Chapter 21 #2
We both stare at the rope that’s wrapped around my torso, and I’m just thankful my arms are free and we didn’t attempt one that had me hogtied.
“John is going to take one look at this mess and realize we had no idea what we’re doing,” Blake mutters, pulling out his phone to take a photo.
“Not if we fix it first,” I insist, determined to figure this out. I focus back on the screen, but the girl in the video is, like, ten steps ahead now. I rewind and try to pay attention, but suddenly the rope is getting tighter. “Blake, are you yanking it?”
“No, I’m texting Liam. Why?”
I turn to see Jack with the rope in his mouth. “Jack! No! Don’t eat that!”
Jack freezes with the rope clenched between his teeth before he starts walking away. The rope continues to tighten, and Blake is still on his damn phone.
“Blake!” I shout. “Get the rope out of his mouth!”
“Oh shit! Sorry!” He lunges for the rope, but Jack must think this is a game and gives it an enthusiastic tug. The rope pulls me forward, Jenny starts braying, and it’s complete chaos as I fall to the floor.
“Blake!”
“Not you too,” Blake yells to Jenny.
“It’s gotta be the rope butter!” I yell out as Blake falls into a fit of laughter.
I’d laugh too if I wasn’t being strangled by my donkeys.
“I thought you both loved me,” I cry out, and finally, Jack releases the rope, but only after tightening whatever accidental knot Blake created as the video still plays in the background, reminding me we absolutely fucked this up.
“What the hell is this?” John’s booming voice cuts through the rest of the noise, and I manage to roll over to find him standing in my living room next to a very amused-looking Liam.
“Oh, hey, John. Uh, surprise?” But he doesn’t look happy as he eyes the rope, the video, and Blake. “We, uh, tried to do the butterfly harness, but I don’t think we quite got it,” I attempt to explain as I manage to stand up again.
“It’s the donkey’s fault it looks like this though, not mine,” Blake says seriously, and Liam bursts out laughing.
“What are you doing here?” I ask John. “I wasn’t ready for you to see me yet.”
“Clearly,” he replies dryly.
“John and I were planning for our camping trip when Blake texted us that we had to rush over to see something,” Liam adds.
I shoot Blake a look. “Traitor.”
“I’m sorry, it was too funny, and then Jack started pulling the rope and the timing was perfect. Isn’t it great living two minutes apart? Now we can be here for all these moments,” Blake says, trying to be serious, but he ends up laughing again.
“Do you guys mind taking off?” John asks, turning to Liam. “I need to speak with Chad.”
My adrenaline spikes, and I feel like he’s going to maul me into the couch. Maybe he does like it more than I realized, even if the attempt didn’t turn out according to plan.
“Bye, see you later!” I call out as they walk to the door.
The moment the door closes behind them, I expect John to pounce, but he doesn’t. Instead, he looks at the rope wrapped around my chest, assessing me with a furrowed brow. “You thought this would be a good surprise, Chad?”
“Yes?” I reply, and it definitely comes out like a question. “I wanted to show you that I’m trying, that I can be good at this stuff even if I’m so new to it. I wanted to impress you.”
His jaw tightens as he swallows, taking a long moment before he basically growls, “By practicing with Blake?”
If I didn’t know better, I’d say he sounds jealous.
“I didn’t think I could do it on my own,” I explain. “So I asked him to help me, yes.”
“While looking up that video or buying that rope, did you come across anything that talked about why some people enjoy Shibari?” he pushes.
I swallow, looking away as I admit, “I, uh, might have skimmed that part. Or skipped it entirely.”
“It involves a lot of trust and clear communication. I’ve always seen it as a shared experience between partners as a way to deepen intimacy.”
All the words he’s saying are spinning in my head: trust, communication, intimacy.
But more than anything, partner. Does John want those things with me?
When I came up with this plan, I just thought it looked cool.
I knew John likes ropes and tying me up, and I liked what we’ve done too.
I thought this would be a way to build on that.
I want all of those things he’s talking about. With him. Not Blake.
Obviously, I completely misunderstood how intimate this act would be to him, and now that I do know, I’m desperate to do the real thing with John. So I nod. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t practice being tied up for someone else. Got it? If you’re going to wear rope like that, it’s because I put it there.”
My breath hitches, loving the commanding tone in his voice. He might not have mauled me, but I think we might’ve just progressed our relationship further than I’d ever intended for this to do. There’s no way he doesn’t care about me with how possessive he’s being right now.
“You want to do this, then we do it properly.”
“Yes, Sir.” I nod, eager to see what he has in store for me.
He gives me another once-over. “But not right now.”
A wave of disappointment washes over me, and I look down in an attempt to hide how upset I am. Is he punishing me? Is he mad?
“But not because I don’t want to,” he adds, and I perk up again. “I was already planning to come over when I was done with Liam. My brothers will be here in about fifteen minutes.”