Something Old

by Abigail Grey

  Claire hung the items in her hands back on the rack as Jen hurried from the room. When she returned and held up her find, Claire grinned. “I like it.”

  * * * *

  The two women walked down the stairs, catching the attention of the two men where they watched the oversize television. Claire noted David’s slight smile as he looked at his wife and wondered at the hint of regret she saw there. Her attention was stolen when Matt stood.

  His expression was honest awe. She felt the heat return to her core and rise to her cheeks at the frank admiration on his face. She turned her gaze to Jen, who had joined her husband to watch Claire descend the stairs.

  “I’m so glad it fit you,” she gushed. “I was afraid it would never get worn after—” She threw a leading look at her husband then she continued. “Well…I’m glad.” The older couple left the room, muttering about shoes and purses and things, leaving Claire facing Matt.

  Claire felt the blush intensify as he stared. “I’m just glad I wore the right shoes,” she mumbled, wanting to break the silence.

  He speared his fingers into the hair at the base of her skull and his other hand yanked her hips to his just before he crashed his lips down on hers. Claire clung to his shoulders, shocked at the passion behind the sudden kiss. He released a shaky breath against her lips as he broke it.

  “How am I supposed to keep my hands off you tonight now?” he growled. “You look perfect, Claire.” His hands loosened and she saw him look down at her body.

  The outfit was simple, yet elegant. The deep blue tunic was a light cotton, which Jen had implied would be forgiving in air conditioning and the night air, even with the elbow-length sleeves. The black leggings underneath were just as simple. Claire had once again worn the black Manolo Blahnik pumps that Marcy had complimented. The concession to the event came in the simple black waist-cincher that Claire wore over the tunic. Jen had tightened it slightly, but not enough to make it uncomfortable or painful. The women had agreed that the outfit would be completely appropriate for something akin to a BDSM wedding.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, shaken at his fervent reaction. The golden glow she had been fighting to contain was now a full-blown flame that she was suddenly worried would burn out of control and consume her completely.

  Chapter Twelve

  Matt drove, following the red taillights of David and Jen’s sensible minivan. His fingers were twined with Claire’s on the seat. He hoped she drew some reassurance from them, even as he attempted to keep his desire in check.

  That blue top… It was the same color as the bundles of rope he carried in his kit. The simplicity of what she wore, from the fabrics to the styles, were absolute perfection as he pictured coiling the rope into a harness, crossing her body with ties that would pull her off the floor and into a suspension. He had to keep his thoughts in check or he would end up dragging her off to one of the bedrooms to continue every bad idea they had barely avoided that week.

  He was going to kill Jen.

  * * * *

  Matt smiled when his gaze met Claire’s across the room later that night. He’d gotten into a conversation with Nick, Aaron and Garrison Schuy about the next piece of furniture Garrison was designing for the play space. She was holding a wineglass and laughing with Trevor and Taryn.

  Most of the evening’s attendees were couples and friends—Betty and Adriana, Taryn and Nick, David and Jen, Aaron and Marcy, Warren and Trevor, Evie, Garrison and others. Matt was grateful for the relaxed atmosphere that left his burn for Claire muted and manageable for the moment. He hoped it would remain so after the evening’s main event.

  Warren approached their group. Matt accepted the handshake he offered before Warren turned his attention to Aaron.

  “Well, my boy. Are you ready?” The former Brit’s voice was solemn but kind. It was clear to them all that Warren was excited for the couple they were gathered to celebrate.

  Aaron blew out a breath. “Yup. Let’s go. I want to see my girl.”

  The boys all chuckled at his tone of impatience. As he left with their host, the rest of them clapped him on the back in congratulations.

  Trevor made the announcement after Aaron had walked out to the poolside patio, inviting the rest of the party to join them.

  Matt approached behind Claire, laying a hand on her shoulder. Her beaming smile greeted him when she turned her chin. “It’s exciting, isn’t it?” she asked. “Jen was right about it feeling like a wedding. Everyone’s so happy for them.”

