Chapter 26 – Laying Out the Bait

“Oh, and our cameraman today is Ethan,” Melissa added casually.

The man behind the camera straightened up, and Chloe quickly sized him up. Early forties, maybe, thin to the point of gauntness, with hair that looked like it hadn’t been cut… or washed… in weeks. Thick, black-rimmed glasses sat on a nose that was a little too big for his face. He didn’t seem really that intimidating, actually.

But then their eyes met, and there was something in his eyes. An intensity that didn’t match his harmless appearance. He looked her over, not greedily like Randy or calculatingly like Ben, but… studying her. As if he were cataloging her.

“Hi,” he said, his voice surprisingly deep. “Ethan Cooper.”

“Chloe,” she replied with her best Chloe Heart smile. “Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” A small smile flitted across his face, then he turned back to his camera.

“Okay,” Melissa said, standing next to the camera. “Just pretend Ethan and the camera aren’t there. Talk to me, relax.”

Chloe sat down on the stool, legs crossed, hands on her knees.

“Ready,” Ethan murmured, and the red light on the camera began to glow.

“So,” Melissa began in a warm, inviting tone, “why don’t you introduce yourself. Who are you?”

“Hi! I’m Chloe Heart!” The words flowed out of her automatically with practiced enthusiasm. “I’m eighteen years old and still pretty new to porn.”

“What brings you to Bound.com?”

Chloe leaned forward slightly, as if she were about to reveal a secret. “I’ve always wanted to try BDSM. I mean, I’ve never really… well, once my ex-boyfriend used those plush handcuffs,” she laughed, feigning embarrassment, “but that was it. I’m really excited to learn more and explore my limits.”

“And you feel ready for it?” Melissa asked.

“Absolutely! You explained everything so well, I feel totally confident. And now I’m just… excited? A bit nervous, maybe, but in a good way.” She played with a strand of hair and shrugged playfully.

“Is there anything you’re particularly curious about?”

Now.

Chloe glanced briefly at the camera, then back at Melissa. “You know, I’m really excited about the technical side.” She pointed vaguely toward the camera. “The cameras, the lighting, how it all comes together. I find it fascinating how much work goes into making everything look so good.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ethan shift his position slightly. His hands, which had been fiddling with the lens just a moment ago, paused.

Melissa didn’t seem to notice, laughing at Chloe’s enthusiasm. “We haven’t heard that very often. What are you hoping to get out of today?”

Chloe turned back to Melissa, but part of her attention remained with Ethan. She could literally feel him following her every move, absorbing every word.

“I just hope I can let myself go,” she said, and it was definitely not a complete lie. “Have some fun. I’ve heard BDSM can be liberating when done right. I’d like to experience that.”

“Any specific fantasies?”

Chloe laughed softly. “Surprise me? I trust you guys.” Another quick glance at the camera. “You all know what you’re doing.”

A few more standard questions followed about her limits, which they had already discussed in advance, and also what safe words applied. Chloe felt Ethan’s presence throughout. The other cameramen she had worked with so far disappeared behind their equipment, becoming more or less invisible. He was different. Ethan was very there. Present and interested.

“Perfect!” Melissa clapped her hands lightly. “That was great, Chloe. We’ll take a short break now while the crew finishes preparing the set. You can change in your dressing room, relax, have something to drink, whatever you need.”

“Cut,” Ethan murmured, and the red light went out.

Chloe got up from the stool and stretched slightly. When she turned around, Ethan was standing right next to his equipment, adjusting something on the lens. Their eyes met.

This time, she held his gaze a moment longer than necessary. His gaze was searching, observing, as if he had discovered a particularly fascinating specimen. She smiled a small, friendly, and open smile and then turned away naturally, as if she had just noticed that she had been staring at him a bit too long.

As she followed Melissa to the door, she felt his gaze on her back.

Let’s see if he takes the bait.

Melissa pointed down the hallway. “Fourth door on the left. There’s a bathrobe hanging there for you. Put it on and then just come back out to the set when you’re ready. We still need about twenty minutes.”

“Thanks,” Chloe said and set off.

The changing room was small but clean, with a mirror covering half the wall, a bench, and several hooks on the wall. A dark blue bathrobe was already hanging there for her. It was fairly new, fluffy, warm, and smelled fresh. Bound.com definitely didn’t skimp on the details.

She undressed and folded everything neatly. The cold draft from the air conditioning made her shiver, but she quickly wrapped herself in the bathrobe, which felt soft and heavy, like a warm, comforting hug. She tied the belt tightly around her waist and looked at herself in the mirror.

