Chapter 7

That smirking face had never looked so infuriating.

Henry, having told her to continue, lay back down and simply stared at Catherine. Whether to proceed with what she had started or to stop and go to sleep was entirely up to her.

She could continue if she wanted to. But if she did, it would feel as though she were reluctantly following Henry’s command, and that bothered her just a little.

Her startled heart kept pounding, and her face burned with embarrassment. Though undressing her sleeping husband and touching him was hardly an issue between a married couple, Catherine felt like a criminal who had committed some grave offense despite doing nothing wrong.

“Forget it.”

The fleeting thought of climbing on top of him vanished quickly. After all, the outcome was all too predictable. Just thinking about last night made it clear how things would end. Her bold attempt to take the lead had ultimately resulted in her lying helpless beneath him, her legs spread wide under his touch. Tonight would undoubtedly end the same way.

Catherine turned her back completely on Henry. Perhaps thinking she would obediently comply with his words, Henry abruptly lifted his head.

“What’s this?”

His voice was filled with disbelief. She had woken him by touching him so provocatively, only to turn her back on him without even finishing what she started. It was no wonder he sounded so baffled.

“Just go to sleep. I was being thoughtless.”

Henry sat up entirely. She could feel his gaze on her back, but Catherine pretended not to notice.

“What was thoughtless? Touching me?”

Catherine didn’t answer. Her eyes had landed on the invitation she had carelessly tossed aside. The thoughts of the Duke, which she had momentarily pushed away while touching Henry, once again flooded her mind.

As memories of her abusive childhood resurfaced, the heat that had been building in her lower abdomen dissipated entirely.

Henry, interpreting her silence as affirmation, placed a hand on her shoulder. Through the thin fabric of her robe, his warmth seeped into her skin. His hand, rough yet comforting, firm yet gentle, felt reassuring. In moments of melancholy like this, having someone by her side was a blessing.

“…If you start something, you should finish it.”

But Henry seemed to have a different perspective. Feeling ignored, his grip on her shoulder tightened slightly. Her slender frame was too delicate to resist his large hand. As he gently turned her body toward him, Catherine’s face showed a hint of surprise.

“Is that all you’ve got after waking me up?”

“No, I—”

Catherine’s words were cut off by Henry’s lips descending on hers. She had intended to apologize for disturbing his sleep or to explain that it wasn’t her intention to wake him, but all her words dissolved into muffled sounds trapped in his mouth.

Henry’s kiss was unrestrained, devouring her lips as though he intended to consume her entirely. He kissed, licked, and sucked, reigniting the flame that had been fading.

As he kissed her, Henry slowly climbed on top of Catherine. His hands, which had begun exploring her body, moved so naturally that it seemed as though all his focus was on their kiss.

In one swift motion, he turned her toward him, kissed her, and climbed on top. The hand that had been on her shoulder now caressed her chest, while his other hand gently stroked the underside of her jaw. Just like the previous night, Henry couldn’t resist Catherine’s tantalizing allure. It had been nearly impossible to sleep peacefully beside her, her cheeks flushed and her soft breaths filling the air. He hadn’t wanted to become a beast who pounced on a sleeping woman, so he had restrained himself and eventually fallen asleep. But now, to think she had done what he hadn’t dared—undressing him while he slept—was enough to drive him mad with desire. Imagining Catherine feeling the same forbidden temptation he had felt as she watched him sleep made him want her even more. His hands worked hurriedly to undo her sash and push her robe aside.

Catherine, still kissing him, mumbled something unintelligible. Her lips vibrated as she tried to speak, and her puffed cheeks, unable to exhale, looked endearingly cute. Henry smiled against her lips, still kissing her.

After about a month of sharing nights together, Henry had become fairly adept at undressing her. Though he had only ever removed her thin nightgowns, it was a far cry from the fumbling mess of their first night together. To fully remove the undergarment covering her chest, he would have to lift her up and undo the clasp on her back. Unwilling to part from her even briefly, Henry opted to pull it down instead. Tugging at the delicate lace, he revealed her soft, round br*asts. His breathing grew heavier. He paused his fervent kissing to let out a groan. As his fingers brushed against her plump chest while removing her undergarment, he felt himself nearing the edge of control.

Henry lifted his head. The sudden, intense kiss had left Catherine’s lips swollen and puffy. At that moment, they reminded him of a ripe peach, so full of juice it seemed ready to burst.

“Wait, I’m not ready yet…”

Henry’s manhood, which had already been half-hard when Catherine’s hands had explored his sides, was now fully er*ect, pressing insistently against her lower abdomen. Feeling overwhelmed by Henry’s relentless advances, Catherine squirmed to escape his touch. Though she felt a tingling heat below, she knew from experience that she needed more preparation to accommodate him. She had learned that being sufficiently aroused and lubricated reduced the pain of penetration. Fearful that Henry might lose control and enter her too soon, Catherine placed her hand on his waist to stop him.

“Not ready?”

“I’m… not ready.”

It took more courage than she expected to admit, indirectly, that she wasn’t wet enough to take him. Despite their many nights together, s*x still felt awkward and embarrassing to her. As she bit her lower lip, her softly murmured words trailed off.

“If you’re not ready, I’ll make you ready.”

Muttering something incomprehensible, Henry slipped his hands under her neck and thighs, lifting her effortlessly. The swiftness of his actions left her no time to ask what he was doing.

Before she knew it, she was lying face down on the bed. Startled, Catherine turned her head to look at him over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Spread.”

Henry slid his hand between her thighs, gently parting them. Flustered, Catherine twisted her hips to evade his touch, but Henry was quicker. Anticipating her resistance, he pressed down on her lower back, pinning her in place.

No matter how hard she tried to close her legs, it was futile against him. As her thighs parted and cool air brushed against her heated core, Catherine shivered.

“Are you cold?”

Henry asked, noticing the tremor in her lower body. Though it wasn’t the cold but rather her embarrassment and shame causing her to tremble, Catherine nodded, hoping he might let her lie back down if she claimed to be cold.

“Ah… ah…”

But what followed was entirely unexpected. Catherine’s hips stiffened as she felt something warm and wet against her most intimate area.

Henry’s tongue, hot and slick, traced a path along her folds. He kissed the part of her body even she had never seen.

“No… don’t…”

Catherine buried her face in the bedding. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, her entire body turned red. She hadn’t anticipated Henry’s reaction to her admission of unpreparedness, and her heart felt like it might burst from the shock. Her pulse pounded so strongly that she could feel it in her mouth.

Henry’s tongue moved diligently, its motions reminiscent of someone savoring a ripe fruit. He licked along her slit, then nibbled at her lips. Catherine’s moans, muffled by the bedding, were barely audible. Henry, still buried between her thighs, reached out to pull the blanket down.

“I want to hear you.”

He wanted to hear her response to his touch.

When he pulled the blanket away, Catherine covered her face with her hands. Despite trembling with embarrassment, she obediently remained in the position he had placed her in. Henry, his lips pursed, kissed the source of her arousal with a loud smack.

“Delicious.”

She seemed ready now. Whether it was his saliva, her own fluids, or a mix of both, Catherine was dripping wet. Her thighs were slick with moisture.

“Fragrant, too.”

Still holding her hips, Henry straightened up. Her glistening, trembling body, bent over before him, was maddeningly enticing. Stroking his throbbing manhood, Henry gazed down at her, eager to claim her.