Brie Learns Restraint (After Graduation, #5) (21 page)

Brie had a satisfied grin on her face by the time she finished up her hour at the gym. She hadn’t thought it was possible to maintain a physical relationship while being worlds apart, but Sir had managed it with this simple trick.

Her imagination had no problem convincing her body the hardness between her legs was Sir’s princely cock. Knowing he was fantasizing about her at the same time had been enough to send her over the edge. How incredibly wrong to orgasm in a crowded gym while she was exercising, but she adored the wickedness of it!

Brie got off the machine a sweaty but happy mess. She headed towards the lockers, but stopped cold when she saw Faelan just outside the gym, waiting for her. She looked around, unsure how to avoid a confrontation with the Dom.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Elizabeth said, joining her at the lockers.

Brie pointed Faelan out to the older woman. “See that man? His name is Todd Wallace and he’s stalking me. I can’t leave this place until he’s gone.”

Elizabeth looked him over through the glass door and tsked. “Tell you what. I’ll go out there and talk to him. When his back is turned, you scoot over to the coffee shop next door. I’ll meet you there when the coast is clear.”

It seemed like a reasonable solution. “Okay. But please, whatever you do, don’t let him see me.”

Elizabeth put her hand on Brie’s shoulder for assurance. “It’ll be a piece of cake. By the way, I’d like a double latte.”

Brie nodded dully, trying to keep her fear in check. She had a feeling Faelan would smell it on her.

She watched the elegant woman exit the building and engage Faelan. Brie didn’t know what Elizabeth said, but he willingly followed her into the parking lot, away from the entrance. Brie held her breath, walked out of the door and straight into the café.

She didn’t allow herself to breathe until she was seated at a table in the back. Both lattes were sitting on the table getting cold by the time Elizabeth finally joined her.

The woman sat down gracefully, placing her purse on the empty chair next to her. “You have nothing to worry about, Brianna. That boy was simply waiting for a friend. His name is Tommy. Such a nice lad.”

Brie wasn’t convinced. “How do you know his name is Tommy? Fae…Todd could have been lying to you.”

Elizabeth laughed as she picked up her cup and took a tiny sip. She made a face before setting it back down. “I asked for his driver’s license, dear. You’re not dealing with an amateur.”

Brie was stunned. “How could you possibly get him to show you that?”

The older woman smiled craftily. “I have my ways…”

Brie held up her cup to make a toast. “Thank goodness for friends in unexpected places.” She swallowed the lukewarm brew, not minding the temperature.

Elizabeth smiled and clinked mugs with her, but put hers back down without drinking any. “It was my pleasure, Brianna.”

In the short time they spent in the café, Brie learned that Elizabeth was the proud owner of a new spa in LA. “I recently moved from New York, where I previously ran a spa called Serenity. All the Broadway stars frequented it; it was truly divine…” she said wistfully. “However, the cold winters finally got to me and I thought LA sounded like a nice place to retire. But I miss my clients, so I started up a sister spa.”

It turned out that Elizabeth was single, but seemed quite content as a free agent. “I find I am still too young to settle down. Too many delectable men to enjoy, including that handsome boytoy I just met.”

Brie’s jaw fell open. “You made a pass at Tommy?”

Her laughter was pleasant, but controlled. “Hell no, honey.
He
made the pass at me.”

Brie had to admit the woman oozed confidence and sex appeal, despite the gray in her jet-black hair.

“So what do you do for a living, Brianna?”

Brie sighed in frustration. At this point, her documentary was still under wraps, so she replied, “I’m an unemployed film director. Still trying to make connections so I can get my work noticed.”

Elizabeth smiled with perfect crimson lips. “Maybe I can help with that. I see all kinds of high-end clients at my spa. I could put in a good word for you. Do you have any business cards I can pass out?”

Brie was only half listening, wondering,
Really, who wears makeup to work out?
She dug in her purse, looking for a card. Although she had business cards, they were outdated because of her old address. She handed one over, apologizing as she did so. “The cellphone number and email are correct, but unfortunately the address is not.”

Elizabeth’s long red nails caught Brie’s attention as she took the card. Everything about the woman was meticulously perfect.

Is she a Domme…?

The older woman looked the card over critically. “I have a friend who owns a printing shop. I am sure he could print up a few hundred of these free of charge. Do you have your new address?”

“Actually, I was planning to leave my address off the next set of business cards. It’s unnecessary in this day and age. If someone needs to mail me something, they can just message me.”

Elizabeth pursed her lips and nodded. “True enough. So would you like me to have new ones printed up? A business card should reflect the professionalism of the person it represents. This screams ‘amateur’ to me. Ricky would do a far better job.”

Even though her critique was unsolicited, Brie had to agree with Elizabeth’s assessment. “If it’s no trouble, I guess that would work. But I have to ask, why would he do it for free?”

The older woman raised her eyebrow. “Why, indeed?”

Brie noticed that her new friend glanced at her collar several times throughout their conversation. She was fairly certain the woman was a Dominatrix. However, Elizabeth made no mention of it. The lady kept the conversation light and short. “Until tomorrow, Brianna. Hopefully you’d be open to doing this again sometime soon, stalker or no stalker.”

Brie giggled. “This was nice. Consider it a future date.”

“Good,” Elizabeth said, as she got up to leave. The lady had a sexy sway to her hips, one that grabbed the attention of a male customer. He got up and opened the door for her, staring at her ass for several seconds before going back for his coffee.

Elizabeth knew how to win over the male population, even in workout clothes.

