Shiori affected a look of concern. “I don’t know. Is it safe?”

A hefty woman in a bustier nudged her. “Honey, if you won’t do it, I will. I’d love to have him putting his big hands all over me.”

As Shiori strode forward, she mouthed, “No nudity.”

Knox faced her toward the audience and whispered, “No one but me gets to see those perfect tits.” He checked the rope. Wasn’t the best, but it’d do for this quick demo.

Quick? You’ll have her tied up. Under your control. Why wouldn’t you drag this out as long as possible?

Great idea.

“Take off your blouse, please.”

Shiori undid the buttons and pulled the fabric free from her skirt. She handed her shirt to Knox and he draped it over his neck.

The camisole tank she wore was shiny and the folds rippled like water. He smoothed his hand down her spine. “Can you clasp your elbows behind you?”

“Like this?”

“Yes. Loosen your shoulders.” He dragged his fingertips down the backs of her arms, knowing how sensitive that area was. The creases of her elbows received a gentle stroke before he scraped his nails across the insides of her forearms.

Knox purposely kept the rope bundle at Shiori’s feet. As he fed more rope into the design, she’d feel the rough jute teasing her bare leg.

As he wrapped her wrists, his fingers brushed the slice of skin between the waistband of her skirt and her top. So warm and soft. He let his breath flow across her neck as he found the perfect angle to finish this part of the binding. Then he crossed his rope and stood in front of her.

Shiori had closed her eyes. Her lips were parted; outwardly everything about her screamed stillness.

But Knox knew better. He felt her coiled energy, tension thrumming through her. And that filled him with a rush of power.

He stretched the rope between her breasts and didn’t pretend he wasn’t feeling her up. He had to check the tension from her lower belly up and over her chest to her shoulder. When he started that process on the other side, he rubbed the backs of his knuckles over her nipple, happy she hadn’t worn a bra so he could feel how she reacted to his touch.

This rope session had declared war on his cock, making it so fucking hard he ached. It didn’t help that his jeans pinched his balls even when he wasn’t bent forward. But his discomfort was worth it seeing hers. She’d given herself over to him—a very un-Domme-like move for her.

Another knot allowed a caress of her sweet, hard nipple. He heard her swift intake of breath.

He’d finished the chest harness but didn’t want to lose the moment, so he skated his palms up the outside of her arms to her shoulders. With his back to the small audience, he could speak softly and only she could hear.

“You are beautiful. And if it were just us with rope play, I’d kiss you as I untied the ropes.”

“Where would you kiss me?”

“Everywhere you allowed it.”

She smiled.

He stood behind her and said, “Behold the simple chest harness,” to the crowd.

A smattering of applause.

“How long did it take you to learn to work rope like that?” one guy asked.

“I’m lucky enough to work with a kinbaku and shibari rope master. But this harness is a beginner’s level design.”

As Knox answered more questions, he started untying her. The spectators drifted away and he quickened his pace. “Any numbness?”

“A little in my arms.”

He vigorously rubbed them to get the circulation going.

“You’re good at this, Shihan.”

“I learned from the best.”

That’s when he realized her entire body vibrated. Dammit, she’d started to come down from rope subspace. As he helped her put her shirt back on, he said, “I don’t have a blanket to wrap around you.”

She opened her eyes halfway, and the lust he saw shining in those golden depths caused a growl of need to escape. “Then I guess you’ll just have to wrap me in your arms.”

The last of the rope hit the floor.

Knox had his hands on her hips as he propelled her through the crowd. He spied a side exit and then pushed through the door. They’d ended up in an alley access, out of the elements and in a dark recess away from curious eyes.

The sexual beast inside Knox roared, desperate for that connection of bodies. His mouth attacked hers, tongues warring and breath coming hard and fast as they fed the fire between them.

Clamping his hands on her ass, he hoisted Shiori against the brick wall. The insides of her thighs pressed against the outsides of his hips, and a sharp stab of pain came from her stilettos jabbing into him.