Page 221 of Split or Swallow

The familiar pinch in Tem’s stomach returned.

Leo’s arm tightened around her, pulling her along. She let him move her, following him up the stairs and down a long carpeted hallway to a door at the very end.

He pushed it open.

Leo’s room was enormous, as expected. There was a four poster bed on one end and a fireplace on the other, the walls in between lined with overstuffed bookshelves.

“Would you like something to eat?” he asked. “I usually take breakfast around now.”

It was then that Tem realized she was starving.

“Yes.”

“And to drink?”

“Anything but champagne.”

Leo smiled as he pulled a tasseled rope on the wall. A moment later there was a knock on the door, and a servant appeared. His eyes swiveled to Tem’s before latching back onto Leo. They exchanged a few words before Leo shut the door.

“I’m afraid everyone will know you are here,” he said with an amused smile. “That was one of our more talkative servants.”

Tem shrugged. It didn’t matter who knew she was here. All that mattered was that she was away from her life in the village.

Despite her desire to be here, now that she was actually in Leo’s room, Tem found herself in a state of mild panic. What if he expected her to sleep with him? Surely, the prince assumed her presence meant she was ready and willing to jump into his bed. But Tem had no desire to have sex right now. The ritual had drained all her energy, and the last thing she wanted was another cock between her legs.

Leo seemed to sense this, because he said:

“I don’t expect anything from you, Tem.”

She shot him a look.

“But you want something.”

He held her gaze.

“All I want is your company.”

When she didn’t reply, he touched her waist gently.

“I understand that you are seeking refuge. I have no desire to take advantage of you when you came here for shelter.”

Tem stared at the floor. She wasn’t even sure she deserved his shelter at this point.

Leo finished quietly:

“I’m a man of my word, Tem. Whether you believe me to be or not.”

Tem didn’t know what she believed.

Then she shivered. Leo’s room was freezing. He saw this and immediately said:

“I shall make a fire.”

Tem took the opportunity to look around his room, peering curiously at the bookshelf. It was crammed full of books in varying languages, so many that the shelves were bending beneath their weight.

Tem turned to his bed, which was meticulously made. She very much doubted Leo was the one who made it. His bed frame was intricately carved wood, and on the closest bedside table were stacks of books topped by white candles. The candles had burned so low that the wax was dripping down over the spines of the books, pooling in hard circles on the wood.

“Do you like to read?” she heard Leo’s voice behind her. Tem turned to see him leaning against the fireplace, watching her.