Two days later Chase actually found a legitimate reason to call.
He'd checked out Newburgh on the map and realized it wasn't that far from Kingston, which was where the guy who provided him with untreated hemp rope for his business lived.
He was running low on the raw material, and while
technically he didn't need to drive all the way up there to get it, he'd been meaning to meet the guy face to face for a while now, and this seemed as good a time as any.
Grinning at himself and feeling more like fifteen than thirty-five, Chase called Kate, who picked up after the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Kate. It's Chase Saunders."
"Oh, hi."
There was a smile in her voice that made him smile back.
They exchanged the usual pleasantries and then he got to the point.
"Listen, I'm making a trip up to Kingston soon to pick up some supplies. That's not far from Newburgh, right?
I was thinking, if you had the time, I'd love to take you to lunch."
He realized he was holding his breath and chuckled to himself.
Don't push the river.
"I would enjoy that," she replied.
"I pretty much keep my own schedule. What day were you thinking?"
"I can't get away today or tomorrow, but I was thinking Friday?
You pick the place and the time, and I'll be there."
****
Kate sipped her iced tea, her eyes on the door of Maude's Country Cooking, the small, quaint café where they'd agreed to meet. After spending quite a bit of time on Chase's website, she'd found herself speculating endlessly about his private life, and wondered why she hadn't just come out and ask. Maybe she would today.
After all, he was driving all the way up from the city to see her.
Well, not specifically to see her, she reminded herself, since he had business in the area. Maybe she was just an afterthought.
His good deed to check up on the traumatized sub girl who had called him in the middle of the night.
She thought again of the woman in red, at the way she'd looked at Chase with something approaching adoration while he bound her in red rope for the camera. What had happened after the camera was turned off, with her bound and offered like a ripe apple in an Eden of his making?
If the timing seemed right, maybe today she would ask, throwing out the question in a casual way. That girl in the video ... is she ... are the two of you ... ?
The door opened and Chase appeared, more handsome then she'd remembered him.
He was wearing a white button-down shirt, untucked over blue jeans, though instead of the sneakers he'd had on at the weekend, he wore a pair of black square-toed boots. He had a small canvas bag slung over his shoulder.
He glanced around the room, his face lighting into a radiant smile when he saw her. She found herself smiling broadly back.
She liked the deep dimples in either cheek and
the laugh lines that crinkled at the corners of his eyes and bracketed his mouth.
She stood as he approached and he leaned forward, lightly kissing her cheek.
"It's great to see you again, Ash, er, Kate."
He smiled. They sat down opposite one another at the small table.
"Well, Ashley was the clueless one who didn't heed your advice."
"Kate."
Chase reached across the small table and put his hand over hers.
"You weren't clueless. You aren't to blame for what he did." His expression was kind, his voice gentle.
"Tell me," he said softly, "did you use your safeword?"
Kate felt tears building behind her eyes and she blinked them back.
"Yes. Though not soon enough. I think I was so shocked by what was happening that my brain sort of shut down."
Kate could actually see the fury flicker over Chase's face. She watched as he fought it, his expression easing back into calm.
She wasn't used to someone caring so intensely about what happened to her, but instead of making her nervous, she realized it made her feel good.
"He had no right, Kate. You deserve so much better."
The waitress appeared a moment later, her pad at the ready. "Can I get you something to drink while you look at the menu? The peach iced tea is homemade. Made it myself."
Chase looked up at the heavyset woman. Her cheeks were flushed, wisps of blond hair escaping from a tight ponytail.
She looked tired. Chase smiled.
"That sounds perfect. Just what I need on a hot day like today.
Thanks."
The waitress beamed back at him and hurried away.
Chase turned back to Kate.
"This seems like a nice place. I'm glad you suggested it. I never know where to grab a bite when I come up here."
"I was just here once, with a friend. But the food was fresh.
They make good salads and sandwiches. Nothing fancy,
but the apple streusel with vanilla ice cream is pure perfection."
Chase laughed.
"A sweet tooth, huh?"
"My one weakness."
"Well, if you only have one, you're way ahead of the game."
The waitress returned with Chase's tea and took their orders.
When she had gone,
Chase said, "I brought you a present."
Reaching into the canvas bag that he'd hung over the back of his chair, he pulled out a small coil of thick braided rope.
What kind of present was that? He glanced at the face she must have been making and grinned.
"No, that's not your present. That's a sample of the untreated hemp rope I get from my supplier. Touch it."
She did. It was rough and scratchy, the color of straw. Chase withdrew a second coil of rope, this one dyed a rich, inky black.
"This is your present. A sample of my work. I thought you might like to see how I turn that,"
he pointed toward the hemp, "into this."
He uncoiled a length and held it out to her.
"Give me your hand," he said softly.
