by P. Stormcrow
He pushed himself up before leaning back, hanging in a casual pose. Luna was trying to focus on his words but could not help but admire the way his arm muscles, exposed by the loose tank he wore, rippled with the easy effort of a skilled climber. “If you are resting or trying to figure out what to do next, keep your arms straight. Don’t hug the wall. You’ll also tire out faster that way.”
He jumped back down and looked back to check.
“Got it. In theory,” she told him and laughed.
Dylan chuckled. “Okay, so basic safety etiquette. I’ll be belaying you, which means my weight will be what keeps you from taking a bad fall. That also means you and I need to communicate.” Next, he explained the commands and terminology, making her repeat them to ensure that she understood. With his instructions completed, it was time to strap on the harness. He knelt before her and held it out. Luna stared at it for a moment, full of doubt, then, steeling her nerves, she attempted to step in.
She should have known better than to try without holding on to something for balance. As she stumbled, she grabbed Dylan’s shoulder for support, even as he reached out to her hip to stabilize her. It was perfectly innocent and had nothing over the kinds of compromising positions she’d been in during grappling sessions in the dojo. But somehow, she blushed at the way his muscles moved beneath her palm, the warmth of his hand burning her hip through her yoga pants.
“Easy there,” he murmured, then rose to his feet.
He stepped back to let her tug the harness into place, but Luna only struggled with all the straps and buckles, wondering what went where.
“Here… May I?” Dylan extended his hands in an offer.
Luna nodded with a sheepish smile. “Please.”
Dylan wrapped his arms around her for a moment but made quick work of securing the harness. Then he looped one of the top ropes to it. Despite his hands remaining respectful as he focused on ensuring her safety, Luna held her breath, his nearness causing her heart to beat just a little harder. And she hadn’t even started climbing.
Her breathing resumed as he stepped back to tie the other end to himself.
“Okay.” He guided her back to the wall. “If you look up, you’ll notice that the holds all have different colored tape. You want to pick one and go for only holds with that color. I was scoping the routes out earlier and I think that to start, you may want to consider going for the ones with the blue tape.”
She tilted her head back and eyed the wall, trying to pick out the handholds with blue tape among all their peers. It was better than lingering on his comments about having been here early to prepare for teaching her. Focus, Luna, focus. There were a lot of choices.
The worry must have been obvious on her face.
“Hey, don’t worry. If you get stuck, I’ll shout out suggestions, and if you get tired, just let go.” Dylan placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve got you, I promise. If you fall, I’ll catch you.”
There it was again, that slight mix of shyness and charm that made him so endearing. Luna’s cheeks reddened and she nodded, helpless in not knowing how to flirt back. So she took a deep breath instead and placed her hand on the first hold.
“All right, I can do this.”
Chapter Eight
Luna whimpered under her breath, wondering why she’d decided that going to The Playgrounds was a good idea when she was already so sore from climbing earlier in the day. Her limbs felt like limp, wet noodles and muscles she didn’t know existed were already beginning to ache. To console herself, she had dressed in the most comfortable outfit she could imagine while still being acceptable for a club—a distressed black tank top, a short tulle skirt and heavy stomper goth boots. She was going for the industrial punk look. Yeah that was it. The mere thought of a corset made her cringe.
What she really wanted was a drink and a sit down. So when she spied August alone at the bar, Luna counted her good fortunes and walked over to join him.
“Good evening, Luna,” August greeted as she eased onto the bar stool beside him.
“Hi, August. How are you?”
“Well…yourself?”
“Tired, but good.” She sucked at small talk. Luckily, the bartender swung by and there was a pause in their conversation as they both ordered their drinks.
She remembered his offer at the party. “August, would you mind if I ask you some questions about…well…being a submissive?”
He chuckled, pushing his glasses up the ridge of his nose. Sometimes August struck her as an anime character who had been brought to life. “Of course. I offered before. Ask away.”
Luna chewed her lower lip. As the drinks arrive, she grabbed her rum and Coke, taking a good swallow of liquid courage before speaking. “So, how did you figure you were a sub?”
August took a sip of his own drink, also a rum and Coke, and considered her question. “Well, not without a lot of time and exploration. I suppose in a way, though, it’s no different from, say, sexual orientation. How does one figure out if they’re attracted to women or men or both—or don’t see gender at all?”
Her mouth dropped open, and she gaped at him. His words hit a core part of her and reverberated within her soul. Old memories stirred within, memories from before she’d tried anything in real life, before the relationship that had thrown everything into such confusion. Back then, she’d spent many nights reading stories of dominance and submission and she’d become so worked up that she would wear out the batteries in her vibrator. She remembered that when she first started delving into the world of kinks online, certain suggestions alone would send her imagination spinning.
The image of the shibari demonstration came to mind. She swallowed, her cheeks growing warmer, when she realized August was watching her. “Yeah, I see what you mean.” That sounded lame, even to her ears.
A small smile tugged at his lips and Luna couldn’t help but smile back. It was a smile laden with meaning, a shared understanding of two similar people.
“Is that the question you really want to ask?” August leaned in closer. “I remember that when I first started, I had a different question.”
