Playing Knotty Read Online Free PDF

Bethany had worked there, their camaraderie had always been comfortable, even if it was superficial.
    â€œSure, whatever.” Emma looked around the store again. “You’ve got a customer, and I’ve got to get coffee. Take care.”
    â€œYeah, you, too.” Bethany wheeled the cart up to the counter and greeted the woman who’d been reading the back of Game of Thrones, now buying all the Song of Ice and Fire books. Zipping up her jacket, Emma stepped out the front door into the spring sunshine.

    I t wasn’t until Emma was settled at a table in the corner with her blueberry scone and a tall mocha that she thought about her upcoming Internet search. She was going to look up rope bondage . . . in Starbucks. That was weird. Wait, was it illegal? Would it be like looking at porn in a public place? Damn­it, if she could afford a decent data plan on her phone, she could look this stuff up in her apartment.
    Shifting slightly, she angled her computer screen to face the corner, into which she tucked herself as much as possible. No one would be able to see her screen unless they were heading to the bathroom and also really nosy. Maybe this was all right. She looked around at the other patrons. It felt like they all knew what she was up to, even though that was ridiculous. It was unlikely that anyone cared about her at all. Even so, she slid further into the corner, her shoulder pressing into the wall.
    Ian’s business card was in her purse; aside from the ridiculous pseudonym, it had a phone number, email address, and website. After another glance around the restaurant, she pulled up his site.
    Actually, the website seemed innocuous enough, advertising direct instruction on bondage for couples of all sexual orientations. The home page didn’t have any nudity, just a scrolling slide show of photographs from his workshops. Emma watched the photos change, each one an image of Ian talking to some couple or single person, sometimes demonstrating a tie, his participants all fully clothed. Ian looked totally comfortable in his role.
    Feeling more confident about her public Web browsing, she clicked the “About Ian Hawk” page, wondering what other mysteries about him she could uncover. She wouldn’t have guessed that he was the type of person to lead bondage workshops, though it wasn’t like she knew him that well.
    The first paragraph was basic biographical information that balanced between interesting and nondescript: His job wasn’t mentioned, for instance, nor where he lived (aside from “the Boston area”). The second paragraph, though, delved into the new territory.
    Ian has loved knot-tying since his days as a Boy Scout, but it wasn’t until college that he learned the possibilities of this talent. After attending a fetish workshop with a friend, he became intrigued by bondage and its many facets. He spent three years studying the art under several experts, including classes in Kinbaku and Shibari, before becoming a teacher himself. Now Ian offers workshops on a variety of bondage topics. Ian has been a featured guest at KinkFest and the Geeky Kink Event. For more information, including how to book Ian, click the “Contact Us” page.
    Emma sat back to eat her scone, which she’d almost forgotten next to the laptop. A few crumbs tumbled onto the touchpad, and she brushed them away. She never would have guessed any of this about Ian. All those times he came into her shop to pick up a book, he was off teaching bondage workshops by night. It was jarring to reconcile Ian as he was with Ian as she’d guessed him to be.
    Pointer hovering over the “Photo Gallery” tab, Emma looked around again and sipped her mocha. No one was paying her any attention. She exhaled and clicked through.
    At least everyone on the first page was fully clothed, so she could be eased in. Some participants had the anonymity box over their eyes. Others were looking