“I… I…” Bristol’s shoulders dropped, making her look like a deflating balloon. “They’re beautiful, but I don’t dare wear them. I’m a klutz in sneakers, holy trip over the lines on a basketball court… I’ll embarrass us both if I try to walk in those shoes.” He watched as she looked longingly at the heels, he could hardly wait to see on her delicate feet.
“I’m going to be right beside you, and this will give me the perfect excuse to keep my hands on you until we’re seated. You already know you’ll be barefoot once we enter the club, so I want you to give it a try.” He smiled when she nodded.
“They’re really beautiful, but I’d like to put on panties first, so I don’t snag them on the heels.” When he shook his head, her eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. Look at how short this dress is.”
“Think of it as a lesson in perfect posture. Put on the shoes, then I have a gift for you.” He knelt in front of her to help slip the shoes into place and smiled up at her once they were in place. “The view from down here is fucking spectacular, baby. If our reservations weren’t in half an hour, I’d lick those glistening folds until you came all over my tongue.”
If he started something now, they would miss dinner and their trip to the club. Standing slowly, Israel let his gaze move in a heated caress over every delectable curve. Turning her to face the mirror, Israel pulled a slender velvet box from the dresser. Lifting the sapphire and diamond choker, he was pleased to hear her soft gasp.
“Is this one of Catalina’s creations? I’ve heard she is one of the most sought-after jewelry designers in the world.”
“It is, and you’re right, she is very gifted.” Wrapping his arms around her, Israel held the piece where she could see the latch. “This is special for a couple of reasons. First, it will keep you safe at the restaurant and club. It isn’t a permanent collar—I’d like to have a more formal ceremony for that occasion when you’re ready. This collar will serve three functions tonight. It lets other Doms know you are not available for them to approach. It’s also going to look amazing nestled in the hollow of your throat. And finally, it has a built-in safety feature. This is a unique piece, a prototype, a collaboration between Ian McGregor and Catalina.”
Not surprisingly, he saw recognition in her eyes when he mentioned Ian’s name. Anyone as gifted as Bristol would have enormous respect for someone whose mind was a match for their own. Hell, London thought Ian walked on water. Everyone cleared the room when the two of them started bouncing ideas around.
“I have the only key for the clasp—exactly what everyone familiar with the lifestyle will expect. What they won’t know is this lovely piece of jewelry is protecting someone far more precious than the stones around her beautiful neck. No one can steal it—the titanium will keep it in place. An alarm is activated biometrically. You press your fingers to any two sides of the latch for more than two seconds, and it will send out an alarm. The message will go to my phone, Adler Investigations, Cooper Hicks, Catalina and Austin, Kent and Kyle West, Ian McGregor, and Brooklyn’s husband, Luke Grayson.” It would also monitor her physical reactions and send out an alarm if it detected fear or extreme pain.
“That’s a lot of people. Why so many, and what sort of information will they get?”
“We’ll immediately know your location and be able to hear you and anyone nearby. We won’t be able to communicate with you, but we’ll hear everything, so you’d need to feed us information. The name of the person threatening you, whether they are armed, anything that will help.” He knew he was scaring her, but he wanted her to understand his concern for her safety.
“Don’t you think this is overkill? Someone broke into my apartment. I don’t like it either, but this…” She looked down at the choker and frowned. “Why would anyone want to hurt me? Do you really believe a jealous woman would go to this extreme? What happens if I shift? Will I be strangled by the device that’s supposed to protect me?”
He hadn’t expected this would be easy; she was much too intelligent to simply submit without asking questions. This was probably only the tip of the iceberg.
“That is part of what makes it so special. The damned thing will sense the shift in your DNA and expand and contract as necessary. Devices like these have never been available for shifters, so this is a game-changer. I know you weren’t raised in our world, but I assure you, we’re very protective of what we feel belongs to us, and we’ll spare no expense to keep our mates safe.”
Looking from the piece in his hands to meet Bristol’s gaze in the mirror, Israel raised a brow, knowing she would understand the unspoken request for permission to lock it in place. At her nod, he snapped the small lock. There was only one key, a small titanium object that looked more like a Greek letter than a device to unlock a choker.
“It’s beautiful, and I appreciate Catalina letting me wear it.” He smiled and shook his head.
“Bristol, this is a gift. It’s probably selfish, but I love seeing something I picked out and bought for you nestled against your ivory skin.” He intended to spoil her in every way possible. The two of them wouldn’t always have the luxury of a lot of time to spend together, so they’d have to make it a priority, but it would be worth it.
Israel listened carefully as her mind worked through the implications of receiving what was obviously, an extremely valuable gift. He was grateful she moved quickly past any concern he was paying her for sex—the consequences for those questions would have kept them from keeping their reservations. The most amusing part of her internal dialogue was the underlying frustration with herself. Bristol didn’t want to want him, but she did. She argued with herself about falling in love when she’d promised herself nothing more than a few rounds of mind-blowing sex before she walked away.
He was winning her over with unrelenting patience, coupled with subtle but loving gestures. Cupping her shoulders, Israel gently turned Bristol until she was facing him.
“Remember, activate the alarm if you are frightened or find yourself face to face with danger.” Tunneling his fingers into the long waves of her hair, Israel sealed his lips over hers. A gentle exploration ramped up so quickly, it was torture to pull back.
“Let’s go while I still have enough control to keep from tossing you on the bed and burying myself in your hot depths.”
Chapter Fourteen
Bristol was torn between wanting the car ride to the restaurant to end and wishing they were driving to another state. When Israel had opened the car door for her, Bristol was surprised to find a plush towel folded on her seat. She was even more surprised when he’d told her to lift the back of her dress as he helped her settle on the seat. Leaning across her to secure the seat belt, he’d brushed his lips over hers before pulling back.
“As soon as the door closes, spread your legs and pull the hem of your dress up, so your pussy is available for my touch.”
Already reeling from the strange sensation of having her bare ass cheeks against the towel-covered leather seat, it had taken her a few seconds to process the commands. He nodded his approval when he sat next to her, snapping his own seat belt into place without taking his eyes off her bare pussy.