“Done correctly,” I said as Eve continued tying the rope around Jonah’s hips, “you could wear the ropes under your clothes.” I cupped her breasts. “Imagine walking around with ropes binding you here. The pressure. The pulling. The friction.” My hands skirted down to her hips. “Or here. How I could put them between your legs with just enough pressure to torment you. I could keep them there for hours, making you go about your day as if nothing’s different at all. Not let you find your release.”

We watched for a few minutes more.

“She’s using black rope tonight,” I whispered while Eve talked about several rope safety concerns. “And while that’s a nice choice, I think I’ll use red on you.” Abby’s body shuddered as I ran my hands down her back. “Such a nice contrast to your pale skin.”

Eve was doing something to Jonah. I could hear his moans. My focus, however, was on Abby.

“The type of bondage I’m wanting to try can be very intense,” I said, as in the background Eve commanded Jonah’s silence. “We’d need a long weekend. What do you think, Abigail? Does the idea excite you?”

“Yes, Master,” she whispered.

“What do you think of the timing?” I asked. The closest holiday was Labor Day.

“I have a long weekend coming up in August.”

She’d told me Martha was giving her some time off. “Are you sure?” I asked.

“Mmmm,” she hummed, as I stroked her hips. “Yes, Master.”

“I’ll mark it on the calendar.”

When Eve finished tying Jonah up, she spoke silently to him for a few minutes and then slowly started untying him.

“As erotic as it can be to tie someone up,” I whispered to Abby, “it can also be erotic to untie them.” I swept my hands along her upper arms. “Imagine my hands slowly releasing the pressure of the ropes. My lips softly tracing their path. Can you feel it?”

“I want to, Master.”

The first rope fell from around Jonah’s arm.

“Do you see the marks?” I asked her. “They’re faint, but they’re there.”

The ropes hadn’t been on him long enough to leave a deep impression, but they were there if you looked hard enough. As we watched, Eve started untying his legs.

“When I take the ropes off you, the lines will be obvious,” I said. “I’ll trace them with my fingers. The sensation will be like nothing you’ve experienced.”

A few minutes later, the demo was over and people started leaving.

“There’s a love seat downstairs, near an end table,” I told Abby. “Go fix a plate of snacks and grab a bottle of water.” I didn’t particularly feel like drinking soda, and alcohol was prohibited. “I’ll be down in ten minutes for you to serve me. If the love seat is occupied, stand nearby and wait for it.”

Feeding me would be a small type of public service, but it would turn her on. Of that, I was certain. Abby had a streak of exhibitionism in her, and this would be a very subtle and nearly inconspicuous way to explore that side.

After she left, I turned and chatted a few minutes with Eve, glancing at my watch to check the time.

“She’s very lovely,” Eve said when it became obvious my mind was not on our chat.

“Thanks,” I said. “She was a bit nervous about coming tonight, but I think she’s done extremely well. I’m glad Jonah talked with her today.”

She glanced at him; he was bent over, tidying up the ropes and packing them away. At first sight, they didn’t appear to go together, but I knew they shared a deep bond.

“He said he invited her to the next meeting,” she said.

“I’m happy about that,” I said. “It’ll be good for her to be around others. Be sure to pass my thanks on to him.”

She smiled a sly grin. “Oh, I will,” she said. “Most definitely.”

I matched her grin and was still smiling as I descended the stairs a few minutes later. I glanced once more at my watch. Abby would be waiting for me. I’d let her feed me for a few minutes and then I’d let her take her own refreshment. By then I would probably have had enough of the press of people. We would leave and I’d take her home, play a bit in the playroom . . .

My smile froze as I reached the bottom stair.

She stood waiting, as per my instruction, at the love seat with a plate of snacks and a bottle of water. Standing, because the love seat was occupied.

Occupied by the one couple I wasn’t eager to introduce her to: Nicolas and Gwen.

My eyes barely registered Gwen. I saw that she was naked, kneeling beside Nicolas, and he held her leash. She didn’t see me, and I didn’t make a move to catch her attention or to see if I felt anything at seeing her; my focus was on Abby.

Abby shook her head, responding negatively to something Nicolas said. He lifted his arm, perhaps to touch her. Perhaps not, but the possibility existed.

I made it across the room in less than two seconds.

“Don’t even fucking think about touching her,” I said in a low whisper, so as not to draw the attention of other party guests.

His hand froze and he turned to me, a smile of absolute evil joy plastered on his face. “West,” he said, dropping his hand back to his lap. “What a pleasant surprise. I haven’t seen you in months.”

I looked over to Abby. Her eyes were wide.

“Did he touch you?” I asked. “Say anything inappropriate?”

Nicolas was not a bad dom, and I was treading on thin ice to even suggest anything of the sort.

I just didn’t care.

“No, Master,” she said.

“Master?” Nicolas repeated. “Oh, is she yours, West?” Without waiting for a response, he continued. “Hard to tell with that ridiculous excuse of a collar.” He waved to the woman at his feet who wore a thick, black leather collar. “You really should mark your property more appropriately.”

I spoke through clenched teeth. “I don’t believe I need pointers from you.”

“Is that so?” he asked. “I’d have to disagree with you on that. I’m sure my girl here would do the same, but she’s not allowed to talk tonight. Else you could ask her yourself.”

Abby was watching us, her head moving from me to Nicolas to Gwen as if watching a tennis match.

Fucking hell.