She stared at the rope and swallowed, something shifting inside her, almost as if he'd reached in and pushed a secret button. She could feel a pulse throbbing in her throat and her nipples were suddenly erect.
She found herself holding out both hands, the wrists touching.
Chase tilted his head and stared into her eyes, a half smile forming on his lips. Gently he took one of her hands, turning it palm up. He set the coil into it and sat back, a bemused expression on his face.
Kate found herself blushing. What had come over her? Holding out her wrists, as if he planned on binding her right there in at a café, for all the world to see.
What had she been thinking?
She was grateful when he said nothing, certain he'd understood her gesture for precisely what it had been.
Embarrassed, she was glad to have something to focus on. She uncoiled the rope, exclaiming, "It's so soft! I can't believe this was made from that rough stuff."
"We boil the hemp in industrial size pots in my garage and hand condition every piece until it's soft as silk, but much stronger. It doesn't wear and fray the way commercial rope does, and I have found some excellent dyes that make my rope not only
functional, but beautiful."
"We?" The girl in red ... ?
"Yeah. I used to do it all alone, but I've had to hire help. I employ two other people and still we can barely keep up with the orders. Right now the work is done in my garage, but we've definitely outgrown it. I'm going to have to break
down soon and find a space to rent."
"I'd love to see where you work," Kate said.
"And where you shot those videos," she added, before she had a chance to censor herself.
"The videos...?" He cocked his head.
"On your website. You know, the how-to videos."
The waitress brought their sandwiches and topped off their tea, putting her hand lightly on
Cha
se's shoulder as she asked if she could get them anything else. He assured her they were fine, again meeting her eye with a pleasant smile. Kate liked that about him. She'd been a waitress while in college, and knew what a hard gig it was.
Being treated like an equal fellow human being went a long way, she well knew.
He turned back to Kate once the waitress had gone.
"Ah yes. I need to make some new ones. Those are all pretty old.
We rented a studio for two days and did most of them on the first take. Marcy's great to work with."
"Marcy..." Kate echoed. Here it comes, she thought, now he'll tell me about the beautiful model in the video, his partner in both work and play...
"Yeah, she's very patient. She and her partner, Seth, work with me. She's actually the Domme in the relationship, but since Seth's six-foot-four, we decided she'd make the better model for the videos."
"She's the blonde, then."
Kate realized she'd forgotten to breathe while he'd been speaking. What was the matter with her? Why did she careso much?
Chase looked slightly puzzled.
"Yeah. Last I checked. The one in the videos."
"There was another woman."
Kate felt an odd tightening in her stomach, sort of like when she'd been a child, standing out on the edge of the diving board at the town swimming pool, screwing up her courage to dive.
"Another woman?" Chase furrowed his brows.
"The suspension video. The girl in red."
The oddest thing happened then. Chase's eyes widened and a flush crept up his cheeks, only to fade so quickly he looked positively pale beneath the few days' sexy stubble.
"Are you okay?" Kate asked, suddenly concerned.
"I ... I forgot that video was still on the site. I had meant ... to remove it."
He spoke haltingly, his voice subdued. He swallowed hard and stared down at the table.
"Chase. What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He looked up again quickly, forcing a smile, though the pain remained ripe in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. It's nothing."
"Is it that video with the girl in red? Is that what's upsetting you?"
Chase nodded. "Yeah."
Kate waited, but he added nothing more. He picked up his sandwich and began to eat.
Kate sensed he wouldn't welcome additional questions right then. Clearly she'd touched on a very sensitive topic. Had they had a bad breakup? She guessed that's probably what it must be.
And from the way he'd reacted, the woman had been the one doing the breaking, and he the one being broken. She couldn't help secretly admitting to herself she was glad that woman was no longer on the scene, even if it meant Chase had been hurt.
Hearts, she knew, might be broken, but eventually they found a way to mend, and even if never fully intact, managed to function and even thrive eventually.
They ate in silence for a while. Chase's color returned to normal, and he commented on how delicious the food was.
"I don't know if I'll have room for the streusel," he said.
"But I know I'll enjoy watching you eat it."
Kate laughed, slightly embarrassed by his remark, and at the same time aroused by his tone and the spark in his eyes.
She was glad he'd mastered whatever pain had gripped him as a result of her question.
Though she wanted to know more, she understood now
wasn't the time to probe.
Instead, she decided to share something of herself.
"I had my heart broken too," she offered, thereby subtly letting him know she understood his pain.
When he didn't refute her implied assumption, she continued,
"His name was Victor.
Ironically, we had our falling out over BDSM too, only that time it wasn't because he took me too far, it was because I wanted more than he was able to give. He just wanted to play, and when it got serious for me, he freaked out and ran."
She gave a small laugh and shrugged.
"I don't seem too good at picking out play partners in the scene.
In fact, I'd say I'm O for two."
