Shibari, the ancient art of erotic restraint...Its finely knotted ropes are a turn-on, a sexual experience...and, for some, an absolute necessity. Serving the Master: Desmond and AvaAt a San Francisco sex club called Pinnacle, Ava Gregory seeks something she cannot quite describe. But of one thing she is certain: the moments when she feels her most beautiful and complete are when she is tightly restrained in the Shibari ropes. At Pinnacle, she's paired with a master: Desmond Hale, who thrives on control. But something surprising happens when Desmond binds Ava's willing body and takes her to the edge of ecstasy. And now the two are taking their relationship out of the shadows of the club, sharing secrets unleashed and bodies unbound.... Soothing the Beast: Marina and JamesAn art dealer and Shibari master, Marina has never hesitated to dominate anyone. Until she meets James, a dark, gorgeous, towering journalist who's survived horrors around the world. James confesses that submission is the only way to clear his troubled mind, but Marina is instantly overwhelmed by his strength and magnetism. To share the pleasures of bondage, something must change between them. When it does, it will come with an explosion of unexpected pleasure--and a relationship that neither could ever have imagined....