Okay. This is really happening now. Oh God, I hope it won’t be too bad.

Her reflection looked surprisingly calm. Her blonde hair fell loosely over her shoulders, only her eyes betraying her slight nervousness.

She took a deep breath, held it. Then she exhaled, paused. Then inhaled again. That calmed her down.

You can do this. You have safewords and signals.

Then she opened the door and made her way to the set. Once there, she first observed the hustle and bustle. The ropes on the bondage rig were being checked once more.

I’ll be hanging in there in a minute. Crazy.

Buck was standing with the director, quietly discussing the sequence of the scene. The director, a slight guy with a goatee, nodded a lot and said little.

She pulled her bathrobe tighter around herself. Although it was quite warm under the lighting, she could feel that there was a slight draft in the building.

Her eyes searched for Ethan. There he was.

Ethan was standing at his camera station, explaining something about the Steadicam to his assistant. The assistant, a somewhat tired-looking twenty-year-old with a man bun, nodded mechanically.

Now or never.

Chloe strolled over, pretending to be wandering around aimlessly.

“Ethan?” She used her friendliest Chloe Heart tone, seasoned with a pinch of shyness.

He turned around, his eyebrows slightly raised. The assistant took the opportunity to disappear toward the craft service table.

“Oh, hey.” His voice sounded surprised, but not unfriendly. “Can I help you?”

She smiled radiantly. “I just wanted to… well, what you were doing earlier, with the camera and stuff…” She gestured vaguely toward the equipment. “That looked totally fascinating. I’d love to know more about it.”

She laughed in feigned shyness. “I probably wouldn’t understand it anyway, and I’m sure you’re super busy…”

She saw him studying her. Then his face relaxed and a small smile appeared.

“It’s not that complicated,” he said, and there it was, what she had hoped for, the slightly condescending tone of someone who enjoys being the expert. “You just have to understand the basics.”

“Really?” Chloe leaned forward slightly, her eyes lighting up. “I’d really like to learn more about it. I think it would help me feel more comfortable if I understood how it all works.”

Come on, take the bait.

Ethan ran his fingers through his unkempt hair. “Well, if you want…” Chloe saw the calculation in his eyes. “I could show you a few basics.”

“Oh my God, really?” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I really don’t want to bother you…”

“Nonsense.” He waved her off and pointed to the camera. “Come on, I’ll show you something.”

She stepped closer and he positioned her in front of the viewfinder. He was now standing directly behind her, so close that she could feel his breath on her neck.

“Look through it,” he said. “See how the light is captured over there?”

She looked through the viewfinder. The set looked completely different. Much more intimate and focused. “Wow, that’s completely different from what I see with the naked eye.”

“Exactly!” His voice became more animated. “And if you change the focus here…” His hand covered hers, guiding it to the focus ring. “See how the depth of field changes?”

“That’s so cool,” she murmured.

He explained more than necessary, becoming more and more animated. She could feel him relaxing, slowly warming up to her.

“Chloe!” Melissa’s voice cut through the moment. “We’re ready!”

“Oh!” Chloe sat up straight and turned to Ethan. “Thanks for taking the time. That was really interesting!”

“No problem.” His smile was more genuine now, warmer. “I’d be happy to show you more sometime, if you want.”

She nodded enthusiastically, then hurried toward the set. As she passed, she caught Melissa’s eye. The PA looked at Ethan with a strange expression but said nothing.

She slowly followed Melissa to the bondage rig in the middle of the set. With each step, her nervousness mixed with a strange excitement that she couldn’t quite suppress. The steel frame loomed before her, the ropes and carabiners hanging from the top crossbar, waiting… for her.

Buck was already at the rig, checking the padded leather cuffs. “Ready?”

Chloe nodded, letting the bathrobe slip from her shoulders. The cold air made her shiver briefly, but at the same time she felt the warm light of the spotlights on her skin. She handed the bathrobe to Melissa, who discreetly set it aside.

“Lie down here,” Buck said, pointing to the padded support. She positioned herself, and he methodically secured her. First her wrists in the cuffs, then her ankles. The ropes tightened, slowly lifting her until she was suspended horizontally in the air, about four feet above the floor. Her arms were stretched above her head, her legs spread and raised. The padded support under her lower back distributed her weight.

“Not too tight?” Buck adjusted the tension on one of the adjustment knobs.

“No, that’s fine.”

The director stepped closer, checking the camera angles one last time. “Buck, you ready?”

“Ready when you are.”

“Chloe?” The director looked at her. “Ready?”

She took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline pumping through her veins. “Yes.”

“Good, then we’re good to go.” The director stepped back. “And… action!”