“Jesus,” he breathed aloud. “Perfect.”
In two strides, he was in front of her. Bending down, he lifted her upright and caught her in his arms, his mouth seeking hers.
Having satisfied that initial overwhelming need to touch her, Evan gently disengaged from her embrace and put his hands on her shoulders. He stared down into her eyes. Though he didn’t need a dungeon to continue where they’d left off, he was excited by the opportunities this new situation presented. He had been thrilled to see Ruby again, but hadn’t thought much beyond that, content to see where things stood between them after the intensity of the day before.
To find her waiting for him, naked and on her knees in this awesome dungeon, went beyond anything he’d dared hope. She was like a gift from the BDSM gods, and he couldn’t wait to claim her even more fully.
“Are you ready to go further today, Ruby? I want to take you past your comfort zone. Does that suit you?”
Ruby licked her lower lip, the gesture achingly sensual. “Yes, Sir,” she said in a low, throaty voice that stroked all his senses.
“How comfortable are you with rope bondage? We haven’t really explored that yet.”
“I love it, Sir,” she replied eagerly. “I love the feeling of the rope against my skin. I love the erotic helplessness, and also the security and comfort of being tightly bound.”
“That’s a good thing, because bondage is something of a specialty of mine. I studied with an excellent Shibari Master back in California.”
Ruby flashed him a radiant smile that made his heart squeeze almost painfully in his chest.
He let her go as he looked around the large, well-equipped space. “I left my gear bag in the car, but we should be able to find whatever we need here.” He went to the wall where whips and rope were neatly arrayed on hooks. He chose several hanks of red-dyed jute, perfect for intense bondage.
Returning to Ruby, he said, “Lift your hair out of the way and put your hands behind your head.”
She executed some kind of girl maneuver with her hair, tying it into a loose knot on top of her head, and then laced her fingers behind her neck.
Evan unwound the strong, soft rope, keeping a piece in his hand and setting the rest on the ground nearby. The sight of the lovely, naked girl standing in that submissive pose was making his jeans uncomfortably tight.
He unbuttoned his shirt and set it aside. Then he pulled off his boots and removed his jeans, leaving on only his black silk boxers. Ruby was watching him with hungry eyes that pleased him.
While Evan enjoyed both the power rush and the aesthetic appeal of binding a woman, he especially loved how it made her feel. He adored creating that sense of erotic helplessness sexual masochists craved, and Ruby’s comments only reinforced his desire.
He started with a basic chest harness, using a lark’s head knot to join two of the shorter pieces of rope. He wrapped her breasts carefully, using a figure eight around their contours to hold them tight. As he worked, her breathing deepened, her chest rising and falling, her cheeks flushing. He could sense her arousal, which increased with each knot and tug of rope, as well as that sweet, powerful ascent into submissive headspace that he was honored to help bring about.
When he was satisfied, he said, “You may lower your arms.”
She brought her arms down to her sides, her luminous eyes fixed on his face.
“Place your hands in a relaxed position in front of you, palms touching.” He used a simple double column tie to bind her wrists.
Her entire face was now lit with a submissive glow, her eyes bright. Her breasts, lifted and compressed by the ropes, sported dark red, distended nipples that fairly begged for clamps. Unable to resist, he bent and sucked each perfect nipple until she moaned. He left them shiny and hard, the areolas puckered.
She was more than ready to be led deeper into submissive headspace, and he couldn’t wait to take her there. She had reacted very strongly to the water play they’d witnessed on Saturday, and he was eager to explore her personal boundaries in that regard.
Taking her bound wrists in his hand, he led her back toward the water play area, bringing her to a stop in front of the submersion tub.
Ruby stared at it with wide eyes, her teeth worrying her lower lip. He took her head in his hands and searched her beautiful, expressive face. “I watched you the other night when the girls were bound to the water wall. I sensed both your fear and excitement. Have you ever been held down under water?”
“No, Sir,” she whispered, her lovely, dark eyes widening.