  Matt matched her stride as they followed the crowd outside. “They had a hard time, each of them, but they have a fun story of how they got together. I think it’s been a little over a year now.”

  “Wow,” Claire breathed. “And to have so many friends here with them today.”

  Matt turned to take in her suddenly reflective posture. “It’s a good crowd.” He took her hand as they settled in a spot within the group. “They are good friends.” She nodded her response and the noise fell to a hush around them.

  Marcy wore a black lace dress as she stood under the Japanese maple tree in front of them. A whisper in the crowd identified it as the one she’d worn to her first night at the Sanctuary, the night she’d met Aaron. Matt leaned close to pass the romantic tidbit in a hushed voice to Claire. Marcy’s voice was quiet as she spoke.

  “Sir, I come to you tonight barefoot. I come to you vulnerable. I come to you offering my all.”

  A collective sigh rose from a few pockets of the gathering, Claire among them.

  Aaron replied, “Little one, I come to you with my protection. I come to you with my collar. I come to you with nothing but my arms to hold you and shield you.”

  Marcy responded with a short laugh of joy. She knelt, hidden from their view then as Aaron stooped to fix their chosen collar around her neck.

  Cheers and applause sounded, which Matt was happy to join. The group laughed as Marcy jumped, wrapping her legs around the waist of her Dominant. The collar glinted in the candlelight that surrounded them. Some well-wishers stepped forward, while others drifted back to the house or the pool area. Claire stepped forward, catching a pause to congratulate the couple, and Matt followed her closely.

  “Aaron, I didn’t know you could be so poetic,” Claire joked.

  “He has his moments.” Marcy beamed up at her partner. “But I agree. That one was perfect.” She wrapped her hands around Aaron’s, showing her reluctance to release him.

  Matt reached across to shake their friend’s hand. “A pretty bit there, man.”

  Aaron nodded his thanks as Claire peered at the silver circling Marcy’s throat.

  “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “But it doesn’t look anything like I thought.”

  Marcy nodded. “I know. This way, though, it’s something I can wear all the time. It’s nice enough for work, but still has that meaning behind it that only a few people will know.”

  Claire sighed appreciatively. “I’m probably showing my ignorance, but I pictured leather and unforgiving. The floral work on the silver is just stunning.”

  “Leather isn’t for everyone,” Aaron explained. “Some prefer rope, some prefer subtlety, some even prefer chain. That’s one nice thing about this place. We’re all different.”

  Matt and Claire gave Aaron and Marcy another bout of congratulations before moving away to let others express theirs. Walking toward the house, Matt asked, “So, have you gotten the tour?”

  “No!” Claire enthused. “Could we?”

  Taking her hand with a grin, Matt walked her into the house where the sounds of the evening’s play time were starting. He left her for a moment to find his kit bag from where he had placed it earlier, then returned to find her looking into one room curiously. They stood at the edge of the living room where a spanking bench was being used by two couples. The bottom partners bent over opposite sides, staring at each another as the spankings were carried out. Matt glanced over to see Claire wincing with each loud smack.

 
Leading her away he observed, “Not your thing?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. It just doesn’t appeal to me.” She shrugged. “Probably why I never went out to any of the clubs in town again.”

  One word made Matt stop short. “Again?” he repeated incredulously.

  Claire laughed at his reaction. “Yeah. A guy who took me to dinner a couple times belonged to a private club. He invited me, but when we got there, it was pretty clear what he wanted. I know it’s all consensual and people try their best to do it safely and all. I just never liked the idea of someone hitting me for fun.”

  “I get it.” Matt nodded. “I’m not a big fan of impact play, either.” They continued down the hall where he pointed out the dining room and the library as they talked. “Don’t get me wrong, though,” Matt cautioned with a light nudge. “I think sometimes a little spanking can get very interesting results.”