Brie was surprised that she felt anxious with Tono in the room. She’d been on stage countless times during her training, and she’d been part of several club scenes, but this felt different. These were complete newbies and you could sense their collective nervousness.

She surveyed the class of twenty-four. Most were couples ranging from their twenties into their thirties, but there were several who looked to be in their sixties. It was an interesting range of ages.

Tono had requested Brie only wear a thong underneath her clothing. Once the class was quiet, he introduced the two of them and asked Brie to remove her clothes.

Brie gracefully removed her skirt and blouse, to the quiet gasps of two women in the front row. It reminded her of an art class with a nude model.

She accepted their surprised stares willingly, focusing her attention on Tono to distract herself. He held up his tools for the evening: several bundles of jute and a pair of medical scissors. He then handed out a pair of scissors to each of the students. “This is my gift to you. Keep it within reach whenever you practice the art of Kinbaku.”

He went on to share the history of Kinbaku as he unwound a section of jute. He explained how it had morphed from being a form of torture to an erotic exchange between two people.

“Americans often use the term Shibari. It is my personal belief that the two are similar, but different. Shibari focuses on the art—the beautiful image created by the bondage itself. Kinbaku, on the other hand, is about the process—the connection between the couple. It makes no difference to me if you call it Shibari or Kinbaku. However, in my class I will only use the term Kinbaku, with the understanding that your success has less to do with how the bondage looks, and more about how you interact with your partner during the exchange.”

Tono turned the flute music on and adjusted it to a soothing background noise. “It is important to create a peaceful setting. One in which your partner can lose herself in the act of binding.” He ran his hands over Brie’s naked skin as he continued talking. “Contact is essential during the scene. You seduce as you restrain.”

He stood behind her and wrapped one arm around her chest, just under her breasts, pressing her against him. “Breathing in sync is an effective tool for connecting.” He leaned down and whispered loud enough for them to hear, “Breathe with me, toriko.”

Brie smiled as she laid her head back against his shoulder and closed her eyes. Even though it was second nature to sync with him, it immediately calmed her. After a minute or two, Tono pulled away and began to wrap the rope underneath her breasts, where his arm had been moments before. He explained each step as he went, unwinding and redoing as he made the simple chest harness.

His hands lightly brushed her nipples as he worked, keeping them hard and receptive. When he was done, he tightened the harness just a little more, causing her pussy to tingle with need. It didn’t matter that he was using basic techniques; Tono knew exactly how to seduce her—and the audience.

He tied her wrists next. “This is visually and emotionally powerful. After you bind your partner in this way, lift her arms above her head. You now have freedom to explore her body with your fingers and the extra length of rope.” Tono used the dangling jute from her wrist bindings to lightly slap her skin.

She was intrigued that he was demonstrating techniques he had never used on her before. Brie assumed that it was for the benefit of those who might never proceed further than these simple skills. She loved Tono all the more for it. Although he was a highly experienced Master, he had taken into account the level and comfort of his students.

Tono tied a new section of jute to her chest harness and brought it between her legs. “Be aware of the amount of pressure you place on her clit. You can take what is meant to be pleasurable and make it unbearably painful if you are not careful. It is necessary to ask your submissive how it feels as you experiment with the tautness of the rope. You can always loosen or tighten based on her response. It is not a sign of weakness; it is an indication of your commitment to her well-being.”

Brie moaned softly as he applied just the right amount of pressure with the jute. He turned her around to show the class how to attach the rope in the back, and then positioned her to face the crowd again.

Tono lightly touched her pussy with two of his fingertips as he adjusted the rope. It seemed unintentional, until he explained to the class, “A simple touch in erogenous zones while you work has the power to drive your partner wild.”

Brie bit her lip and nodded. She heard giggles coming from some of the ladies in the group. Oh, yes—she knew they wanted him to touch
their
erogenous zones.

Tono handed out a length of jute to each individual in the class. “It is important to know how the jute feels on your own skin, whether you plan to do the binding or have the binding done to you. My first assignment requires you to take off your shoes and socks so that you can bind your own ankles together.” There were many nervous chuckles as people followed his instructions.

To demonstrate the procedure, he had Brie sit on a chair. She watched in amusement as the class made humorous attempts to bind themselves according to Tono’s directions. Brie noticed there was one female who seemed especially quick to catch on, but the majority had about as much talent as Brie herself did. It was entertaining to watch.

She observed Tono correct and encourage each person individually. His patience was extraordinary. It was truly an honor for Brie to be a part of this introduction into Kinbaku. She wondered if the students understood they had a gifted Master in their midst.

Tono ended the class by untying Brie from the jute with lingering caresses and plenty of kissing. She could feel the sexual tension rise in the room, and suspected many of the couples would be experiencing passionate encounters of their own after class.

He commanded Brie to dress, and then had the class thank her for the demonstration. She blushed at their applause and bowed to Tono.

The applause increased, with a few enthusiastic hollers to round out his accolades. It took a full half-hour before the classroom emptied. His students felt the need to personally thank him before they left. It was gratifying to hear their enthusiasm and impressions of the first night of class.

Brie was surprised when several of the women came over to thank her, as well.

“It was lovely to watch your connection together.”

“Miss Toriko, I hope my husband and I can create that kind of harmony.”

Brie smiled. “I am sure you will,” she encouraged. “The breathing is crucial and very sexy.”

“Yes, it was sexy to watch! How long have you two been together?”

Brie wasn’t sure how to answer, and chose to willfully misdirect instead. “Actually, this is our first class…”