TWENTY YEARS LATER #3
Nothing could fill him but her. Nothing could satisfy the ache that sat heavily in his chest—the animalistic craving that infiltrated his skin like a disease.
Because that was what she was. A sickness.
A distinct and virtuous torture that forced him to recognize the hunger within his own soul.
A hunger that had always been there, but had never been fed. Now it screamed. Screamed for Tem.
She was an indulgence. A delectable course to be savored.
He longed to skim his fingertips along the soft skin of her thighs, to bury himself between her legs.
But he had told her he would not touch her tonight.
And Caspen would not be deterred by mere urges.
He was stronger than that. He was stronger than her.
And then she was touching herself.
A hiss escaped Caspen’s lips, filling the cave.
He should stop her. He should reprimand her and forbid her from going any further.
Instead, he watched in awe as her fingers dipped in and out of her wetness.
Slowly, languidly. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever experienced in his decidedly long life.
There was nothing he would rather see than this.
This was far beyond anything he could hope to experience with a basilisk.
Such depth should be impossible. Humans were predictable. They held nothing of interest for him—nothing that would surprise him. Centuries of experience had proven that time and time again. It only made this woman even more tremendous. As if Kora had ordained her so.
“Do you approve of me?” Tem whispered.
Caspen heard the breathless desperation in her voice. Of course he approved of her. Approval was the minimum of what he felt for Tem. But he could not allow this to go any further.
“My approval is irrelevant,” he said sharply. “It is the prince’s approval you should seek.”
She recoiled, and he nearly reached for her.
“I did not tell you to stop.”
Tem’s eyes widened. Slowly, her hand returned to her center.
Caspen was already hard, and watching her touch herself only made him more so.
And why should he not indulge this infatuation?
He had already signed away his future. His father had ruined any chance of his happiness.
Caspen no longer cared to do the right thing.
The hiss returned, and this time he did not bother to restrain himself.
Without a second thought, Caspen gripped his cock and began to stroke.
Touching himself to the sight of her was incredible.
Delectable, succulent, pleasure. It was a moment of reckoning for them both—an unspoken agreement that whatever happened tonight would remain between these cave walls.
Her body was spread open before him, every inch of her on display.
Caspen stared at the way her waist curved into her hips, wishing he could grasp her with his hands.
Her presence was intoxicating; it was as if he were becoming drunk on her scent.
With every hitch of her breath, Caspen’s breath hitched too.
This went far beyond carnal urges—Caspen had experienced those many times before.
What he felt now was more than mere physical attraction.
He wanted to possess Tem. He wanted her to belong to him and him alone.
Caspen could not imagine touching another woman who was not the woman before him.
Every stroke of his cock was unequivocally and wholly right.
They were ascending together, stronger than the ocean, as impenetrable as wave against rock.
Caspen had experienced many things in his long life.
Nothing could have prepared him for her.
He noticed it all: the lush canvas of her skin, the open angle of her neck.
Her hands went to her breasts, and he nearly lost control at the sight.
It took extraordinary effort not to finish, yet even so, Caspen needed more.
“Deeper,” he said. It was nearly a plea.
“Won’t you do it?” she whispered.
Caspen wanted to do it more than anything.
He wanted to push her hand aside and use his own instead.
He wanted to slide his cock inside her and make her cry out with pleasure.
It was fruitless to resist, and yet, that was exactly what he had to do.
He leaned down even farther, lowering his face so it was directly over hers.
He was so close to touching her, his chest an inch away.
“You will do it.”
Her eyes held his for a moment too long. Desire had made a fool of Caspen before, and it was doing so again now. But he could not clear his mind, could not focus on anything but Tem. Her allure made it impossible to form a coherent thought. She was as inevitable as the dawn.
“Stand up straight.”
Tem had given him an order.
Would Caspen obey? He desperately wanted to. He wanted to yield to her the same way she had yielded to him—to cede his power in a reciprocal motion. Such a concession was unheard of. Caspen had never yielded to anyone, much less a human woman. But this was no ordinary woman. This was Tem.
So Caspen stood up straight.
She was already touching herself again. Caspen watched as her movements quickened, syncing with her frantic heartbeat.
This time he did not bother resisting. He touched himself with equal passion, marrying his rhythm with hers.
He knew they were approaching the truth together—knew their ultimate summit was imminent.
Caspen was no stranger to climax; he had come more times than he could count. But this time was different.
“Together?” she breathed.
“No.” He shook his head. “You first.”