Is this session about you? Or about her? In your haste to complete the design have you forgotten the journey is as important as the end result?
As much as he hated having his rope master instructor’s voice in his head during these intimate moments, the truth was he needed the reminders about the true goal of kinbaku—especially lately.
Fix it. Focus on her.
Ronin placed a kiss below her jaw, encouraging her to bare her throat to him. He maneuvered her upper body into a curve, and caressed her while he tied the last dangling rope from the rafter to the left side of the chest harness. “Stretch to the right. That’s it. Let yourself go.”
As usual, Amery looked spectacular bound—a heady mix of innocence and sensuality. But his vision wasn’t complete. Something was missing.
The inside of his forearm brushed her neck as he reached around and pulled the chopsticks from her up-do.
Amery’s gorgeous, strawberry-blond hair tumbled down in soft waves.
That was it. The last piece of the puzzle.
Ronin admired her. With his hands. With his mouth. With his words. “Stunning visage, baby. Thank you for this gift. The name of this binding is ‘swaying cherry tree.’ The bamboo rod supports the spine—the trunk. This curved position of your body denotes the natural arc of branches.” Crushing a handful of her hair, he brought it to his lips before letting it fall. “The way your hair hangs symbolizes the long strands of blossoms on a weeping cherry tree.”
Her chest rose and fell slowly as he wove another spell with his words.
“And these?” Ronin thrummed her nipples, the rigid points poking out between the strands of rope. “They bring to mind the new red buds, eagerly waiting to flower.” He slid his palm down the center of her torso, loving how this angle accentuated her womanly curves. Gently stroking her clit, he dragged an openmouthed kiss from the hollow behind her ear down the slope of her neck. “And this”—he rubbed circles around that swollen flesh—“is the sweetest bud of all. Surrounded by soft pink petals. Emitting such a heavenly scent. And the sweet nectar that gathers here”—he dipped his finger into the cream—“draws me in like nothing else.”
“Ronin. Please. . . .”
He kissed her while he continued to caress her. Drawing out her pleasure. Her body quivered and he swallowed her escalating moans. He pulled back to whisper, “Come for me, baby,” against her mouth.
And she did. Immediately. Beautifully. Holding herself rigid as she climaxed. Even in the aftermath, she held the pose, looking gorgeously spent.
Ronin freed her from the binding. The bamboo pole hit the patio deck with a loud clatter, making Amery jump. “It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured against her nape as he undid the last section of the chest harness. He lifted her into his arms and she curled into him, her trust absolute.
He walked the garden path and laid her on the blanket he’d spread out.
Resting on his knees next to her hip, Ronin gathered a handful of cherry blossoms and sprinkled them above her. The pink-edged flowers floated down, landing on her chest and the smooth expanse of her belly.
“That tickles,” she said with a smile.
He scattered another handful over her mound and between her thighs. “If you wiggle too much they’ll slide off. Which would be a shame because you look lovely like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like a lusty earth goddess covered in cherry blossoms.”
“Ronin. Take the blindfold off. Please. I want to see.”
Once the material cleared her forehead, she opened her eyes and pushed up onto her elbows.
She stared at the petals decorating her body and then glanced up to see they were beneath the cherry tree. A soft laugh tumbled from her.
“What?”
“And you tell me you’re not romantic. This is perfect. You’re perfect.” She held out her hand. “Come here. I want to share this with you.”
When he stood to take off his gi pants, he smacked his shoulder into the lowest tree branch, sending hundreds more petals floating down around her.
Ronin watched the scene play out in slow motion like an art-house film; snowy white petals highlighting the flush of passion on her skin, the satisfied tilt of her kiss-plumped lips, her hair spread out with moonlight glinting off it like rose gold.
But this wasn’t a movie, or a dream montage. This woman was his. This life was his.
Another soft laugh sounded and for the first time tonight, he felt silly. Maybe he had gone too far over the top in setting a romantic scene. His gaze collided with hers.
But in the depths of her eyes he saw love and passion and gratitude.
He levered himself over her until they were skin to skin. Even the cherry-blossom scent couldn’t compete with the sweet musk that was all Amery. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.” She slipped her arms around his neck. “Thank you. I really love this.”
“What specifically do you really love?”
“This time away from our everyday lives. Just you and me. I didn’t realize how much we needed it until we’ve had it the last week.”
“Me too. But I want to warn you that the next three weeks won’t be like this.”
“So let’s make tonight count. Since you’ve gone to all this trouble to form me into a swaying tree, then showering me with heavenly scented flower petals, and I’m pretty sure you plan to make love to me outside in the moonlight beneath the cherry blossom tree.”
“You are right. But first, I need this.” Ronin pushed back onto his haunches and scooped her ass into his hands. He lowered his head at the same time he lifted her sex, opening his mouth wide over her succulent flesh.
He painted her clit with fast lashes of his wet tongue until he felt her clit swelling. He relentlessly pursued her orgasm until that moment she gave it up to him with a sexy cry. The way her back bowed off the blanket kicked in his primal hunger as he greedily sucked down her sweet nectar.
After she stopped writhing against his face, he shifted into the cradle of her thighs and fed his cock into her hot, snug walls. Gritting his teeth against his natural instinct to rut on her like a beast beneath a full moon, he tried to slow himself from the intense pace he desired.
Then Amery’s soft hands were running up his chest and she pulled him down on top of her. She threaded her fingers into his hair and held his face a breath away from hers. “I love you. Thank you for giving me the perfect night.” She brushed her parted lips across his. “Make this last, Master Black. Show me that stamina you’ll need in the next three weeks.”