She glanced at Chase, and was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze. His eyes were smoldering and she felt his power, just as she'd felt Master John's. It was something primal that needed no language. She felt herself yielding to it, melting against it. She tried to look away, but found herself locked to the blue flames in his eyes, as surely as a moth is drawn to its sweet, fiery death.
Kate again felt her nipples rise, and her pussy was suddenly swollen and aching between her legs. She hadn't planned on falling for this guy, but she could no longer deny the magnetic pull of their mutual attraction.
"Maybe," Chase said softly,
"the third time's the charm."
CHAPTER 10
"So, what did you mean, the third time's the charm?"
Chase grinned at the cell phone, delighted that Kate had called, amused that she'd barely said hello before diving in with that question.
It was the evening after their lunch date. Chase had been hoping Kate would invite him back to her place when they'd finished the meal, but she hadn't, claiming she had to finish a chapter on her manuscript, though he'd sensed there was more at play.
He'd made the drive back to the city, musing over the intense attraction he'd felt, not only for her, but from her as the lunch had progressed. At the same time, he could see she was conflicted about delving deeper into BDSM with someone new, and he couldn't blame her, after what she'd been through.
"I meant that I don't think your issue is with D/s per se, but just with your choice of a partner so far. You need someone who understands your need to submit, but who also cherishes you. Someone who is confident and secure as a Dom, not afraid to take you where you need to go, but also sensitive to your limits."
Kate laughed.
"Oh, and this is where you tell me you're that guy."
Her tone was teasing.
"I just might be," Chase replied seriously, as Lisa's already loosening grip on his heart eased just a little more.
"I guess that depends on you. On us. It's a matter of trust, Kate.
And that's something that's earned."
As he said this, Chase realized he wasn't only talking about his potential role as her Dom. He needed to learn to trust himself again as well. The exciting thing was, he felt ready. It was as if he'd been through a long winter, his feelings
dormant beneath the ice of regret and loss. Now the thaw had come, in the guise of
Kate's bright, sunny countenance, her teasing banter, her lovely body. He was awakening after a self-imposed hibernation, and he wanted to live again, fully.
He wanted to love again. The way she'd put her wrists together, as if asking to be bound then and there at the café, had sent a jolt of longing through Chase's being. He wanted to be the one to teach her, to help her explore her submissive nature. He wanted to claim her for his own.
Slow down, Saunders. Slow way the fuck down.
Never one to rush into anything, especially not a new relationship, he reminded himself of the sometimes insidious power of infatuation. The incredibly intense,
wonderful and all-consuming feelings of something new could easily fade when the relationship moved beyond the early, superficial connection. He owed it to both Kate and
himself to take it slowly.
They talked a while longer, about D/s in general and their potential connection in particular. Chase tried to keep the tone light, not wanting to scare Kate away with the intensity of his feelings on the matter.
He teased her, delighted when she giggled, the sound rife with a silly joy that made him remember life didn't always have to be so fucking serious.
When they'd hung up, he sat a long while, just thinking.
"You know what?" he finally said aloud.
"Maybe my problem is I do take things too damn slow. By the time I'm ready to move, the opportunity is lost. Maybe ... just may
be it's time to do it different."
****
Kate spent the morning with her editor, going over the final revisions to her latest manuscript at the offices of her publisher.
Though they mostly worked by email, both enjoyed meeting face to face from time to time, and agreed it improved their working relationship to do so.
She'd driven into the city, something she didn't usually do, normally taking the train.
Chase had offered to pick her up after her meeting at her publisher's and drive her to his place in Queens, but Kate had preferred to drive. This way she'd be able to leave his place when she wanted, she'd be in control.
She was excited at the prospect of seeing his rope making business and the bondage room where he held private
workshops and perhaps where he bound his lovers.
Mostly, she was excited at the prospect of seeing him.
He'd given her very precise directions, and she concentrated on them, being what friends teasingly called
"directionally impaired". It had been nearly a week since their lunch. They had talked several more times on the phone since then, sometimes teasing, sometimes serious. She'd shared more about her feelings, and he'd talked about his experience as well, though always in an abstract way, no names, no details.
That girl in the video had definitely done a serious number on Chase, and Kate had nearly asked several times just what had happened between them, but never quite found the nerve. She only hoped he wasn't too hung up by whatever happened to try again. Just the same, she found herself increasingly eager to see him again. She wanted to see his dark blue eyes crinkling at the corners when he smiled. She wanted to feel the heat he'd caused by gazing at her with such fierce intensity, whispering without words that he wanted her, more than that, that he wanted to claim her.
Used to guys who came on too strong, she found herself intrigued by Chase's apparent contentment to take things slowly.
As they got to know each other better over the phone, she understood his caution wasn't based on fear or insecurity, but rather from a real desire to get to know her. He wasn't just looking for a new conquest, but really seemed to want to know her as a person.
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