It was like he saw through all her hesitation and layers of doubts. “Was it ‘how did you come to terms with being a sub?’”
“Precisely!” August took a much larger swallow of his drink and shook his head a little. “That’s a much harder question. As you’re aware, the traditional male role and image society has for us is one of authority and dominance. It took a long time for me to come to terms that being a submissive doesn’t mean I’m any less masculine.”
“How?” The word came out as a bare whisper but August only arched his brow at her. “I’ve worked very hard, all my life, to achieve what I have. I want to lead, to be that strong, independent woman who’s successful with her own career, that doesn’t have to depend on anyone—like a good little feminist.” She made a rueful smile at that, aware of the modern societal pressures influencing her words. “But how do I reconcile that?” She groaned and rubbed her forehead. “All the Doms around here keep saying I’m a natural, so does that make me a failure?”
“Whoa, hey.” August placed a hand on her shoulder. “Are you calling me a failure then?”
Luna’s eyes snapped wide open and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my God, no! I’m so sorry. I meant…”
August chuckled and waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it. I understood what you meant.” Growing serious once more, he stared at his drink. “I think the only way to figure it all out is to understand what submission means to you.”
Blinking once, then twice, Luna opened her mouth before shutting it again, her mind still processing his statement.
August continued. “It means that if you want to submit, to relinquish control, what are you getting out of it and what are you willing to put into the relationship in return? For some people, it’s a thing in the bedroom. For others, it’s beyond. How much power do you want to give to the other person and why? What meaning does it h
old for you?”
She continued to gape at August, her mind spinning as she tried to summon some coherent, intelligent answer.
Before she could stammer a reply, August leaned in and patted her shoulder. “It’s a lot to take in—and those are questions that take a long time and a lot of hard looks in the mirror to answer.” He withdrew the touch and turned back to nursing his drink. Silence settled between them.
Luna stared into her glass. Unsure if it was the drink that had loosened her tongue, her next words surprised even her, but it was too late to take them back. “I’m not sure where I’m at yet, though I think I’m a submissive. Taking control doesn’t appeal to me. I don’t know if I want to give up control either, though. So I’m not even sure why the concept has been turning me on so much lately.” She made a face at the memories that were resurfacing and knocked back the rest of her drink, letting the liquor smooth away the rough edges.
Something she said must have alarmed August enough that when he turned toward her, concern furrowed his forehead. Or maybe it was the way she was now attempting to drown herself in her own lightweight fashion. Whatever it was, it seemed to make him chew over his next words, each one enunciated with care.
“I don’t know what happened in your past, and I won’t pry. But I do know from experience that not every Dom is right for every sub. Everyone has a different style, and it may have been that the Dom you were with was not right for you. It’s also rare to find someone who matches you completely, but when you do, serving that person becomes effortless.”
There was a softness to his voice. Luna wasn’t so far gone that she couldn’t hear it. Curious now, she peered at August before her lips turned into a small teasing leer. It was a guess, but an educated one. “Lani?”
It was the reaction she’d hoped for. August’s eyes widened and his back stiffened, his cheeks pinkening. He curled his hand into a fist and brought it up to cover his mouth as he made a sound to clear his throat. It was most adorable, seeing the well-put-together man flustered.
When Luna waited, he looked away and heaved a sigh. “Yes, I think she and I would do well together. But I don’t believe Mistress Lani intends to settle on a particular submissive any time soon.”
“Luna, August! Guess who I found!” Cassie approached, before Luna could question August more. The crowd parted to reveal Cassie, hanging on to Elijah’s arm.
They both turned a little in surprise. “Master Elijah,” August greeted with a dip of his head.
“Please, Eli is fine.” The Asian man dipped his head in acknowledgment before smiling at them both. “It’s good to see you, August. And I remembering seeing you at the party, but I don’t believe we got introduced.” He extended his free hand to Luna.
“Luna. I enjoyed your demonstration.” She shook his hand.
Eli dipped his head again, beaming with pleasure. “I’m glad you did. I enjoy these demonstrations as much as sharing my art in exhibits.”
Cassie’s eyes flashed in a way that made Luna worry, enough that she started chewing on her lower lip again. “Guess what Eli’s been looking for?” She nudged the man next to her with a mischievous smile.
August and Luna exchanged a look.
“Ah yes. I was telling Cassie here that I’ve been looking for some models for a new project I’m starting here. It’s why I’m in town. But rather than flying in my usual partners, I’m looking for some locals to work with instead. It’s an outdoor shoot, but I guarantee privacy for my models.” He leaned forward. “Cassie has already said yes, but I was wondering if you two would be interested.”
Luna’s brows shot up. “Us?” Her voice squeaked.
“Why yes. August here is a perfect blend of masculinity and grace and would do well with various harnesses that will bring out his muscle contours. And you, little moon, would be a perfect foil with Cassie here—your pale coloring alongside Cassie’s Asian dark eyes and hair.”
“You flatter us, Eli,” August murmured, though his voice carried all the same.
