Page 99 of Dance for Me
He kissed between her breasts, working his way down the center of her. Touching his mouth to every inch of the pink scar, feeling her stomach muscles flutter beneath the scrape of his stubble, the heat of his lips. With a nip at her belly button, he rose and cupped her face. “There’s no one, no woman, more perfect than the one I love.”
Her breath shuddered out. “Me?”
“Absolutely you, little one.” He stroked his thumbs over her cheekbones, no trace of her injury in sight. “I’m going to bind you, Bodie. Decorate this sinful little body with rope and put you on display so everyone can see you the way I do—beautiful, perfect, and mine.”
“I...I think I’d like that, Master Braun.”
“You will,” he promised, stepping back. He assessed her carefully, but she’d regained some confidence in herself. “How’s the leg holding up?”
“Aching a bit, Sir.”
“One minute longer, little one.” Braun moved behind her and deftly twisted her hair into a braid. With it tied up and out of the way, he collected his ropes from the bench. When he turned around, Jasper leaned against the wall, arms folded as he patiently waited. “J, could you fetch me a short stool from the bar and a cushion?”
One elegant blond eyebrow arched. “Sitting down on the job, are we?”
“Might as well be comfortable,” Braun shot back.
As the sadist pushed off the wall and sauntered away, Braun dropped a black rope at Bodie’s feet, then began to unravel the red one in his hands. It had been a while since he’d had the pleasure of practicing Shibari, but he relished the feel of the silk through his fingers. “This is soft rope, Bodie. It won’t burn or abrade your skin. It will feel restrictive, but I can cut you free at a moment’s notice if you panic.”
She fidgeted uneasily. “Okay.”
“Good girl. You know your safeword?”
“Red, Sir.”
Braun nodded. “Say it and everything stops. Are you ready?”
It was an experience in itself, watching her thoughts roll over her face, then gathering the courage to submit. Eyes closed again, she breathed deeply, slowly, until her tense fingers relaxed by her sides. “I’m ready, Sir.”
“Hold your arms out in front of you, hands clasped together loosely. Elbows touching, little one.” With a firm touch, he directed her how he required, and with a deep breath of his own, began.
The rope moved smoothly through his hands as he wove it around her forearms. Circle, knot. Circle, knot. The familiarity of the pattern allowed him to topple into the rhythm, the fluidity of creating art on a human canvas.
The sounds of the room faded away until all he could hear was Bodie’s soft, slow breathing and the slide of silk over skin. Circle, knot. Circle, knot. When he reached the cuffs, he inspected the intricate web of rope cinching her arms together, pleased with the result.
“Are you okay, little one?”
Big blue eyes blinked open, dazed and innocent. “Sir?”
Braun repeated the question quietly. “No nipping, no pulling?”
She shook her head from side to side in slow motion. “No, Sir.”
“Clever girl. Tell me if you feel any pain or numbness.” He hadn’t bound her tight enough to compromise her circulation, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
“Okay,” she replied, her mouth curving into a smile.
Ending the weave with a knot, he threaded the rope through the D rings of her cuffs, knotted it again loosely. With a careful toss, he launched the rest of the slack up and over one of the bars. Snagging the end, he pulled until Bodie’s arms rose above her head. He tied the rope back onto itself with a quick release knot, just above her fingers.
One tug and she’d be free.
Braun took a moment to admire the length of her stretched out before him. Pale and perky, her breasts reawakened his hunger. Tempting his fingers, his mouth. Nipples flushed with arousal begged for him to suck and nip and tease.
She swayed, relying on the rope to hold her up.
Turning, Braun saw the stool and cushion at the edge of the rigging. He found Jasper back in position, same as before, with his arms across his chest and a hunger in his pale blue gaze burning as hot as the fever in Braun’s blood.
With a nod of thanks, Braun took the stool and set it down in front of Bodie. “Bend your right knee for me, little one.” Hesitantly, the leg lifted, and her balance shifted precariously. Holding onto her, he kicked the stool into place and smiled. Damn near perfect. “Rest your knee on the stool, Bodie. How does that feel?”