathing deepened being tied in rope in this seated position, exposed and vulnerable, made her mind fuzzy.
“How are you feeling?”
“Relaxed.” Her voice was syrupy thick.
“So pretty. Now that I have you in one spot, want to play?” He glided his hands down her shoulders, palmed her breasts. Her nipples tightened immediately. She gasped.
“Yes.”
“Good. I have a toy I want to try out.” Ares rose to his feet, picked something off the table, and held out his hand. “These are vibrating nipple suckers. Should we try them?”
Looking at the silicone half-moon shapes, Josie shrugged. “Sure.”
Ares leaned over, looped his fingers under the band of rope, and pulled. “Still good? Your feet aren’t falling asleep?”
“No.” A gasp left her lips as Ares lifted her bra, covering her nipple with the sucker and pressing it against her. It felt odd, but not unpleasant.
“Good.” Ares slanted his lips over hers and kissed her deeply as he worked the other nipple sucker on. He placed his hands over both of them and she gasped as a low vibration started against her skin.
He pressed it firmly. She glanced away, not able to hold his eyes as vibrations spurred outwards through her breasts.
“It tickles!” she tried to stretch, but the ropes held her in place, so she rocked side to side due to the tickling sensation.
“More?” Ares grinned.
Oh! Could she take more? But her curiosity won out. “More please.”
“Press down and it turns up the vibration,” Ares grinned wickedly and held his thumbs on the toys.
“Oh Ares! This is so much!” Vibrations pulsated deep in her breasts, arrowing to her pussy.
She fell forward as tingles broke out on the surface of her skin.
She wanted to stretch out, but the rope kept her firmly in place.
Her toes started to curl. Bliss shot down to her pussy, the sensations too much for her nipples to take.
She placed her palms flat on the floor, trying to ground the wave of pleasure out.
“Very pretty, Josie.”
His voice, filled with pleasure and praise, tipped her over. The orgasm crashed through her, ripping a scream from her mouth.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
She started to laugh uncontrollably, the feeling of euphoria crashing over her like a second orgasm.
Never did she think some Dom would tie her up in rope.
Rope was for the pretty girls. For the girls who were flexible and had good dexterity and didn’t have to wrangle their coordination into submission.
Ares wrapped her in his arms, stroking her hair.
“Ares, oh! Thank you!”
Thank you? Maybe it was a silly thing to say, but it was the only words she had to describe how amazing this evening felt.
“You’re welcome.” Ares brushed his cheek against hers, his tone sounding so pleased. “You looked so beautiful when you came for me.”
She closed her eyes, comforted by his warmth and his scent, exhaling. “That was surprising. Sorry about the spontaneous laughter.”
“Don’t apologize for laughing. Don’t you dare apologize for anything.”
She leaned against his muscled chest. “I thought kink was supposed to be serious.”
“I’m serious all the time. I’ve never been with a woman who has made me smile as much as you have. Kink doesn't have to be serious. You have to be aware to keep safety in mind, but nope, it can be fun.”
“And funny, apparently. I have never had an orgasm from nipple stimulation before.”
“Firsts for everything,” Ares tilted her back, took off one sucker, then pressed his mouth to her nipple and lapped it gently, sending a fresh wave of shivers through her.
“Beautiful girl,” he removed the second nipple sucker, leaned down and drew her nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue around it.
“I want to take you to bed, my sweet girl.” Ares slid his hands down to her legs and started to untie his knots. “How did it feel being tied up?”
“I liked it. A lot.” As he slid the rope over her leg, undoing one wrap after another, she felt a sense of loss. She shuddered as the jute passed against her skin, loving the sensation.
“I can’t wait to try more,” Ares undid the wrap from her waist and started undoing the other side.
He rubbed her leg from her hip to her ankles, cupping her foot in his hands delicately. “Anything sore or tingly?”
“No. I loved it. I never thought I could do rope.”
“I like proving people wrong,” Ares grinned.
“We have that in common.”
Ares stood, offered her his hand.
“When you said bed, you didn’t mean sleep, right?” Josie tilted her head, a sly smile on her face.
“What did you have in mind?” Ares snatched a stray curl and wrapped it around his fingers.
“I want you inside of me.”