by P. Stormcrow
“Fine! He has a cute ass!” Luna blurted out.
“Hallelujah, thank you!” Ted clapped his hands together. “Finally, she proves she’s warm-blooded after all!”
“Hey, I resent that!” It was turning into the lunch hour of death glares.
Ted waved off her protest with a laugh. “So, tell me… When are you guys meeting next?”
Luna hesitated before replying, if only because she didn’t want more grilling. But she could already tell that Ted would not let it go, and he still might try to get Brandon to help pry the information out of her somehow. She sighed. “I’m not sure yet. We talked about climbing again and maybe dinner after. I need to text him back.” She trailed off with a shrug.
Dylan was a complication she didn’t need. August had been right in that she really needed to do some hard thinking about what her submissive nature meant and whether it was the right path for her. And Dylan represented an easy way out, to turn her back on it.
“Well, Luna, what the hell are you waiting for? Don’t keep the poor boy waiting!”
Luna groaned and rose from her seat, wrapping the remains of her hot dog. With exaggerated motions, she checked her watch. “I need to get back. I’ve got a meeting!”
It was Ted’s turn to glare at her, this time with suspicion. “Fine… But don’t think you’re off the hook that easily, missy.”
“Of course not.” Luna rolled her eyes. But despite being a complication, Luna didn’t quite want to give up on Dylan yet. Something about that simple charm and his easygoing manner made Luna feel like she was basking in sunshine whenever she was around him—warm and safe. She would have to think on that more.
It was hard to sit through the afternoon, full of mindless edits and copy to write. Many times Luna rose from her chair on the pretense of getting water or snacks, just to stretch her legs and help keep her mind from analyzing further on whether she should say yes to Eli or not. The cautionary part of her was already protesting that she had gone too deep into the scene and that she should stick to a normal relationship with someone like Dylan.
But normal was the furthest thing from her mind as she walked into the coffee shop after a quick dinner at home. Luna scanned the room, spotting August amid the pods of other late-night coffee drinkers. It was surprising how many of those there were.
After their quick phone conversation earlier that day, Luna had come to realize that she needed more time to process and they needed more time to discuss her thoughts. Luna had suggested they meet up, going so far as to bribe August, who she found out loved his tea.
“Good evening, Luna,” August greeted as she dumped her bag on the chair.
“Hey, hey come on. Let’s go get our teas first.” She had several thoughts and was eager to get started.
Once they’d sorted out their teas and desserts, Luna took out a notebook—her personal journal. She always processed her thoughts better with the pen. It forced order to the tangled web of her mind.
August inhaled the aroma of his tea with his eyes closed before taking a slow sip. “All right, tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Well, it just seems…a bit extreme as a first baby step to not only be naked but then be tied up and have pictures taken for public consumption. Isn’t it insane to even consider this?”
She had said as much on their phone call, so August’s immediate follow-up did not surprise her.
“First, let’s consider how we view this. Do you think of this experience as sexual?”
Her first instinctive answer was ‘yes’, but she stared at her notebook. “The experience, yeah, in that it’s arousing, but it’s not ‘play’ to me, if that’s what you mean.” She chewed her lower lip. “I know, intellectually, that the naked body is not inherently sexual. But being naked and bound is a different matter.”
“True. Let me ask you then, if someone asked you to pose nude for a life drawing class, what would you do?”
At that, Luna blushed with a sheepish smile and a small shrug. “Actually, I did a bit of that in college. It helped with the tuition.”
“Ah-h.”
No judgment showed on his face or in his words. August leaned back, instead, in his chair, cradling his mug still. “So, what’s different about this?”
“Well, the rope…” It was a flimsy excuse. The rope framed the body. It was really only a prop. When she had called Eli with more questions, he had reassured her that the shoot would not involve sex or play of any kind, unlike the demonstration at the party. It was just a professional photography session. But that led to a different concern. Her gaze fell on the name she’d jotted down in her notebook with several circles drawn around it.
