He was right, of course. “It feels longer.”
He laughed. “Has spending time with me been that terrible?”
She cringed. “No, I meant—”
“I know what you meant,” he interjected with a smile. Leaning down, he pecked her cheek. “I feel the same way. It’s hard to explain but it does feel as if we’ve been acquainted for far longer than a day.”
She watched him lay out the ropes on the bed. “How do you know which ones you want to use? Is there, like, a method or something?”
He seemed surprised by her question. A pleased smile stretched his mouth. “You really are interested in this.”
“Of course I am.” She frowned at him. “What did you think? That I was just going along with this because you wanted it?”
“No. I could tell that you were curious about your reaction to being restrained by me last night but I wasn’t quite sure whether you were truly interested in being bound in rope.”
“I am.” She was able to admit it now without blushing too much. It seemed a strange thing to request but Venom made her feel safe asking for it.
“To answer your question—there are a few things I consider before selecting a rope from my collection. I consider what I plan to do with it first and that narrows down my choices. If I planned to suspend you from the ceiling, I would choose a stronger rope. Tonight, I plan to create decorative restraints so I’ve chosen something a bit softer and with some give.”
“Decorative?”
He grinned. “You’ll see soon enough.”
Oh, she had no doubt. Picking up the closest coil of rope, she felt its weight. Her gaze was drawn to the bright-orange strip of cloth tape a few inches above one end of it. “What’s this?”
“I color-code my ropes to keep track of the lengths.”
“Why do you need different lengths?”
“Six feet is good for making restraints. A dozen or so for harnesses.” He examined her with a scrutinizing eye. “Actually, as petite and thin as you are, I might need to cut some of them down a few feet.”
She toyed with the end of the rope. He’d sealed it with some sort of clear gel. “What’s this?”
“It’s to keep the ends from fraying.” He rubbed it between his fingers and gave an unsatisfied grunt. “I don’t particularly like this stuff but I’ve yet to find a way to seal the ends that works long-term.”
She studied the rope for a moment. “Why don’t you just whip-stitch it?”
“Probably because I don’t know how to sew,” he replied with a snort. Giving her suggestion careful consideration, he asked, “Do you think it would work?”
“Yes.”
“I may have found something to keep you busy for the next few days. Do you have all the supplies necessary?”
“I have a sewing kit in my bag.” She rubbed the rope between her fingers. The fibers were soft but strong. “These aren’t synthetic like your uniform fabrics.”
“I’m not fond of most of the synthetic ropes that are available. I’m always careful to purchase ropes that won’t burn skin too easily. We probably won’t use the rougher braided types. They have their use but not with you.” He reached out to touch her arm. “Your skin is so delicate and pale. I’d hate to mark or burn you too much.”
She bit her lip. “Does that happen a lot?”
“It can if your master isn’t careful and pulls the rope too quickly or too tightly.” He shrugged. “Some subs like that sort of thing.”
“Subs?”
“Submissive women,” he clarified.
The description put her on the defensive. “I am not submissive.”
His lips danced with amusement. “All right.”
She glared at him. “I have a career and live independently. I’m not submissive to anyone.”
“You’re confusing submission in the outside world with submission to me.” He closed the distance between them with one smooth step. Winding his arm around her waist, he dragged her against his body. “And you are submitting to me. You’re surrendering control to me. You asked me to tie you up knowing full well that I can do anything I want to you once you’re bound and helpless.”
His words should have scared her—but they didn’t. They aroused her so badly she had to squeeze her thighs together to lessen the pulsing right behind her clitoris.
And Venom knew it. He watched her face so intently. Smiling triumphantly, he lowered his head and claimed her mouth. “Make no mistake, Dizzy. I want your submission.” He teased their lips together. “And you’re going to give it to me.”
Was she?
Yes. The answer was nearly immediate.
