Filed To Story: Spit or Swallow: Kiss Of The Basilisk
It was the truth. Up until an hour ago, she’d thought there was nothing redeemable about Leo. But he’d revealed his true self when he’d talked about his father. There was a person under his insufferable exterior. And that person had a chance with her.
They were stopped on the path.
Leo leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t believe you.”
“Well, you should.”
“Well, I don’t. Your indifference is infuriating.”
“I’m not indifferent.”
“You certainly act like it.”
“That’s your interpretation.”
He snorted. “You know you’re the only girl who isn’t throwing herself at my feet? All the others had their hands down my trousers the first night they met me. But not you. How should I interpret that, Tem?”
She shrugged stiffly. “Interpret it however you like.”
He leaned in even more. “What I would like is for you to tell me how you feel about me.”
He was far too close to her. But despite his proximity, Tem found she didn’t want to lean away. She liked the way he smelled. And she liked the way he was looking at her. Tem wasn’t used to men looking at her that way-like they wanted her, like she was worth something. The feeling was like a drug.
Lilly’s words ran through her mind: He always wants what he can’t have.
Was that the reason Leo was pursuing her? Because she was the only girl whose hands hadn’t been down his trousers? It wasn’t a good enough reason for Tem. She needed him to want her specifically, and not just because he couldn’t have her.
So she said, “I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know how I feel about you yet.”
“Yet?”
“I’ve known you for two weeks, Leo. And during those two weeks, we’ve only spent a few hours together. Do you really think that’s enough time to form an accurate opinion?”
Finally, he leaned away, considering her. “Well, when you put it that way, perhaps not.”
Tem rolled her eyes. “Exactly.”
Neither of them spoke as they wound their way back through the maze. Eventually, the castle loomed into view. They were nearly on the patio when Leo spoke again.
“Aren’t you curious to know how I feel about you?”
“I think I can guess.”
“Can you?” Leo looked down at her. “Then by all means, Tem.” He splayed his hands open. “Guess.”
Tem looked up into his gray eyes, deciding how much she wanted to say. It was a delicate subject, and if she didn’t tread carefully, she might offend him. Then again, nothing seemed to offend Leo. It was almost as if he enjoyed her insults. Tem wondered if she was the only person in his life who didn’t completely cater to his every want and need. If that was the case, it put her in a position of power, and she savored it.
“I think I confuse you.”
Leo raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
“I think you like me, but you don’t know why. You want me, but you wish you didn’t. You’re used to getting what you want, but part of you likes that you can’t get me.”
His other eyebrow rose. “Can’t I?”
“No,” Tem said firmly. “Not until you’ve earned me.”
His eyes flicked down her body, then back up again. “And you think you’re worth earning?”
Tem held his gaze. “You think I’m worth earning.”
“Hm,” he said, the corner of his mouth turned up in amusement. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, and Tem wondered if this was how Leo acted with the other girls. It felt as if they were connecting on an unexpected level-one Tem could never have anticipated and one she didn’t fully understand.
It was only when they reentered the castle that Tem realized the date was about to end. When they reached the foyer, Leo turned to face her.
“I’m not going to kiss you,” he said.
Tem was too shocked to react properly. “Why not?”
He stepped closer. “Because if I kiss you, I’ll try to take you upstairs. And you’re not going to let me.”
Tem opened her mouth, but he kept talking.
“And you were right. I’m not used to hearing the word no. And I don’t want to hear it from you. Certainly not after I had to see you in this dress”-he brushed his fingertips along her waist so lightly she almost didn’t notice until it was over-“all fucking evening.”
“You chose it,” she whispered.
“Apparently I’m partial to torture.” There was a pause, and he stepped even closer. “I’m not going to kiss you. Instead, I’m going to picture everything I want to do to you without that dress on. And I’m going to pretend that someday you’ll let me do it.”
Her throat tightened. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
“You were wrong about one thing though,” Leo continued, his voice eerily calm.
“What’s that?” Tem managed to say.
He took her hand in his, turning it over and pressing his lips to the freckles on her palm. He murmured his next words against her skin. “I know exactly why I like you.”
Then he disappeared into the parlor.
Tem stood alone, her heart thrumming in her chest. There were no words to describe what had just happened. It was as if an invisible thread now connected her to Leo, as if his vulnerability and candor had weakened her defenses against him. She couldn’t have predicted a single second of this evening, and she had no idea how she felt about anything anymore.
Tem was just turning to leave when she heard a voice in the parlor. She froze, her hand on the door. The voice belonged to Maximus. He was speaking in a hushed tone-practically whispering. She paused, listening hard as he said, “You are enamored with her.”
“How do you know? You’ve barely spent ten minutes with us.”
“I know you, Thelonius. I have seen you like this before.”
A pause. Then Leo said, “If you have seen me like this before, then you know what I’m going to do.”
“You cannot choose her.”
“And why not?” Leo countered, his voice considerably louder. “If I can’t make my own choice, then what’s the point of the elimination process?”
“She’s a chicken farmer.”
“So?”
“You are only doing this because you know it will anger me.”
A pause.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.