When she looked up, she found August’s eyes on her and she swallowed once more.
“Jacob will be there,” she whispered.
“Ah-h.” August pushed his glasses up the ridge of his nose.
As an extra guarantee to his models, Eli had shared with her that he always insisted on having a neutral third party at the shoot to chaperone. It was a good policy, a way to make the models feel safe, and it also acted as a deterrent for any false accusations of inappropriate conduct on Eli’s part. He was excited to tell Luna that he had secured Jacob’s service, considering he seemed like a trusted man in the local community and he was one of Erica’s dungeon monitors. The poor artist had no idea that Jacob’s presence would, in reality, be making Luna more nervous.
“Luna, I understand you’re attracted to Jacob and that may make things a little awkward, but he is a professional and very good at what he does.”
When she still didn’t reply, August sighed and took a sip of his tea. “Let’s take a step back.”
“Okay, sensei August.” Humor was a good cover.
He stared at her and shook his head, even as he set his mug down, folding his arms on the table. “What’s making you consider Eli’s offer in the first place?”
Ah-ha! She had prepared for that in her list of pros and cons. Luna turned to her notebook and tried to flip the page, but August dropped his hand to close it. “From your gut, Luna, not your head.”
She made a face at him before slumping her shoulders. “Because I’ve always been curious about bondage, and it’s a way to try it with a master with no obligation beyond just the bondage part. When Eli did his demo, it was a huge turn-on. I want to see if there’s something there, even if this time it’s not sexual.”
With that, August gave her a small smile of encouragement. “Focus on that instead. Don’t let a bystander’s presence deprive you of an experience you deem is right for you.”
“You are going through with it too, right?”
“Luna…” He had already developed a way to say her name that sounded like scolding. Kind of like how he was with Cassie.
“Okay, okay, focus on myself. I know. But”—she paused and leaned forward—“you are going to say yes, right?”
August lifted the mug to his lips and chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I already did.”
“Wait, what?” The last word hit an octave higher.
It appeared that he was not going to dignify her exclamation with an answer. She dug her phone out and stared hard at it before unlocking the screen and typing before she lost her nerve. With a little more force than she’d intended, she set the device down.
“There. Done. I’m in.”
* * * *
She might have sealed her fate that night, but reality didn’t quite set in until Sunday afternoon, when she arrived on location. True to his word, one of Eli’s assistants had met her, August and Cassie at a specific place on the side of the road then led them to a secluded spot in the middle of the forest. He had also taken extra caution in roping the area off with a white drop cloth along the side facing the road, despite how far away they were. His other assistant was setting up lighting while Eli himself was laying out his rope on a folding table, deep in discussion with someone whose back was toward them.
Still, Luna would recog
nize that silhouette anywhere. Her heart began beating faster, and she sucked in a deep breath. Then he turned around at their arrival and their eyes met, surprise and pleasure registering in those deep dark-chocolate orbs.
With that, the question switched from being about feeling shy and awkward to whether she could go through the session without embarrassing herself with her arousal. No matter how she denied it, Jacob was not just a bystander.
Eli looked up and delight blossomed over his features. “Ah, so glad you could all make it. I’m excited to be working with you three.” Eli greeted each of them with a hug, and Jacob nodded a more subdued greeting from behind. They might be friends, but this was a job for all of them.
“Please.” Eli gestured to the three portable changing rooms set up for them. “If you will undress in there… I’ve taken the liberty to prepare robes for you. You should keep your shoes on until your turn, given the rough terrain.”
Luna heard the words, but it was Jacob’s stare that held her rapt attention. Her breath caught as they held each other’s gaze. Was that what Ted had meant when he’d once described eye-fucking? Despite the cool air under the forest canopy, her body temperature rose.
Beside her, August cleared his throat and Luna looked away, her cheeks warming. From the corner of her eye, she caught Jacob smirking. The smug bastard.