Venom took the rope from her hands and set it aside. He grasped the bottom of her nightgown and dragged it over her head. Gripping the gown in his hand, he allowed his approving gaze to roam her naked curves. Last night she had been mostly clothed but now she stood here totally exposed and vulnerable. She hadn’t been blessed with a knockout figure like Ella’s and started to feel self-conscious about her small breasts.
Almost reverently Venom sank down to his knees. As tall as he was, they were eye-to-eye now. The dangerously hungry glint to his eyes sent rippling shivers of delight through her core. When he cupped her breasts, she sucked in a sharp breath. They seemed even less impressive palmed in his big hands.
It didn’t seem possible but Venom appeared to read her mind. “I know what you’re thinking.”
She doubted it. “Oh?”
He leaned forward and nuzzled his mouth against the swell of her right breast. “You’re thinking that you’re inadequate.” The pointed tip of his tongue traced the dusky-pink bud framed by his thumb and forefinger. “And you’re dead wrong.”
“Ah!” Her hands flew to his shoulders as he suckled her gently at first and then with harder tugs. He released her nipple and rubbed the slight roughness of his chin across her highly sensitive skin. The moan and shiver he elicited from her brought a knowing smile to his handsome face.
“Look at the way you respond.” He pinched her left nipple with just enough of a bite to make her rise up on her tiptoes. The movement pressed her breasts even closer to his mouth and he took advantage of her position to suckle the nipple he had just tweaked.
Dizzy whimpered at the wicked sensations vibrating right through her. She had never felt anything like this. Last night had been amazing but she realized now that Venom had only shown her a teasing glimpse of the sensual possibilities he offered.
“Bigger isn’t always better, sugar.” He squeezed both of her breasts. “Wait until you see how gorgeous they’re going to look bound up in my ropes.”
She exhaled roughly. “How are you going to do that?”
He kissed each breast lovingly. “Patience.”
She didn’t have much of that left. She had been waiting so long for this moment. For years she had denied the erotic awakenings of her womanhood in a desperate attempt to protect herself. Being forced into a Grab and taken by Venom wasn’t exactly the way she had planned this moment happening—but she suddenly couldn’t imagine it going any other way.
Venom’s strength and his commanding nature soothed her anxious nerves. He wouldn’t fumble his way through this or leave her unsatisfied at the conclusion. Oh, she expected there would be some discomfort and assumed things might not go exactly according to plan but that was all right. She wanted to take this journey now.
With Venom.
He swept his hands up to her shoulders and massaged them. “When we’re playing with ropes, you have to be completely honest with me, Dizzy. Don’t hold anything back because you fear disappointing or upsetting me. If you don’t like the way something feels or if you feel faint or in any way unwell, you have to tell me immediately. Understood?”
“Yes.” The serious edge to his voice convinced her that he wanted to know the absolute truth, even if it meant she didn’t like the ropes after all.
“You need to stay relaxed. Don’t tense up when I’m binding you.” He stood slowly and walked around behind her. With his hand on her back, he carefully pushed her forward a few steps. “Stand tall and straight. We’re going to begin now.”
Gathering her hair in his hand, he coiled it up high and secured it with a couple of the clips he’d brought in from the playroom. With her hair out of the way, Venom peppered ticklish kisses along her shoulders and the very back of her neck. She giggled and squirmed as the feathery touch of his lips made her tummy flip-flop. His low, rumbling chuckle warmed her like sunshine.
She heard the rustle of rope and the thudding thwap as the long length of cream-colored line hit the floor. Glancing over her shoulder, Dizzy watched Venom unfurl his neatly coiled rope and folded it in half. He held the looped middle and advanced toward her. “Eyes forward, sugar. Head up and neck straight.”
She swallowed and did as directed. At the first touch of the rope against her skin, Dizzy closed her eyes. Something told her this was a moment she was going to want to remember again and again. The rope kissed her skin as softly as Venom had, the smooth fibers gliding across her body without enough pressure to mark or burn.