“Would you like to experience that at my hands?” As he asked the question, he placed his hand at her sex and slipped a finger between her labia. She was soaking wet.
She drew in a sharp breath. “I’m not sure. I mean, it would be sexy, but scary too.”
Evan nodded. “A good combination for a masochist, no? Think of the rush.”
“Yes,” she said, the word sibilant in her mouth.
“Do you trust me, Ruby?”
She nodded.
“Good. Are you ready for a new adventure? I promise to keep you safe. I will take you to the edge, but I won’t push you over. I’ve done this before and I know what I’m doing.”
Again she nodded.
Satisfied, Evan leaned over and turned on the hot water faucet. The tub filled rapidly, and he adjusted the temperature to that of a warm bath. When it was two-thirds full, he turned off the water and helped Ruby climb in, supporting her shoulders as she settled herself in the water.
Then he pulled down his boxers and kicked them away. He stepped into the large tub behind her and eased himself down into the warm water, extending his legs on either side of her. She leaned back against him with a contented sigh.
Reaching around her trussed body, he cupped her exposed breasts in his hands. “You’re bound in rope,” he murmured into her ear as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. “You are completely at my mercy. When you’re ready, I’m going to gently press your shoulders to submerge you completely under the water. I will keep you under until I decide to let you up. Your safe signal will be lifting either of your legs out of the water. But don’t worry, I won’t let it get to that point. You can actually hold your breath a lot longer than you think you can, as I’ll soon show you. When I take my hands from your shoulders, that’s your cue to come up for air. It’s an exercise in trust and control—a true act of submission.”
Ruby tensed against him, though she made no protest.
Releasing her nipples, he massaged her shoulders, gently easing the tension from her muscles until she relaxed. He dipped his head to nuzzle her neck and murmured. “Are you ready, Ruby? Are you ready to submit to me?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said in a slightly tremulous voice.
A dark thrill of heady power surged through him as he positioned his hands on her shoulders. He had entered what he thought of as Dom-space, a particularly lucid, serene state of mind in which he felt uniquely connected to his sub.
For Evan, being a Dom wasn’t just about the rush that came from having the power and the control over a scene and another human being. It was most essential to have control over oneself. Your partner trusted you to create a safe and intimate space for them to fully experience their darkest desires.
As Evan eased now into that headspace, he experienced a combination of arousal, tranquility and incredible focus. It was exhilarating to lead a sub through their fear and desire to a higher plane, secure in the knowledge that he controlled both their pleasure and pain.
“On the count of three,” he said. “One… Two… Three.”
Evan pushed, slowly but firmly, causing her to slide forward and down until she was fully submerged. The top of her head touched his chest, her face just a few inches below the water, eyes squeezed tightly shut.
Sensibly, their hosts had hung a large clock on the wall by the tub, and Evan carefully tracked the second hand’s sweep. He was keenly aware of Ruby’s reactions, intimately connected to
her every gesture and response. Unlike the intense impact play sessions, which fit neatly into Ruby’s existing masochistic groove, this water play had lifted her out of her comfort zone, and Evan was determined to make the experience one she would never forget.
The D/s bond between them was so strong at that moment that Evan felt as if he and Ruby inhabited the same space. He could feel her heartbeat and the pressure in her head as she held her breath.
He waited until precisely the right moment and then removed his hands from her shoulders.
Ruby bolted upright, gasping for breath.
Evan shifted so he could see her face. He reached for a hand towel from the stack on the side of the tub and gently wiped the water from her eyes. “You okay?”
“I think so,” she gasped. “Being bound like this, unable to move at all, it was pretty intense. How long was I under? A minute? I thought my lungs were going to explode.”
Evan chuckled. “You were under for ten seconds. A healthy person can hold their breath for about two minutes.”
“Are you sure? It definitely felt like longer.”
Evan pointed to the clock. “I timed it. It felt longer because you’re tensing up. Relax.” He pulled her gently back against him. “While I’m counting down this time, take a deep breath, nice and slow. The rope harness is loose enough that it shouldn’t be an issue. Then give in to the process. Submit.”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, no longer tremulous but still a little breathless.
