Page 58 of False Start
She’s pink in the face, but she’s trying to play it off like my excitement doesn’t affect her. Knowing she has a physical tell feels like a superpower.
I affect her.
“What’s that?” I point to one of the leather harnesses on the wall. It’s two separate pieces, oddly shaped, doesn’t look like something that would go over your chest or back, and doesn’t look like enough leather to wrap around any normal-sized person.
She chuckles, stuffing her hands in her pocket. “A prototype. Never quite finished it. It still needs the final stitching.”
“But what is it?” I’m no less confused than before.
“It’s a harness,” she explains casually. “For my boot.”
“Why does your boot need a harness? I don’t get it.” I pull it off the wall, gauging to see if there’s any reaction or if I’m overstepping by touching her things.
There isn’t, so I bring it closer for inspection.
“This loop goes around the sole of the boot.” Her mouth is so close to my ear, my skin pebbles at the contact. “Can I show you?”
I nod, my gaze locked onto hers as she takes the harness from my hand and slips the larger loop over thebase of her boot like she explained. She tightens the strap around the back of her ankle to secure it, and there’s a smaller, unbuckled loop attached right above the top of her foot. She lifts up the other, longer strip with a connecting loop and buckles it around her calf. It’s fully secured to her leg now, but the two smaller loops right above her foot and in front of her shin stay empty. It’s pretty, but I have no idea what the hell it does.
“What’s it for?” I’m wondering why she only made it for one leg, but I don’t ask that out loud.
“It’s for when I need my boots to look nice and pretty.” Harvey smirks, like she’s waiting for me to ask her to explain further.
I hate feeling stupid, so I don’t.
“Can I see how it works?” I ask instead, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of not understanding.
“There’s only really one way for me to show you how this works, princess. And you’ll have to ask a lot nicer than that.” Her tongue flicks out to wet her bottom lip.
My face gets hot, suddenly realizing the intentions of the harness, even If I don’tfullycomprehend. I drop to my knees like I know she wants. One thing about Harvey is that she’s predictable, in the way that makes her someone I can count on for consistency.
Something I can’t bear to pretend I’m not desperate for anymore.
“Please?” I sweeten my voice, looking up at her through my eyelashes. “Show me?”
Her teeth graze her bottom lip and she narrows her eyes like she’s thinking about it.
“Kitty?” I add to seal the deal.
Her stonewall façade breaks, and she points to the doorthat leads to the hallway. “In the gray dresser, in my room. There’s a white unopened box. Bring it here.”
I stumble to my feet and pad away into the next room, opening the first drawer to find nothing but socks, but in the back of the second drawer, I find the long, rectangular box, still taped shut. I barely glance at it before I’m back in her hobby room, on my knees and handing her the box.
“Strap it in.”
I’m confused at first, but when I look up, I finally see what she’s holding. It’s a vibrating wand.
“How?” I ask, my brain still struggling to connect all the pieces.
Cat bends down to show me, inserting the head of the wand into the loop just above her foot and the higher loop around the tail end, keeping it stuck to her shin. I catch on, tightening and buckling the straps around the head while she works the opposite end.
“Now?” I ask.
“Shine my boot, princess. I want to see you dripping on my leather.” Her voice is husky, low and full of tantalizing promise as she flicks on the switch of the wand. The vibration buzzes loudly against her boot.
I let out a stuttered exhale, one knee placed on each side of her leg as I lower myself down to her boot. I’m in the same kneeling position as before, except now, there’s a wand vibrating just below me.
“All the way down,” she commands.
