Page 27 of Steamy Ever After

Clarissa had almost forgotten she was on Landon’s lap when he cupped her chin and turned her head to face him. “I think it’s time to drop the chip again, puppy. You’ll crawl to the stage, and I’ll remove your costume there before we find out what our next play will be.”

She stiffened and narrowed her eyes at him before giving herself a mental pep talk. You can do this. Only another few hours, and it’ll all be over. Then you can choose a Dom to play with who’ll make you forget how good it feels to be in Landon’s arms. Yeah, and if you believe that’ll happen, George Strait has some ocean-front property in Arizona he’d love to sell you.

CHAPTER 7

LANDON

After removing Clarissa’s puppy accessories, he placed them in the shopping bag so he could clean everything later.

While she’d relaxed on his lap earlier, probably against her better judgment, she was back to being rigid and aloof towards him. That was okay for now. It was far better than her yelling and storming out of the place.

Some members milled about the stage, watching several of the Spectacular pairs who’d come back for a second round. Landon and Clarissa waited in line behind another couple. He sent up a silent prayer that their next play was something where she wouldn’t be able to leave once he started telling her the real reason he was there tonight—that is, unless she said her safeword.

When it was their turn, Landon dropped the chip, this time in a different spot. It bounced around before sliding into a slot and coming to rest. “Shibari!” Mistress China announced as Landon thanked his lucky stars.

Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed Ian watching them and gave the man a nod, receiving one in return. This was it. Landon’s plan was about to come to fruition.

He held out his hand, and Clarissa placed a limp one of her own on top of it. He wondered if she looked forward to being tied up or was about to bolt because he would be the one wielding the ropes. She loved Shibari—it was in her top three favorite types of play—and he loved how she looked in the designs he’d learned with just her in mind. Shibari Master Stefan Lundquist was a club member who taught rope classes two to three times a year, and Landon liked to attend them to practice his technique.

Leading Clarissa through the club, he made a pit stop at the men’s locker room, leaving her under the watchful eye of one of the Dungeon Masters while he retrieved his toy bag and left behind the shopping bag. After escorting her past several roped-off play areas, Landon found one with a raised platform that was still available.

He helped Clarissa step up onto it and then ordered her to strip. This time, she didn’t give him an annoyed look, which he took as a good sign that she would try to enjoy this scene. Once she was in all her naked glory, he grabbed a nearby throw pillow and tossed it at her feet. “Kneel.”

She followed his command, presenting herself with her shoulders back, her head bowed, and her hands resting on her thighs. While she did that, he dug through the duffel bag, pulling out a blindfold, headphones, a pair of heavy-duty scissors, and several coils of soft jute rope made specifically for Shibari. He also put a ball gag within reach since he had a feeling he might need it in a few minutes.

He tucked the scissors into his back pocket so it would be handy if he suddenly needed to free Clarissa for any reason that might cause her harm. Uncoiling one rope, he ran his hands over the length, making certain there were no rough sections of the braid that might be uncomfortable for her or damage her unblemished skin.

A crowd drew near as he checked several more coils, setting them side by side on the platform next to Clarissa. Once he was ready, he stepped up and joined her. At some point in the last few minutes, she’d closed her eyes, but he would still blindfold her. Before doing so, he told her to expect it so she wasn’t startled when he placed it over her eyes. He knew from experience that removing her sight would help her fall into subspace faster. She must already be getting into the zone because she didn’t open her eyes when he spoke, just nodding once and responding, “Yes, Sir.”

Picking up a length of rope, he wrapped one end around her chest, just under her beautiful round breasts that could still rival those of someone half her age without plastic surgery. His woman was all natural.

On the second pass, he flicked each nipple with the rope, loving how they hardened before his eyes as she gasped softly. His cock was hard in his pants, and it twitched at the sound. God, he missed playing with her. Many times, sex had almost been an afterthought while scening with Clarissa. Watching her fall into subspace during a scene would always top a list of the most erotic and satisfying moments of his life. Everything else was secondary to giving her what she needed. What she craved. What she would beg him for ... what she used to beg him for.

Slowly, he wrapped her in the ropes, twisting and knotting them around her torso, arms, and thighs, creating an intricate design on her body. When he reached the end of one rope, he tied it off and then started with another one. As much as he wanted to hurry and get her all tied up, Landon forced himself to take it slow and ensure he wasn’t making any costly mistakes. Every minute or so, he checked each section and knot to make sure none were too tight that they could cut off her circulation or cause nerve damage. He’d noticed Master Stefan and his submissive, Cassandra, standing in the small crowd observing them. The last thing Landon needed to do tonight was fuck up in front of the Shibari Master, who’d taught him so much over the past few years.

Clarissa remained silent the entire time he worked the rope while the tension once again ebbed from her body as her muscles loosened further.

Thirty minutes later, he tied off the last piece of rope. The design was exquisite, if he did say so himself. From the murmurs emanating from the crowd, they were impressed with his technique. Master Stefan even gave him an approving smile and nod, which was considered high praise from the expert. At least Landon didn’t have to worry about being added to Stefan’s short list of Doms who weren’t allowed to scene with rope play without him being present for safety reasons since they’d screwed up in the past.

The design of the ropes squeezed Clarissa’s breasts from above and below, thrusting them outward. Her hands were behind her back, tied together, pulling her shoulders back. The ropes twisted and winded around her torso and thighs before dipping between her legs. She still kept her pussy bare, which he loved. He’d settled a knot right over her clit, and anytime she tried to shift her weight, it rubbed against her, causing her to gasp or moan.

Knowing he had limited time now—he had to release the ropes within twenty minutes to avoid any nerve damage—he removed the blindfold, pleased to see she appeared to be on the verge of subspace. Her eyes were glassy as she blinked at the sudden change in light.

Removed the headphones. “Give me a color, subbie.” Landon had no doubt what her answer would be, but he still wanted to hear her say the words.

“I’m green, Sir. No tingling or numbness.”

Yeah, she was definitely in subspace if she’d been that polite, called him “Sir,” and expanded on her answer—in fact, she sounded almost stoned. When they used to play together, he’d always wanted more than just yes or no responses from her, so he knew she was in the right frame of mind. Clearly, she was in the zone if she wasn’t snarky with him, and that was precisely what he’d been hoping for. She also wasn’t too far gone for what he planned to do next.

Going down on one knee in front of her, he tapped her cheek, ensuring her gaze was on him. “Good, because now we’re going to chat.”

CLARISSA

It took several moments for Landon’s words to penetrate Clarissa’s foggy brain. She blinked a few more times, trying to bring him into focus. As he knelt before her, Masters Ian, Devon, and Mitch stood just over Landon’s shoulder. She narrowed her eyes at her ex. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s time to clear the air, and you’re finally going to listen to me unless you want to say your safeword.”

Red was on the tip of her tongue, but then she saw a stone-faced Ian subtly shake his head. Whatever was going on, the owners knew about it. What the fuck?

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