so slowly, it’s almost comical. But there is no hint of humor in his tone when he stares at Bash like he’s some sicko who can’t be trusted with so much as a basket of kittens, and as he conveys how much he thinks Bash is a menace, the cat-man asks me, “You want to be locked in this device?”
I flop my hand, my wrist staying limp. “Pshaw, this is nothing. For one friend-with-benefits I wore a pony tail butt plug.”
All three males stare at me for a full half a minute until Bash blows fire.
Mandi’s cat’s eyes are slits as he observes the flames—and Cyden couldn’t tuck his wings tighter to his body if he superglued them against his back.
“Wrong story,” I say quickly.
Mandi’s cat growls and throws a disgusted look at Bash. “I will not aid you in fitting this evil contraption on a female.” He prowls around the tables and heads for the open face of the smith stall. Before he exits, he tells me, “Do not feel you have to agree to wear such a barbaric protector of virtue.”
“It’s okay,” I assure him, more curious than ever about why he’s so against the idea. “Chastity’s not going to bother me.” I expect it’ll be kinda hot based on Bash’s reaction to the broken belt. “But thank you for saying so. You seem very nice.” I hesitate, but then I go for it. “I have so many questions, can I be nosy—”
His concerned glare turns into a warning look, and then he leaves.
“Darn.” I sniff sadly.
Cyden stares after him before he licks his lip and glances to Bash. “I can reweld this one.” He lifts the edge of the belt at its snapped point.
“You’d have me lock my female in a belt that another male touched?” Bash asks, his voice something just below a soft roar.
Cyden grimaces and drags a hand over his sweat-damp face. I didn’t know hobs sweat like humans. I guess they look mostly like us, it shouldn’t surprise me. And blacksmithing is hot work. “You said you wanted her fitted quickly. She can wear this one today, or you can come back tomorrow for her custom-made piece.”
Smoke rolls over the belt as Bash’s attention falls on it, considering. Then his gaze finds me.
I give him a reassuring tip of my head. “I can wear that one.”
Bash looks to Cyden. “Do what you must for her to be fitted today.” But then he adds in a snarl, “You aren’t to touch her.”
Cyden nearly rolls his eyes. And he gives Bash a narrow-eyed glare. “You had better measure her accurately for me then.”
***
That’s how I find myself standing with a chunk of my dress tucked into my panties to bare my backside as the blacksmith hob keeps his face averted from me like I’m Muslim or he’s Amish or we’re all Victorian and I flashed an indecent patch of ankle.
Bash has the rest of my dress’s skirt gathered and clutched in his fist.
His proprietariness is working for me. But when I glance over my shoulder at him, I see Bash has the happy expression of a thundercloud.
“Try smiling,” I tell him. “Shouldn’t this make you thrilled?”
Bash holds up the belt in his hand, his claw tapping the beveled edge that will sit snugly at my waist. “This is sharp.” He frowns. “I’m beginning to understand Jabari’s strong feelings.”
My eyes bug. “Mandi’s cat’s name is Jabari?”
“Yes.”
“How COOL! He never talks to us when we try to stalk him for information and Mandi’s just as tight-lipped.” I’m aglow with this tidbit. “I can’t wait to tell Gracie.”
Bash exhales smoke and ignores our ongoing fascination with Jabari and Mandi. “Luckily, as I mentioned before, Cyden is an artist with metals. I trust that he’ll make your fitting so fine that not one metal edge will furrow into your skin.”
“Thank you.”
Bash growls and runs his knuckles up my back.
I shimmy the belt up my thighs and around my hips to see what needs adjusting, and Bash has to drop my skirt so he can use both of his hands to bend the metal waistband until it’s able to close properly. At some point, it got wrenched pretty badly, and it needs Bash to adjust it. We lower it down my calves, and he helps me step out of it.
When the hem of my dress is riding the tops of my knees instead of inside my underwear, Bash calls to the hob, “She is clothed. Take this.” He shoves the