Chapter 1
"You did what?" Lanie choked on her lurid blue cocktail at Kate's admission.
"Agreed to let Rick...umm...tie me up." Kate replied, glad of the dimness of the bar in which they were relaxing.
"Really?" Lanie asked the amusement clear in her voice. "And why would you do that?" Kate knew she was never going to live this down.
"Well fair is fair." She replied but knew Lanie would not leave it there. She was correct.
"Hmmmm..." Kate wondered how Lanie could put so much meaning into a sound. She fidgeted nervously. "I'm gonna smack you girl." It was Lanie's favourite threat and Kate smiled, knowing it was an empty one.
"I felt bad for hurting him." They both knew Kate was grasping for a reply.
"Oh please," Lanie scoffed, "Rick isn't worried about his wrists and you," She pointed a finger at her friend "Are not that guilty." Which was only partially correct. Kate did feel bad about the damage to Rick's wrist when he'd yanked it out of the handcuffs she'd put on him but the results had been worth it.
"So, is he cuffing you?" Lanie asked a bit louder than necessary. Two suits at a nearby table looked over with interest. Cheekily Lanie raised her cocktail glass to them.
"Lanie!" Kate hissed and Lanie laughed at her.
"Come on girl," She sipped her cocktail "Not all of us are getting our freak on with some sexy writer boy." Kate laughed and shook her head.
"No idea, I only agreed to it this week and no cuffs. He doesn't want to hurt me." At Lanie's pretend swoon, Kate threw her cocktail napkin at her.
Three days later Kate received a parcel at work. It was elaborately wrapped and from one of Manhattan's most expensive boutiques. Even without a tag, she only knew one person who could afford to shop there. Hesitantly she pulled the long narrow box from the carry bag, tugged on the ribbon and lifted the lid. Two of the most beautiful scarves Kate had ever seen lay among the tissue paper and she felt her stomach clench in arousal. Rick wasn't even there and she was all too aware of her body's reaction to him. 'Damn man' she thought, annoyed. Kate lifted out one of the scarves and as predicted, it was soft sensuous silk. A small card fell onto her desk "Soon" was all it said in Rick's neat, precise handwriting.
Kate put the scarf away, pushed the bag across the desk, and tried to work but she just could not concentrate. Her gaze kept flicking back to the bag. Exasperated she shut down her computer. There was no way she was going to get any more work done tonight. Kate's thoughts were erratic with the arrival of the scarves. She couldn't stop thinking about them. The silk was deceptive, even though it was luxurious and soft, it was also very strong. Kate looped the silk around her wrist and gave it a sharp tug. It didn't budge. Kate knew that if those scarves were tied correctly, she would not be going anywhere and she had no doubt Rick would know how to tie a knot.