Page 109 of Split or Swallow

“Be specific.”

Now she was the one making demands.

Caspen took a deep breath, his chest rising steadily.

“I promise never to alter your feelings again. You have my word.”

They stared at each other.

“I’m so angry at you,” Tem said finally.

To her surprise, the corner of Caspen’s mouth twitched.

“Yes. I can tell.”

“It’s not funny.”

“Of course not,” he arranged his expression into one of purposeful seriousness. “It is just that I have never seen you this angry before. You set your jaw—” he touched her chin gently, “—it makes you look strong.”

“I’m strong whether I look it or not.”

Caspen’s finger traced down her neck. He smiled once again.

“That I know.”

They laid in silence for a long time, the only sound the soft crackling of the fire. Tem thought about what had just happened. Could Caspen control anyone’s emotions, or just hers? If his power was truly so limitless, it meant that the basilisks were even stronger than anyone knew. And considering they could bypass the mirrored wall, there was no telling what they could do.

But these were worries for another day.

For now, Tem was here, in Caspen’s chambers. And she didn’t want to waste time thinking about anything other than that.

Eventually, they found their way to each other again.

Tem traced his skin with her fingers, exploring the peaks and valleys of his torso. His body was so unfathomably hard. She could almost picture the scales right beneath the surface of his skin, and wondered if she’d ever see them again.

When she touched his cock, he let out a soft hiss.

Tem ran a single finger gently down his shaft, starting at the base and following a vein all the way to the end. He was completely hard by the time she got to the head.

She shifted closer to him, pulling only the tip of his cock inside her.

“Do you want me?” she whispered.

“Do not ask me that.”

“Why not?”

“Because what I want and what you need are two very different things.”

“I just need you.”

“Tem,” he shook his head. But he didn’t push her away.

Instead Caspen rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. Tem understood she was meant to take the lead—that he wanted her to do only what she could bear, since if he had his way, he would only fuck her harder. She rolled her hips slowly back and forth, straddling him with her palms splayed flat on his torso, sliding herself up and down his cock at a pace she could handle. She liked teasing him this way; it was satisfying to withhold something from Caspen, especially when she knew how bad he wanted her.

Tem rocked herself along his cock, tilting her body forward so that her clitoris was stimulated against the base of his shaft. She watched Caspen as he watched her, knowing how much he liked seeing her come. His eyes flicked greedily from her face, to her neck, to her breasts. His jaw was tense with restraint.

Her orgasm built quickly; she yelped as it slammed into her, leaning down to kiss him as she came.