“Yes, it does.” Kas snickers a bit.
“I’m going to start tying you now,” I say, holding out the U-shaped middle section of the rope for her to see. “The rope is folded in half. I start with the middle of the rope, called the bight, and I use the two ends of the folded rope to work it around you. Those are called the working ends.”
I pull the rope back behind her and turn my attention to her wrists. I stack her arms on top of each other behind her. I create a quick, single-column tie by wrapping the rope around both wrists twice, making sure the rope is loose enough for me to get my fingers under it, then looping it around the ropes above her wrists, using my fingers to pull the loop under the rope, and then tightening it off with a quick jerk.
My mind and body focus together, and muscle memory takes over as I move. With practiced ease, I hold the rope between her shoulder blades with my fingers and use my thumb to keep part of it out, away from the line of rope up her back. I lean against her and wrap my right arm across her collarbones, grabbing the opposite shoulder as I hug her against me.
Kas gasps a bit but maintains her composure as I grab the end of the rope from my thumb and pull it slowly across her chest. I use the working end of the rope to secure it between her shoulder blades and then repeat my actions with my left arm. Before I grab the end of the rope this time, I hold Kas against my chest for a moment, slowly running my nose along her neck, inhaling deeply.
She shivers, and I smile.
With one hand remaining on her upper arm, I turn her around so she’s facing me. I run my finger over the ropes in front of her, making sure they’re straight and the knot in the back is lined up before I continue.
I slide the rope under her arm, cinch it to the rope across her chest, and then bring it back behind her. I repeat the movement on the other side.
I reach down for another rope, quickly tie it to the ends of the first, and go to work again. Still standing behind her, I reach around
underneath her arm to grab the next rope. I press the full length of my body against her as I slowly slide my free hand under her breast, lifting it slightly as I lay the rope beneath it, then move to the next breast. I feel her tense, and she holds her breath as I touch her more intimately.
“Still okay?” I ask softly.
“Yes.”
I relax into the feeling of the rope in my hands as I lay it across her body. I loop, wrap, and tie around her as I shift her weight back and forth, showing her my control over her movements. I sense it immediately when she gives in to the sensation and leans her weight back against me as I reach around her. Her breathing is heavy but not too fast, and her eyes are closed. I smile to myself, and I pull the rope around her again.
I back off, grabbing the rope and pulling it around her quickly as cool air flows between our bodies. I lock the rope between her shoulders and pull it down, connecting it to the column running down her spine, looping it around again and again, creating an intricate set of knots down her back. I let the working end drop, grasp the column of rope in the center of her back, and yank hard.
Kas stumbles slightly as she’s propelled backward, smacking her back against me. I hold her easily, moving her back and forth a couple of times before wrapping my arm back over her chest and holding her still.
“How does that feel?” I whisper against her neck. Through the arm wrapped around her, I feel the quick beat of her heart.
“Good.” Her single word is breathy.
Just how I like it.
I slip my fingers down and place them in the palm of her hand.
“Squeeze my fingers.” She complies quickly, and I switch to the other hand. “Again. Good girl.”
I tie off the loose end and turn her around, running my finger over the top edge of the rope as if they aren’t already perfectly aligned. I really just want to touch her more and to have her experience my touch. I turn her around, wrapping one arm around her chest as I pull her against me.
“This is called a TK tie or a box tie,” I tell her. “It’s the simplest one I can do with your clothes on.”
“TK?”
“Takate-kote. It basically means that your hands are tied behind your back. Like all hobbyists, we like using complicated terms to make us feel superior.”
“Is that how you feel?” she asks quietly.
“Not really,” I reply with a shrug. “It gives me a lot of control, which I do like.” I pull her close to me again. “Now, relax completely. Trust me. I will not let you fall.”
Wordlessly, she relaxes into my chest. I run a hand over her shoulder and down her arm before I grab the rope at her back and push her forward. She gasps and tenses—just for a second—before she realizes I’ve got her. I plant my feet and pull her to one side and then the other, leaning back slightly to give myself more stability. Still firmly grasping the center column, I bring her back to my chest and wrap my arms around her, cradling her head against my shoulder.
I hold her for several minutes, just listening to her breathing and trying to keep myself in check.
Rope is always intimate, always sensual. I usually feel a deep connection to the person I’m tying. If I don’t, I choose not to tie that person again. If they don’t feel a connection with me, I can usually sense it, especially with someone new to the experience, and it sometimes puts me on edge. Not this time, though. This time feels like I’ve tied her a hundred times before.
Kas is a natural at this. Her enjoyment is my enjoyment, and I’m feeling a lot more than the usual intimacy and closeness.