  “Back off there,” Claire teased. “Who says you’re getting your hands on this ass again?”

  “Okay, okay, no spanking,” Matt conceded with a grin. He walked her through the billiard room to the double doors that led to the cathedral-ceilinged great room. With a deep breath for courage, he revealed, “This room is my favorite.” He opened both doors wide and let her walk through ahead of him.

  Peace of a sort settled over him as he walked through the doorway behind her. The high ceilings gave the feeling of space, added to by the multitude of skylights that let them stand directly below the stars. The exposed support beams were ideal for flying, the term most rope bottoms used for suspension bondage. He’d used the crates of rope along with the other tie points around the room a number of times before.

  Claire walked around the room slowly and silently, carefully considering each thing she saw. Matt began to follow, explaining as she stopped. “The beams and the rings hanging from them are suspension points. A person can be tied and hang from them safely. Some of the furniture is designed for easy binding to aid other types of play.”

  “Okay.” Claire’s response was quiet. “So you like to use rope?”

  “Yeah,” Matt agreed.

  She turned to face him. “Why?” she demanded softly.

  Matt gaped at her. Of all the questions he had prepared for, she asked one he hadn’t. “Um… Well, I guess a few reasons.” He dropped to a knee and opened his bag, removing one bundle of the handspun dyed jute rope. “There’s a beauty to it. In Japanese, it’s shibari, and ever since I first saw pictures of it, I’ve thought that a woman tied was breathtaking. There’s the feel of the rope.” He handed the wound bundle to Claire. “The texture of it adds sensation as I’m tying. Not only for the person being tied, but running the rope through my hands when I’m working with it connects me to it as well.” Matt furrowed his brow as he thought. “If I tie someone, I know they trust me. It’s a pretty amazing connection that way, playing and working with rope with someone who trusts you to put them completely out of control of their fate. When someone is suspended, they rely totally on the Top to keep them grounded, not their own legs.”

  “Okay.” Claire’s response was resolute, and she tipped her chin to look up at the beam above them, her fingers running over the length in her hands. She looked back at Matt and shocked him again.

  “Show me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Claire placed the rope bundle in the hand Matt stretched out toward her. His eyes stayed steady on hers. “Are you sure?” he asked.

  Claire nodded, then jumped as he tossed the rope to her side. Seeing that he kept hold of one end, she noticed it unraveled the way he had thrown it.

  “I’m going to talk you through things. Okay, Claire? I’ll tell you what I’m doing and why, and you’ll need to tell me if something hurts, goes numb or doesn’t feel right.” Matt ran the rope through his fingers, back and forth, until he had the center of the long length doubled over in his hand.

  Claire nodded. “Um, I mean, yes, Sir?” She shrugged, and Matt chortled.

  “You don’t have to call me that, Claire.” He pinched her chin between his finger and thumb, bringing her gaze up to his. He placed a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. “It’s just you and me, okay? Claire and Matty. I’m just going to tie you up a little bit.”

  Claire nodded, smiling with relief at his teasing tone, and he wrapped his hands around her waist. When he returned them to the front, he had left rope in their place. He repeated the action smoothly and Claire looked down, trying to follow his fingers as he flipped the ends around and through, pulling a knot tight.

  “This is a very basic tie, Claire. A single column tie won’t tighten down around you, but it will help support your center as I take you up. Okay?” He stretched up, threading the remaining ends through the ring above them, but leaving them loose as he talked. “Flying can be really tiring, and I don’t want you to hurt anything if we get that far.” He looked down at her again, with a smile. “Take your shoes off then don’t move. Okay?” After she nodded at him, he bent to grasp another bundle of the same rich blue rope.

  “How many are you going to use?” Claire asked, as she kicked the pumps out of the way.

  He lifted a shoulder and, almost offhandedly, replied, “I’m not sure yet.” Noting the shadow of doubt Claire felt cross her features, Matt lifted a hand to cradle her cheek. “We’ll play it by ear and stop when you need to, so I’m not sure how many we’ll use.”

