Page 136 of Tamed (The Courtside King Duology 1)

“Good to be back!” a blond guy blurted, looking stoked.

Kai grinned, then continued. “Tonight, I’ll be teaching you a brand new Shibari creation. Form a semi-circle and present your rope. I’ll need to inspect it for quality assurance. Rope models can go ahead and get undressed.”

As he made his way around, attendees got busy shucking their clothes, some stripping to their underwear, others baring it all in their birthday suits. Anticipation quickly charged the air, a kind of mental foreplay inside the mind of each patron.

Once finished, Kai joined Remi in the center of the room. “Alright. I believe we’re ready. Any final questions before we begin?” A few guys piped up with some last-minute queries. Kai gave them their answers, then grabbed his first bundle of rope and addressed Remi directly. “Do I have your consent to bind your body?”

“Yes, Sir.”

And, just like that, Kai was dropping into his zone, speaking as he went, demonstrating each step while explaining the reason. Every stage was rock solid in his mind, chiseled into his memory, thanks in part to Breck. So now he was just reenacting their session—which by no means meant the reenactment felt the same. The differences were like night and day. Remi’s skin under his touch did nothing to stimulate him at all. Which, again, wasn’t to say he wasn’t beautiful. He just didn’t flip that switch.

Or maybe Kai’s dick was just already taken. A possibility that he wasn’t exactly thrilled about, but wasn’t exactly surprised by either. His attraction to Breck had never subsided. Not since the very first day they’d met. Instead, and to Kai’s utter frustration, it had only grown stronger. There was just something about Breck’s underlying energy, something magnetic that Kai couldn’t escape, every encounter rousing his insides so deliciously, then leaving him restless, hungry for more. And now, after today’s exchange, he feared he’d inadvertently hit a next-level intensity; the interaction having been so much more than he’d ever anticipated.

His brain shifted to autopilot; his fingers still working, his words still flowing, as Remi and his class slowly faded away.

In truth, he still couldn’t believe he’d accepted Breck’s unexpected request to demonstrate how he would ‘play.’ Nor could he believe that he’d allowed himself to take it as far as he had. He’d just been enjoying himself so much, reveling in the way Breck felt, in the way he smelled, in, God, all those intoxicating sounds he made. He’d been exquisite. Mesmerizing. To the point that Kai had nearly fucking kissed him.

He’d have to be more careful. Breck was far too captivating—and entirely too addicting—to be taken lightly. And not just for the previously mentioned reasons—or God Almighty, the way he’d moved when he’d readied to come—but because of all those vibes he’d been throwing. Glimpses of what Kai suspected might be the real Breck Harland. A side that, for some reason, he was choosing to hide from the rest of the world. Beautiful and passionate. Full of wonder and curiosity. Which now had Kai questioning his initial assessment. All those aspects of Breck that he’d been wary of… Were they an outer façade?

His heart thumped at the prospect. He suddenly wanted to know. Perhaps Breck would contact him about his proposition. In truth, Kai was still on the fence as to whether that had been a monumentally stupid thing to have even put out there. What if Breck had perceived it as some eccentric booty call? Kai’s gut twisted. He didn’t want to merely be the scratcher of Breck’s bi-curious itch. He wasn’t stupid, though, and knew better than to dismiss the possibility. God knew, Breck’s promiscuity preceded him.

And yet, even despite their history, Kai wanted their encounters to hold more worth.

Sighing, he forced his attention back into the present. Rechecked Remi’s ropes for the umpteenth time. Not too loose, not too snug. Knots holding firm. “How you doing?” he asked.

“Excellent, Sir,” Remi mumbled, his brown eyes hooded. He appeared in a daze. Surprise, surprise. The textbook signs of a practiced slave, his mind already half into subspace via nothing but bondage.

“Alright, then. I’m gonna need you to get down on your knees. Sit on your heels and prop your weight on the balls of your feet.”

Remi nodded, his pale skin flushed, his full lips parted. The ropes around his torso were applying the perfect amount of compression. Not too tight, though—this wasn’t predicament play, hindering one’s ability to take full inhalations—just enough to feel at the total mercy of his current master. A mind-and-body state that Remi clearly enjoyed. His full-fledged erection was impossible to miss.

Kai sank onto his haunches. “Good. Now part your knees. I’m going to do a frog tie.”

Again, Remi nodded. A soft breath escaped him when Kai settled in close. As if the proximity of his body alone brought an immense sense of pleasure.

Kai got back to work securing his right leg, then his left. A few moments later, and he was on to the final stretch. Remi loosed more breaths as Kai’s fingers brushed his body, then the quietest little moan when Kai applied those happy knots.

A sound that, despite Kai’s efforts, had him slipping back to memories of earlier that day. All the noises Breck had tried to stifle as Kai had showed him how he’d play. Even now, they made Kai tamp down a growl. And, Jesus, Breck’s dick. It’d been hard as steel. Being tied up had seriously turned him on, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not.

Which made Kai wonder… Did Breck have a proclivity for kink—or for that matter, BDSM—that he just had yet to explore? Would he like Dom District? Would the things there excite him? Make him curious about new experiences? It was possible. Breck clearly exhibited signs of someone willing to expand their horizons.

Kai started to harden. So many adventures they could have.

No. Jesus. He forced that train of thought to stop right there. Yes, the fun could be incredible if they braved that route. But fun didn’t last forever. People came and people went. It wouldn’t be wise to get closer to Breck. Not when he had yet to prove to Kai that he was more. More than a ladies’ man in a basketball jersey, an NBA hopeful with a sparkly crown.

Mind resolved, Kai rose to his feet and assessed his handiwork. Hmm. He frowned, cocking his head. Something didn’t feel right. Every rope was laid exactly where it should be. Every knot constructed perfectly, every placement right. So why, then, did this finished product look only half as good as Breck’s?

Yeah, like he didn’t know the answer to that.

Turning around, he faced the class. “And that’s a wrap.” He scanned their creations. “Your work looks great, but just to be safe, I’m gonna check each one out individually. Feel free to stick around after that and enjoy your labors.”

All around, conversations began, a vibe of satisfaction permeating the room, each pair of participants looking exceptionally pleased with their final results.

Kai turned back to Remi. “How you feeling?”

The guy looked dazed. His lashes all heavy, his skin still flushed. “Very hopeful, Sir.”

“Hopeful?” Kai chuckled.

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