“Okay… Changing, right,” she muttered under her breath and trudged her way toward her own pseudo-room.
Chapter Ten
The fluffy robe, combined with her going last, almost lulled Luna into a false sense of security. After they had changed, a makeup artist and a hair stylist descended on the three. Because most of the shots would consist of Luna’s face being covered, they applied only minimal makeup on her but took the time to run her already-straight hair through a flat iron to take it to another level of smoothness. Eli had said something about making sure it simulated a waterfall.
Eli gathered them together once they’d all emerged dressed alike and made up in varying degrees. His team, knowing how their boss worked, had also joined them and Jacob had trailed behind a second later.
The artist clapped his hands together and bowed, a signature move of respect that Luna recognized. “I thank you all for being here today to help bring my vision to life. Without each one of you, my ideas would remain only as images in my mind. For that, I am grateful for your presence here.”
He paused, fixing his gaze to meet each one.
“I want you to all remember that the body and all its reactions are perfectly natural, beautiful and should be honored. Because of the nature of what we are shooting here, there may be different comfort levels, so I ask everyone to be communicative and respectful. Let’s make today’s experience positive for everyone.”
Everyone clapped. It was time to get to work.
It was fascinating watching Eli and his team work on Cassie and, not for the first time, Luna had to admire how limber the other woman was. By the time Eli had finished his first ties, he’d suspended Cassie face up in a similar position to the one he’d put Dominique in a few nights before, except both her legs and her arms were left to swing free, with her head falling back. Unlike Luna’s hair, the stylist had done Cassie’s up in a mass of curls that tumbled downward, trailing almost to the carpeted forest floor. There was a grace to her arched body that Luna envied.
As soon as Eli stepped back, the makeup artist stepped in again, murmuring as she dusted blush and toner on Cassie’s body, bringing out the contours of her muscles.
On closer examination, Luna exhaled in relief. Cassie was flushed with arousal, but no one batted an eye or commented. Everyone had taken Eli’s opening speech to heart, and the earlier tension drained from her body. There was such a body-positive, sex-positive attitude here that Luna could not help but relax a smidge.
When they brought August into the shot, Luna parted her lips in awe. Knotted with a harness that showed off his back, August was positioned to kneel beneath Cassie, her body framing him, almost like an arch. Cassie had curved her arms and legs with such grace that, not for the first time, Luna wondered if she’d had classical ballet training. Regardless, she had to admire the composition.
“Are you doing okay?” Jacob’s whisper tickled her ear, and she almost jumped out of her skin. She knew it was important to remain quiet while Eli and his team worked, but did the man have to be such a ninja?
“Yeah.” Just like dungeon monitoring, Luna knew that he had to keep his eyes on what was happening, but gratefulness welled in her for him checking up on her. “It’s…beautiful, what Eli is doing.”
A small smile tugged at Jacob’s lips, wistful even, as he made a small noise of agreement. Another pause. “I’m surprised to find you here.”
Ah-h. “I did some nude modeling before for life drawing classes. August convinced me that this wasn’t any different. And he’s right, with the way Eli is treating us.”
With his nearness, she felt more than saw Jacob’s nod. “I look forward to seeing what he will do with you.”
There were so many ways to take that statement. On the spot, Luna came up with five on her own. But her body chose for her as her face warmed and moisture began gathering between her legs. No, I can’t be aroused just at the thought of Jacob watching me being tied up. Oh dear God, but I am.
Jacob cleared his throat, a small sound almost escaping her notice. “If you’ve got some time after this, I’d like it if we could grab a cup of coffee.”
She blinked. Is he asking me out? Right now? When I’m dressed in a fluffy robe, about to show him my entire body in all its naked not-so-glory? When I can barely contain my lust for him as it is?
“Sure.” Where did that easy, nonchalant voice come from? She wasn’t sure how she was managing it without being reduced to a quivering mess.
