“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Have you decided what it is you want?”
“From you?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“You’re such a bad liar.”
I silenced him with a bruising kiss.
When I stealthily tried to remove my bra a few minutes later, he clasped my hands together and pulled them behind me, gently but firmly.
“No, Farrow,” he purred as he continued tracing my neck and collarbones with his lips.
I growled in frustration. I wanted him to stop holding me back, or at the very least, release my hands, but I knew he wouldn’t, not unless I told him exactly what he wanted to hear. Casimir believed I only wanted him for a distraction—a reprieve from the stress of the last few weeks—and for that reason alone, he didn’t want to take things further. That, or he simply wanted towinthis battle.
It seemed that we’d finally crashed up against a wall, and now we would learn if desire would win out over stubbornness and pride.
“Let me touch you,” I pleaded, desperation bleeding into my voice.
He laughed softly against my flushed cheek. “Youaretouching me.”
I growled in frustration.
Just say it, the voice inside my head urged me.Just tell him what you want. Be honest.
“Please?”
“Are we begging now, Farrow?” he purred against my jaw.
Fuck you, I thought, and clamped my teeth onto his throat hard enough to draw blood. He hardly even flinched. “Gods, you’re infuriating,” I hissed into his ear. “Sometimes you make me hate you.”
It was hardly even a lie. I hated him for making me want him this badly. Here I was, on his lap, literallybegginghim to touch me, and he had the audacity to make a game out of my wanting. My regret over my duplicity with theBook of Ereboswas even starting to wane in the wake of this torture. Casimir pressed a kiss in the hollow of my throat, smiling against my skin. I shuddered. My hands were still bound behind me, held between one of his own.
“How much do you hate me?”
“So much.” I gasped as his teeth grazed my neck.
“Liar,” he growled. He bit down harder, and I groaned against the feeling, straddling the edge of pain and pleasure.
My entire body was trembling with desire. He’d only given me a taste, and I needed more.
“This isn’t fair, you know,” I breathed.
He drew back to meet my gaze with eyes like dark jewels. Time seemed to slow, stretching out between us. His tongue traced the hollow of my pulse point before he replied, “Nothing is ever fair for you mortals.”
I stifled a moan of pleasure, no longer able to deny the way my body responded to his touch. My nipples peaked against my bra as I ground closer to his taut chest, all too aware of my core throbbing beneath my jeans. I was trembling all over. I didn’t know how much longer I could stand this.
At long last, my need for him prevailed over my reluctance to give him what he wanted: a confession. Drawing back, I took a steadying breath, painfully aware of how mortifying this was—of how desperate I must be tobegfor what I wanted. To swallow my pride and let him win this battle.
Casimir waited, his body tense beneath mine.
“I would’ve thought it was obvious,” I began.You can do this. Just say the words.