“Nah.” Eli brushed their humble replies aside. “I’m an artist and I’ve got an eye for these things. In my public shibari art, I use the rope to bring out the beauty of the human body, to frame its strengths and vulnerability for capture with the camera.”
When put that way, Luna could understand the man. It would be a lie to say she hadn’t gone home after the play party and googled the man’s work. What she’d found was beautiful—sensual rather than pornographic.
“If you’re nervous at all, I’d also be happy to work with poses that keep the face hidden from view. For example, Luna, your hair can cover most of your face while you’re hanging face down. I’d love to do a shot of you in a suspended crescent, like your namesake. See? You’re already giving me ideas!” There was a feverish glint in his eyes. Luna recognized it. She had seen the same look on her own face when inspiration hit with her writing.
Damn it, that sounded hot and appealing on so many levels—some that she wasn’t even sure she was ready to admit to herself.
“I pay my models too, and I pay well!” It was obvious that Eli really wanted them in his shoot.
“Come on. Say you’ll do it with me!” Cassie released Eli’s arm and grabbed Luna’s hand with both of her own.
August cleared his throat once more, jolting Luna out of her lust-filled thoughts. “Thank you, Eli. This is really flattering. Can we have some time to think about it before getting back to you?”
“Of course!” Eli produced two business cards and handed them to Luna and August. “Here… Call me anytime, whatever you decide. The project starts in three days. If your decision is yes, we can discuss fees and schedules. I understand you all have day jobs, so we can work around that.” He beamed again, as if pleased that their answers weren’t an outright no.
Luna gave Cassie’s hand a light squeeze before turning to take the offered card in hand. It was gorgeous in its simplicity, a single strand of rope tied in a loop against a black background, a sans-serif font used for Eli’s name, phone number and email, as well as his gallery’s location. Inwardly though, Luna sighed in relief, grateful for August’s level-headedness. In her current lightly inebriated state, combined with Cassie’s pleading expression, she wasn’t sure what she would’ve agreed to. She had downed that one drink too fast—and on an empty stomach.
“Thanks, Eli.” Luna bobbed her head, tucking the card away, aware that her cheeks were surely still bright red.
“You’re very welcome, my dear. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Cassie has promised to show me around.” He offered an arm back to her and, with a wink and a wave, they were both off.
Shaking his head, August sighed again and held out his hand toward Luna. “Unlock and hand over your phone.”
“Huh?”
August only made a come-here motion until Luna complied. Once the phone was in his hand, he typed on it and handed it back to Luna. The man had put in his contact details.
“Call me tomorrow when you’re more sober and we can talk about Eli’s offer.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’re not a Dom? Or at least a switch?”
That drew a genuine laugh from August. “Like I said, we all have different styles and different reasons to serve. I serve by protecting and putting order to chaos.” He grinned and poked at Luna. “Besides, right now, you very much need protecting, given how tipsy you are.”
Surprised at his sudden playfulness, Luna gaped at him before mustering up enough grace to close her mouth. He was right, but she would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her agree out loud. Instead, she stuck out her tongue. “Just for that, I’m calling you at seven a.m. tomorrow.”
August only grinned wider. “I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Nine
“So…how was your weekend?”
Oh, she knew that tone, that teasing sing-song voice that preceded the grilling session to come. Luna glared at Ted as she crammed in another mouthful of hot dog, if only to make him wait
and squirm in suspense. He deserved it.
Lunch hour usually meant hanging out with Ted, and today, it meant hot dogs from the closest stand and a sit on a park bench to bask in the summer sun. If not for these brief periods outdoors, Luna would look even more like a ghost with her pale skin.
“Come on, Luna. Quit stalling. That hot dog won’t last forever, you know.”
Perhaps she should tell him about Eli’s offer, just to spite him. But alas, being offered a chance to be a bondage model was not exactly shareable weekend gossip with someone outside the scene.
Do I already think of myself as ‘in the scene’? How did that happen? When did that happen?
“Hello? Earth to Luna. Are you going to tell me? Or do I have to ask Brandon to judo-throw it out of you?”
She snapped back to attention and, swallowing the bite, she glowered at him. “Hey, that’s an abuse of power and Brandon is too good of a sensei to do that.” She sighed when Ted gave her a puppy-dog look.
“Fine. The climbing with Dylan went well, I think.”
“You think? Details, girl. You’re just as bad as a guy.”
Which was ironic, considering who the comment came from. Fine. Turning, she batted her eyelashes at Ted. “Well, you know, ’cause like, he was super cute and just totally adorbs.” Luna pitched her voice high and rolled her eyes, twirling a strand of hair around her forefinger.
“Luna Weir, I’m going to smack you.” Ted lifted a hand in a mock threat, but she ducked her head all the same.
“Okay, okay!” She laughed a little. “Dylan was really cute, though. I learned a lot from him on how to climb and he pushed me just enough to challenge me without going overboard. And he was very supportive and patient.”
Ted rolled his finger in the air, motioning for her to speed it up.
“Okay, he paid for my session and we flirted.”
Ted sped up the movement with his finger.
“Um…he has a cute dimple when he smiles and he has some pretty strong arms?”
Her friend leaned in closer, his eyes starting to light up.
