Page 9 of B is for Beg

“Thank you.”

“And you…you want to tie me up like this?”

“Yes. Purely for artistic purposes,” I say to make sure there’s no confusion. “I’m not hitting on you, Blake. I’m looking to hire you for an evening.” Not that he isn’t attractive, but I’m not going to use a work opportunity to chat him up or seduce him. “I’ll pay you two hundred.”

“Pounds?”

I nod.

“For…doing nothing?” Blake’s eyebrows twitch together. “I won’t be able to move, right?”

“That’s the general idea. You’d be my model, Blake. That’s not ‘doing nothing’. Not everyone likes the idea of being completely immobilised. You’ll need to trust me, even though you don’t really know me. Cal will be there too,” I remind him.

“Being tied up’s not a problem. I’ve been to kink clubs.” His lips curl into a smirk around the straw as he drinks more iced tea.

“You’ve been tied up before?”

“Not like that.” He gives me the phone. “But I’ve been cuffed to whipping posts and bondage boards.” He waggles his eyebrows. “I like it.”

Is he flirting with me? That…surprises me, even after the way he looked at me a few moments ago. Men who are interested in Cal never notice me. It’s safer to assume that Blake simply has a flirty personality.

“Are you interested in modelling for me?” I ask.

“Definitely. Just say when and I’ll be there.”

“Tomorrow night?” I already have a model lined up, but his look is nowhere near as alluring to me as Blake’s. I’ll pay him a severance fee; it’s only fair.

“Okay.”

“Be at Cal’s studio by six. Don’t eat directly beforehand. The ropes won’t be comfortable over a full stomach.”

“No food. Got it. Anything else?”

“Do you own any lacey lingerie?” Just because he wore some for a modelling job doesn’t mean he has any of his own. My models normally wear briefs or boxer shorts, but after seeing the photo Cal sent me last night, I’d love to see the contrast between rope and lace against Blake’s skin.

“Lots. What did you have in mind?”

“Something white.”

Blake teases his teeth over his lip. “I can do that.”

“If you’ve been to kink clubs, I assume you’re used to using safe words?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I don’t know if you have your own or if you used whatever the club wanted you to, but tomorrow, I’ll need you to tell me what words you want to use.” That gives him time to pick some if he doesn’t already have a set. “I want you to feel safe, Blake. I want you to know that I will stop and untie you or cut you free if you need me to.”

His eyes widen. “Cut me free?”

I nod. “I’ll do whichever I feel is the safest. We’ll go through safety and consent in more detail before the session. Still interested?”

“Yeah, of course.” The red in Blake’s cheeks becomes even darker, completely eclipsing the blusher and making him look adorably sweet. “I want to be tied up like the guys in your photos.” His voice is so earnest I know he means it.

He finishes his drink and then stirs the ice with his straw. The blocks clink together and tap against the plastic cup. “Is there anything else I need to know? Or anything I need to bring?”

“There’s just one more thing.”

He stares at me.