  Relief blossomed in her. “Okay. That makes sense.” She watched Matt repeat the throwing motion to unwind the tied bundle.

  “I’m going to tie a chest harness now, Claire. I’ll do it quickly, but you’ll feel a little constricted.” His gaze dropped. “And I can tell you, this is going to make your breasts look amazing.” She gasped at his observation, but his hands were already moving to pull hers behind her. He stood behind her now, and the rope circled her wrists as each of her hands gripped the opposite elbow. His arms again came around her, the rope trailing around her upper arms and her chest. His fingers slid under the rope, smoothing it before it pulled tight.

  Claire observed how quickly he was working. “You’ve done this a lot.”

  She heard the smile in his voice as he responded. “That didn’t sound like a question.” His arms again circled hers in the same position, bringing the rope around in the opposite direction.

  “Just noticing. If I were to guess, I’d say you’re good at this because you’ve done it a lot.” He pulled the rope tight, though not uncomfortably so, and worked behind her still. Another rope came out of the bag, tossed to unwrap as the ones before. The next pass circled her above her elbows and at her rib cage, then passed the other way in the same spot.

  “I’ve practiced,” he explained. “They have classes here, sometimes with experienced instructors who teach how to do things safely. Some of it I’ve even practiced on myself when I can.”

  Claire giggled. “You tied yourself up?”

  “Not exactly.” He passed his fingers under the rope straps at her arms. “Are these pinching you at all? Does anything feel painful?” Matt asked softly from behind her.

  Claire shook her head.

  Then Matt slid his fingers into the grip of one of her hands. “Squeeze as tight as you can, okay?”

  She gave a brief squeeze, surprised when he chuckled.

  “Wimp,” he goaded.

  With a scowl, she grasped his fingers tightly and squeezed until she felt his knuckles crack.

  He laughed again as she released him. “Any numbness in your fingers?” he asked.

  “No.” She pouted at him, belatedly realizing why he had asked her to squeeze.

  “Good.” He continued tying, still standing behind her. “I’m putting the final touches in now to make sure the rope stays where it should. It’ll tighten a little, but as long as we’re doing it right, it shouldn’t hurt.” Claire felt his fingers push between her body and bound arm, running a loop of rope through each upper and lower point. When he finished, Claire felt the tug as he ran t
he end through the ring over her head. “You’re going to feel pressure now, Claire. I’m going to tie this one much tighter.” He did so and Claire waited for the restricting feeling to grow uncomfortable as she felt him pull her up onto her toes. Before it did, Matt was back in front of her, his gaze intent on hers.

  “How do you feel, Claire?”

  Claire took a moment for a mental inventory. The rope was tight, but like the embrace of a lover. As she moved she could feel it rubbing over her, but the shirt she wore muted the roughness of it. “I’m good. It feels okay.”

  Matt slid his fingers into the rope that squeezed around her arm. “There are nerves here in the arm that can constrict and cause damage, so I’ll do this occasionally to ensure they’re allowed the necessary alignment.” He repeated the gesture on the other side and corrected the ropes when they twisted together. “Now,” he started. “This tie will hold your weight and you can test it, okay? Lift your feet. Bend your knees and just lift them up.”

  Claire hesitated. “Are you sure? I won’t fall?”

  Matt stepped close, his body aligning with hers. “I’m sure, Claire. Would I let you fall?”

  Claire could see a fire burning in Matt’s eyes, calling to the one that coursed through her at his nearness. She recalled what he’d said, that the trust she gave him now was one of the reasons he did this. She lifted one foot off the ground then slowly scooched her other foot back, from ball to tiptoes until she lifted it completely.

  The ropes creaked faintly as her weight settled and she hung from the harness he’d wound around her. The grip of the bindings tightened slightly, increasing her feeling of being held tightly by him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing into the suspension.