“Breathe deep,” he reminded her. “I’m going to count to three and then down you go. One… Two… Three.”
She drew in a deep breath.
He pushed gently on her shoulders until she again slid beneath the water. He tracked ten seconds on the clock. She was doing better, and he let another ten seconds go by. She started to tense. He kept his hands on her shoulders until thirty seconds had elapsed.
Again she sprang up, gasping for air. “How long?” she cried. “How long was that?”
“Thirty seconds,” Evan said. “You did good.”
She frowned. “Just thirty? I can do longer. Let’s do it again.”
Evan laughed. “Eager now, huh? Or is it just the challenge?”
“I guess that’s part of it. I feel both powerful and vulnerable, all at the same time, if that makes any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense. It’s part of the submissive mindset—it takes real courage to submit, to allow yourself to be so completely vulnerable and reliant on another person, and that’s a pretty powerful feeling.”
“Yes,” she cried excitedly. “That’s it exactly.”
He placed his hands again on her shoulders. This time he held her down for nearly a minute. She began to panic at around the fifty-five second mark, her body tensing. Before she had a chance to fail, he released her and pulled her upright.
He wrapped his arms around her as she gasped for air. “Shh,” he crooned. “You did good, Ruby, nearly a full minute under. That’s enough for our first time. I’m proud of you.”
He wiped her face with the towel and then pulled her gently back against him. Reaching around her body, he released the knot at her wrists and unwound the rope from her arms, tossing it out of the tub.
“Just relax in the water for a minute while I dry off,” he said, getting to his feet. He stepped out and toweled himself quickly before wrapping the towel around his waist. Leaning down, he held out his hands, and Ruby took them. He helped her to stand, keeping his hand on her arm as she climbed out of the tub.
Her bunched breasts were dark pink, the nipples crimson. Evan stroked the hard globes, running his hands over them. He bent to kiss each rock-hard nipple. Then he released the knots that held the chest harness in place and let the wet ropes slide to the ground. Grabbing one of the terrycloth robes that hung on a nearby hook, he draped it over her shoulders and helped her to slip her arms into the sleeves.
Feeling both tender and lustful, he lifted her into his arms. She snuggled against him as he carried her to the recovery couch. Sitting with her on his lap so she was facing him, he dipped his head for a kiss.
She responded ardently, pulling him closer, her tongue dancing in his mouth, her bare breasts pressing against his chest as her robe fell open. “That was so hot,” she gasped between kisses, before seeking his mouth once more. “It was thrilling. I’ve always been afraid of that kind of play, but you made it both safe and sexy. Thank you for that, Evan. Thank you.” Her smile could have lit up a small town.
Evan grinned back, delighted and aroused in equal measure. His cock and balls were aching, and he still felt the rush of domination from the water play. Without thinking about it, he brought his hand to her throat, finding the sweet spot on either side of her jaw with thumb and forefinger.
Ruby stilled at once, her eyes widening as he tapped into this particular erogenous zone. He tightened his grip and said softly, “What’s your darkest fantasy, Ruby? The secret one you’ve never told another soul?” He kept his hand firmly on her throat.
“What?” she gasped, a deep blush blooming on her cheeks as she looked away. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” he said, certain by her reaction he had struck a key nerve. “Don’t try to make it pretty, or soften it because you think I’ll judge you. I want to know the truth. I want that secret, Ruby. The darkest, dirtiest, scariest fantasy you keep hidden and only take out at night, when you’re alone in your bed, your hand between your legs.”
He loosened his grip on her throat, but only a little.
“Jesus,” she whispered. “Who are you?”
“Who do you want me to be, Ruby?” he murmured, his eyes locked on hers. “Tell me.”
“A Master,” she finally managed.