Gwen kept her head down through our entire exchange. Knowing what I knew of her, I expected no less.

Nicolas was under no such restrictions, however, and he looked Abby up and down.

“I heard you had a new submissive,” he said. “And that you were—what’s the word? In love?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I warned, clenching my fists. It wouldn’t be wise to start something now. Not in public. Not at a house party.

“She’s something else,” he said. “Maybe one day I’ll have the opportunity to enjoy her.”

That crossed the line. I’d have to think on what to do about it when I was in a calmer frame of mind.

I moved, took the plate and water bottle from Abby. I’m sorry, I mouthed, before moving to stand in between her and Nicolas.

“Abigail,” I said. “Put your skirt on.”

A dungeon monitor clapped his hand on my shoulder, immediately defusing the situation. “Is there a problem here, folks?”

“No,” Nicolas and I both said in unison.

“I’ll have to escort you all outside if you can’t be civil,” he said.

It would probably look bad for Abby and me to leave. At that moment, I just didn’t care. Seeing Nicolas look at Abby. Looking at Abby with Gwen at his feet, imagining . . .

“We were just leaving,” I said, putting the food and water down and taking Abby’s hand.

But that, of course, wasn’t enough for Nicolas.

“When you can’t be what she needs, either,” he called out as we wove our way through the living room to gather Abby’s coat, “be sure to give her my number. I might not mind the sloppy seconds in her case.”

His laugh echoed behind us.

The ride home was quiet. Looking back, I knew Abby was probably afraid to talk. That she wasn’t sure of what to say. At the time, however, I just assumed she wasn’t talking because she had her collar on and didn’t want to speak first, or out of turn.

I don’t remember much of the drive home. It seemed to take no time at all before I pulled into our driveway and up to the house.

I slammed the car door and walked over to open hers. I didn’t say anything as she got out of the car and walked behind me up the front stairs.

“Playroom in ten minutes,” I said, because it was what she expected and what I assumed she wanted.

I took Apollo out, but it was all very mechanical. One foot in front of the other type stuff. Nothing requiring me to pull my mind away from Nicolas and Gwen and the myriad emotions they’d caused in me.

Abby knelt in the playroom when I made it up the stairs. I registered the fact that she still wore her party outfit.

You didn’t tell her to take it off.

I told her to disrobe and move to the padded table, though to be honest, I really didn’t have a solid plan as to what I was going to do. She stood, undressed quickly, and walked to the table.

As she did so, I went to the cabinets, hoping to be inspired by what I found there. I picked up a heavy flogger, remembering the last time I used it. It had been with Gwen. I ran my fingers through the tails.

Nicolas’s voice echoed in my head. When you can’t be what she needs, either.

I was exactly what she needed, I told myself. I turned. She was positioned, bent over the table, waiting.

Why didn’t it occur to me that Nicolas and Gwen would be at the party?

Why didn’t I think to warn her about him?

I took slow, careful steps to where she waited.

I should have told her when I first saw them.

She waited.

I brought my free hand back and spanked her a few times. She held completely still as the color slowly rose to her skin.

I’ll always be what she needs.

I lifted the flogger and struck her on her upper thighs. She gave a short intake of breath. I took it as a sign to move forward and struck her higher. On her ass the next time.

I was still hearing Nicolas’s laugh when I brought the flogger down the third time.

She shifted before me. “Yellow.”

Time stopped.

“Yellow,” she whispered again. “Please.”

I blinked.

I stared at the flogger I held in horror. What am I doing? “Stop,” I whispered as the flogger fell to the ground. Then I spoke louder. “Red. Oh, hell. Red.”

She looked up and over her shoulder. “Master?”

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I can’t.”

She looked truly worried for the first time. “Nathaniel?”

I turned and went into the bathroom adjoining the playroom and took a bathrobe hanging from a hook. When I made it back, I draped it around her, then unhooked her collar and slipped it into my pocket.

I was shaking when I took her hand. “Come to the bedroom with me?”

“Nathaniel?” she asked as we walked down the hall. “Are you okay?”

I didn’t answer her. I didn’t know how.

Once we made it to the bedroom, I climbed onto the bed and pulled her into my lap, smelled her hair. I needed her to ground me after the intensity of the night. I needed to feel her in my arms, to know she was with me.

“I’m sorry,” I finally said. “I should have never asked you to go into the playroom tonight. Not after what happened at the party. Thank you for using your safe word.”

“What happened?”

“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind,” I said. “Not after seeing them. I thought I could do it, though. Thought it was what you wanted and that you’d be disappointed if we didn’t.”

“This is about that couple, isn’t it?”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I should have realized they’d be there and mentioned them to you. When I saw them the first time, I should have said something.”

“Who are they?” She reached up and smoothed her hands over my hair. I hadn’t realized I’d been pulling at it.

“After Melanie and I split,” I said. “Well, after I broke it off with her, I dove back into the scene hard-core. I hadn’t played in more than six months. I was anxious to get back.”

She nodded. “I can understand that.”

“Gwen and I met at a party. Gwen’s the woman with Nicolas,” I said. “I never collared her. We never made it past the test weekend.”

“Why?”

“She needed more than I could give.”

She tilted her head. “Like Melanie?”

“No,” I said, then whispered, “More pain.”

I felt guilty remembering how Jackson asked me if I knew of any available women my first weekend with Abby and how I’d joked with myself about giving him her name.