Chapter 41

He confessed his love as if breathing air into her mouth and gently rubbed circles over her chest.  

The soft curves beneath her dress, escaping the confines of her undergarments, stiffened against the pressure of his palm.  

“Ah! Ahh!”  

“Hazel.”  

Kaiden called her name as if urging for an answer, but his lips never left hers. Instead, he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, swallowing every bit of saliva pooling in her mouth.  

Her now-softened tongue intertwined with his, moving up and down in a dizzying rhythm.  

“Mm… Huh, ahh!”  

Even as his hand gripped her chest over the dress, the intense movements of his tongue filling her mouth made her hips twitch. Whenever he pressed his weight against her lower abdomen with his firmness, her thighs tensed, and a faint trace of excitement seeped from her.  

“Ah, ahh! Your Grace, not here….”  

Hazel shook her head, realizing that this wasn’t the right place—after all, they were in someone else’s establishment. Kaiden, seeing the hesitation in her eyes, reluctantly nodded, though his gaze still burned with unfulfilled desire.  

He withdrew his pressing form and slid his arms beneath Hazel’s back, lifting her effortlessly. Now, she was seated on his lap, facing him directly.  

The shadows cast by her thick lashes made her eyes seem even deeper, and her lips, damp from the kiss, glistened as if they had captured the stars from the café itself.  

“Hazel.”  

His gaze, filled with longing, seemed to shake her resolve. Hazel pushed against Kaiden’s shoulders with her arms.  

“Not here.”  

“Then, just a kiss.”  

“No, look at the stars. The stars are so beautiful.”  

“You look at the stars. I’ll look at something even more beautiful.”  

Before Hazel could ask what he meant, a soft sound came from the nape of her neck. His moist lips brushed her collarbone and soon moved to her chest.  

Though she wasn’t undressed, the sensation of his lips pressing against her dress sent a tingling wave up her spine, as if the fabric had vanished.  

“How am I supposed to look at the stars like this…?”  

Every time his lips touched her, her eyes threatened to close, and soft moans rose to her throat, making it impossible to focus.  

“Hazel, do you really have to look at the stars?”  

“You… ahh! You told me to.”  

“You’ll get to see them plenty soon.”  

He had brought her here to see the stars, but now he was telling her to stop looking at them. Hazel couldn’t help but laugh softly, realizing she had fallen deeply in love with him.  

“Shall we go for a walk now?”  

Feeling that if they stayed like this, she’d be completely consumed by him, Hazel jumped to her feet.  

However, Kaiden’s condition was far from resolved.  

“It seems like I might need some fresh air as well.”  

Hazel glanced at his lower half, which was still noticeably strained despite being concealed by his pants. Kaiden gave her a sly smile and slowly approached her.  

Thinking he might actually mean to continue here, Hazel took a step back, but his hands easily caught her.  

“Hazel, you need to fix your dress before you go. Where are you planning to go like this?”  

Kaiden slipped his hand under her dress, adjusting her disheveled undergarments. The intimate sensation sent a sharp jolt through her, making her quickly grab his hand.  

“Y-Your Grace, you’re no better yourself!”  

“Then, would you fix mine for me?”  

Hazel buttoned up his shirt, which had somehow come undone, and straightened the decorations that had popped out.  

“But I can’t help with that.”

She said, pointing toward his pants.  

“I’ll handle it myself.”  

Kaiden pulled Hazel’s hand toward him, trapping her in his arms, and kissed her cheek so deeply that her skin dimpled.  

“This will have to do for now.”  

“We’re late! L-let’s go already.”  

“Alright, Hazel.”  

Fanning her flushed cheeks with her hands, Hazel hurried out of the boutique.  

As they walked, exchanging lighthearted conversation and stealing kisses whenever their eyes met, the night slowly transitioned into dawn.  

***

The next day.  

The wedding preparations were so smooth that Hazel barely had anything to do.  

Despite the long walk they had taken until dawn, Hazel found herself rubbing her sleepy eyes at breakfast, while Kaiden appeared as composed as ever.  

To think this wonderful Duke was now her husband. Hazel twirled the ring on her finger with a smile.  

“Marquis Erban, I wish to marry your daughter.”  

“Marriage? M-marriage? What is this all of a sudden…?”  

