Jasper's breathing turned ragged.
He caught Rory's wandering hand in his own and guided it slowly down the firm planes of his abdomen.
"Didn't you want to know whether I really have…? It's your chance to count them yourself..."
The sheets tangled beneath them, twisted into soft creases. Her nightdress had long since slipped from her shoulders, exposing wide stretches of pale skin to the dim room.
Jasper's voice dropped, husky and edged with danger. His heated lips traced a path down her neck before closing firmly over her collarbone.
A serpent's tail slid forward, coiling around her.
The dark violet-black scales gleamed faintly in the low light as it climbed, slow and deliberate, along her calf. The cool texture brushed against her sensitive skin, sending shivers rippling through her.
The tail continued upward, gliding along the inside of her thigh, each subtle movement drawing sharper tremors from her body.
