Stir the coals

He seemed surprised at her bold claim, and her heart raced with naive triumph! Her celebration was premature as his azure orbs darkened, she had dared to take away what he had claimed. She was untested, and he was just predatory enough to take what he wanted when he wanted it from her. Her heart leaped up, was it fear? It was alarm, a little danger, sweetened with honeyed arousal. If she tried to make him it wouldn't be a game. She didn't know if she was ready to play by those rules.

She was overthinking again. Obviously, she hadn't mastered any lesson so far. She actually did huff through her nose and narrowed her eyes at him this time. A dangerous game. Her heart picked up in her chest, a rhythm of fear and worry she tried her best to squash down.

"What would be the next test then?" she asked through gritted teeth.