Nordic and Kate, who had been in the middle of chewing their steak, froze and stared at Hazel in disbelief. Hazel boldly held out her hand, displaying the ring that sparkled under the dining room lights.  

“I told you I’d marry the person I want to.”  

Hazel declared confidently.  

“Marquis Erban, I truly love Hazel. I will cherish her for the rest of my life.”  

Kate was moved to tears by Kaiden’s words, while Nordic jumped to his feet, shouting in celebration. Their approval was so enthusiastic that asking for permission seemed almost unnecessary.  

“Ahem. So, when do you plan to hold the wedding, Duke Gray?” 

Nordic asked, attempting to regain his composure and lowering his voice.  

“I plan to hold it as soon as Evan returns.”  

“You don’t need to wait for Evan. I give my permission.”  

Nordic’s wide grin and dismissive attitude toward Evan made Kaiden chuckle awkwardly. He assured them that he would prepare for the ceremony as soon as Evan returned.

Thus, the proper wedding preparations began.  

During this time, Hazel simply nodded or shook her head when Kaiden brought sketches of wedding decorations and dress styles he had prepared beforehand, asking, “How about this?” If she just stood still, the tailors would come and take her measurements.  

When the tailor asked, “What kind of design would you like?” Kaiden handed over a few sketches as if he had been waiting for the question. “Revealing the shoulder line would look nice, but it shouldn’t be too revealing. For the ornaments, use crystals that aren’t too flashy…” he said, going into meticulous and lengthy details.  

Afterward, he would still ask Hazel if she was okay with it, so she had no reason to feel upset.  

There were often rumors about how exhausting wedding preparations could be, to the point where some almost gave up. Hazel had been worried about this, but for her, it all felt like someone else’s story.  

Two weeks had already passed, and the wedding preparations were nearing their final stages. Hazel found herself feeling more relaxed than usual, both physically and mentally.  

On the other hand, Kaiden was busy traveling back and forth between the mansion and the fragrance factory, which had been wrecked by an explosion, while also preparing for the wedding.  

“Hazel, did you wait long?”  

“No. I’ve been so sleepy lately that I just woke up after taking a nap following lunch.”  

“Really? You’re not feeling unwell, are you?”  

Hazel shook her head.  

“Your Grace, has the fragrance factory been mostly restored?”  

“Yes. I plan to charge Humohr for every last penny.”  

“Do it after the legal investigation is over.”  

“Are you siding with Humohr now?”  

Kaiden’s tone turned sharp at the mention of Humohr. He lifted Hazel, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, and placed her on his lap.  

Still in her chemise, as she hadn’t changed clothes yet, Hazel felt his hand slowly stroke her back. His fingers moved upward as if counting her ribs before firmly cupping her chest.  

“Mm!”  

The thin chemise crumpled under his touch, and a soft moan escaped her lips as the sensitive peak was stimulated.  

“I wish you would think only of me. Is that too much to ask?”  

The hem of her garment was suddenly pulled into his mouth, exposing her round chest. Kaiden pulled her hips closer to his, pressing her against his hardened body, and lowered his head to bury his face between her br*asts.  

As his nose pressed into her soft flesh and his tongue flicked over her sensitive peak, a shiver-inducing sensation made her eyes involuntarily close.  

“Haa… Ahh!”  

“You only look at me during moments like this.”  

Kaiden, who muttered as if it was unfair, began to suck on one side, making the unevenly swollen peak stand out. Hazel tapped his firm chest, signaling him to stop, but in an instant, her back met the mattress.  

“Your Grace… I just woke up.”  

“You’re the one who started this in the morning before.”  

Kaiden smirked and pulled down her undergarments. Her damp panties rolled down from her thighs to her ankles. Then, grabbing her round knees, he spread her legs wide. The chill of the air made her entrance quiver, and a trickle of arousal escaped.  

“When did I ever?”  

“You used to beg for it in the morning.”  

Kaiden braced himself with one arm beside her face, his other hand guiding his length to her entrance. As the tip pressed against her, the opening stretched to its limit, turning a flushed red.  

“Ahh… Ahh!”  

The veined shaft slowly pushed inside, warming her inner walls as it went deeper. The previously tight walls began to relax, yielding to the heat and pressure.