Page 149 of Between Two Kings

“Shall I assist?” Apollo asked. She hated how happy he sounded.

“No.”

“Are you sure? I can bring you to climax.”

Tem snorted. “I can do that myself.”

“I have no doubt you can. But I can do it better. And faster.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“I see. In that case”—he stepped back, extracting his body from hers—“proceed.”

Anger joined her arousal. Apollo knew how Tem was feeling right now—he knew how cruel it was to taunt her.

“You’re going to watch?”

“Do not pretend you would not like that.”

Tem would like that. There was no way around it. The thought of touching herself in front of Apollo was thrilling. She’d done it before, after all, and she’d certainly liked it then. But they’d been in the banquet hall, surrounded by people, with Caspen overseeing it all. Anything could happen here in this field, alone.

“Don’t you need to do it too?” Tem said through gritted teeth.

“Are you asking me to join?”

“No. I’m asking you to explain why you aren’t feeling the way I am right now.”

“I am feeling the way you are right now. But I am much older than you. I have petrified a thousand times, and I know how to handle the urge.”

Tem ignored him. He was teasing her, but there was no time to be embarrassed. All that mattered was relieving the sensation in her center. Yet despite the all-encompassing urge to climax, she couldn’t seem to do it. Her mind was foggy, her vision blurred. She couldn’t form a coherent thought, much less move her fingers between her legs to touch herself. It was almost as if the more she needed it, the less her body retained the ability to accomplish it.

“Let me help, Temperance.”

“No.”

“It will only get worse if you resist.”

“I don’t care.”

“You will soon.”

“I hate you.”

“Now, now. We both know that is not true.”

Tem shook her head. She didn’t have time for Apollo’s nonsense right now. She was too turned on, too filled with need, to care any longer how it was resolved. She had to release the pressure. And she had to do it now.

“Fine,” she hissed. A paralyzing moment of silence passed. Apollo’s face was infuriatingly smug. “But I don’t want to have sex with you.”

Apollo tilted his head and smiled. “It rather seems like you do.”

“Well, I don’t. There are a hundred other ways to come.”

His smile only widened. “And which of those hundred ways would you prefer, Temperance?”

“Will you just shut up and help me?”

Apollo crossed his arms. “If I’m going to help you, I would prefer your enthusiastic consent.”