“Good.” He grinned and, out of the corner of her eye, Luna noted how the smile was a little crooked. The man oozed a mischievous charm. It wasn’t fair at all. No, he’s just a guy, she reminded herself. She would do it. Besides, free coffee and maybe even free pastry for the win.
“Luna?” Eli motioned her over. August had finished his solo shoot and Cassie had been long released from her bondage. Now it was her turn.
She sucked in a breath. Two could play at that game. Slipping off her shoes, she walked toward Eli and undid her robe, letting it slide off her shoulders and down her back, revealing the curve of her hips until her full rear was in Jacob’s view. She tossed one last glance over her shoulder toward him, smiled and sauntered to Eli, hips swaying, robe hanging on one arm, fully aware she was playing with fire. If only she could observe his reaction.
“Now, Luna…” Eli placed both hands on her shoulders and caught her eyes. “I know that of everyone here, you’re the newest at this. I want you to know that I will treat you with the utmost respect and professionalism. This is not a scene. This is my work. I’m honored that you have trusted me. But also know that if at any time you are uncomfortable with anything or if you need things to stop, just say so. There will be no hard feelings and it will not offend me. Do you understand?”
The sincerity in Eli’s voice and the earnest expression on his face made Luna smile. “I do. Thank you, Eli. That helps.”
“Good. Now I will talk a little more than usual, both because you are new at this and because this suspension is also new for me. I’ve been trying to think of the best way to pose you like your namesake.” He took a step back and retrieved a jute rope, holding it up to her. “Are you ready?”
Luna lost track of time as Eli built the harnesses and anchor points that he would use to suspend her, looping lengths of jute rope around her. It was, in a way, reminiscent of how Dylan had helped her into the climbing harness and attached the belay rope, but in a longer, extended fashion.
Each step of the way, Eli took care to explain what he was doing. By focusing on his explanations, she remained engaged on an academic level and that helped to keep her rooted so she didn’t enter subspace. H
is touch was pleasant, light, but despite the nudity, it was not as arousing as she’d expected. It was more like a professional massage.
When he moved to work on the ties along her back, she glimpsed August and Cassie, clothed once more in their robes. Both smiled, August with a nod of encouragement and Cassie with a thumbs-up sign.
Then her gaze met Jacob’s.
His body spoke of a tension she’d never seen before, his face schooled into a neutral expression. But there was something in his eyes. Her breath caught. The way they darkened, he seemed to be staring at her with an intensity that spoke of desire—for her.
But rather than making her want to cover up, it made her straighten, her own muscles tensing as her stomach clenched with a want of her own. Everything began to fade from existence and her focus narrowed to the sensation of the rope against her skin, heat radiating from her center—heat that he seemed to draw out of her with such ease. She scarcely registered Eli’s hands on her.
“Luna? Are you okay?” The artist’s voice cut through her thoughts and she blinked once, then twice before nodding.
“Yeah, I’m good.” If her voice sounded a little hoarse, she hoped he only interpreted it as nerves.
“Excellent. Now, would you be okay with being suspended upside down?”
Surprised by the sudden question, Luna broke her eye contact with Jacob to focus on Eli. “I…haven’t hung upside down since I was a kid on monkey bars.”
Eli chuckled in response. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to try it. If it becomes uncomfortable, let me know and we can try a different pose. Okay?”
When she nodded her assent, he began attaching ropes from a nearby tree and tying them to the anchor points. His deft hands worked with swiftness and skill, but it wasn’t until he hoisted her legs up that she flipped. Despite Eli’s warning beforehand, she still gave a yelp of surprise. But before he had a chance to ask if she was fine again, she started giggling. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. “Sorry!”
Eli beamed instead, pleased by her reaction. “No apologies necessary, my dear. I’m relieved to see you are enjoying this.” He spent the next few minutes adjusting her legs so that they bent back at the knee and over her head. The ropes forced her body to arc, though it was well within her own flexible abilities. Even in her mind, she pictured the crescent shape her body made.