“Go on,” he said softly, trying to keep his excitement tamped down. “Tell me everything. Don’t hold back. Tell me your secret. I’ll keep it safe.” He kept his hand on her throat, but now it was only a touch, a reminder that, for this moment at least, he owned her. “Tell me,” he urged gently.
“It’s just a fantasy,” she said, laughing nervously. “Sometimes, I fantasize about a guy who keeps me locked up, naked and on my knees. I’m his possession, his toy, his sex object. He decides when I sleep, when I pee, when I eat, when I service him, how I service him. He whips me daily and trains me to be his perfect, obedient submissive sex slave. He punishes me harshly when I misstep and owns me completely.”
Her words bypassed Evan’s brain, lodging directly in his core. Without meaning to, he tightened his grip on her throat.
A shudder moved through her body and she jerked in his grasp.
He let his hand fall away, and she rolled from his lap to the couch beside him. She pulled the robe closed around her body and rocked forward. Her hair had come loose, and it fell in a damp curtain, obscuring her face.
“Like I said, it’s just a fantasy.” She glanced nervously at him.
“It’s an incredibly hot, sexy fantasy. One I would love to help bring to life, Ruby.”
Her mouth fell open, her eyes widening. “What? You mean…you and me? Do a Master/slave thing in real life?”
“That’s exactly what I mean. Not forever, obviously. But just for a few days. As an experiment.”
She shook her head, her hands twisting in her lap. “I don’t think I could do that. Not in real life.”
“You’re afraid,” he offered, placing his hand lightly on her thigh. “But what an adventure it could be. Think of it,” he enthused, swept away in the possibilities. “You would give yourself completely over to another person. I would control your every move, your every action. I would take you deeper than you’ve ever gone in your submissive exploration. I’d keep you safe. I think you know that, Ruby.”
A spark of excitement kindled in her expression, bright as a candle. “Gosh. I don’t know.” She shook back her wild hair and laughed. “I mean, come on. I’m an independent woman who takes what she wants and then moves on. A masochist
, yes. A submissive slave? Not so much.”
“Hey, don’t think I don’t get that. This isn’t a lifetime commitment, far from it. It would be an experiment, something we could explore together. I don’t think of myself as a Master, either. But I have to say, the idea of claiming a woman, of taking full control of every aspect of her life and training her to serve me with complete obedience and submission sounds pretty fucking wild. It’s a super hot fantasy, Ruby. Incredibly sexy.”
He turned to her, taking her face into his hands as he stared down into her eyes. “It takes a very special person to submit to that degree. Someone who’s strong enough to undergo intense sexual and submissive training without losing their essence. A woman like that has to be secure in herself, courageous enough to take the leap, and willing to engage in that ultimate exchange of power. I’ve never found a woman like that. Until now.”
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I would be deeply honored to be that man for you. I know you like a challenge. What do you say? Are you in?”
Chapter 8
Ruby stared at Evan, her mind reeling. What would it be like to be kept naked and chained 24/7, constantly used and deliciously abused by a Master who was fully in control?
But was Evan the man for the job? While she’d had an incredible connection with this awesome guy so far, did she know or trust him enough to give herself over so completely? Did she want to?
“Ruby?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m waiting for your answer. Do you have the courage to submit? The desire to see your dreams brought to life?”
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, a tiny voice whispered emphatically inside her.
But this was crazy. Even if she’d known him for years, there was no way she could sustain that kind of intensity for more than an hour or two, nor was she sure she really wanted to.
Liar.
She blew out a breath as she marshaled her thoughts. “It sounds really hot and sexy in theory, but I’m not sure it’s something I could actually do in real life.”
“You know,” Evan said slowly, “One of the many things I love about BDSM is that it can take you to places you never thought you’d go. It’s like drugs, only way safer and a thousand times more intense. I love the idea of going further, delving deeper, than just a short-lived scene. I’ve never taken full control, 24/7, of another person, but I think it could be a really powerful experience, not just for you as a sub, but for me as a Dom.”
BDSM Connections - The Complete 4 Novel Series Page 68