“Stop teasing a virgin about having children before she’s even married.”

Maverick clicked his tongue with an expression that said he’d expected this. The Duke and Duchess of Pride simultaneously shot their son a sharp glance.

“Right. They should get married first.”

“Just how long do you plan to keep enjoying your romance while neglecting Miss Irina like this?”

Neglecting?

Irina was startled by the Duchess of Pride’s words. She spoke as if the indefinite postponement of their marriage was entirely her son’s fault. As if Irina was suffering while trying to accommodate him.

“I simply want to enjoy what I can only enjoy now to the fullest.”

Maverick must have explained their situation to his family that way. Irina felt somewhat touched.

“Now if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to dance with Miss Irina.”

Maverick grabbed Irina’s hand and pulled her away from the ducal couple.

“Those old folks, honestly. They stressed out the Queen too, pressuring her to have a child quickly.”

Maverick clicked his tongue, telling her not to worry about it. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he let go of her hand.

“I was in such a hurry to bring you away that I forgot to ask your permission.”

Irina looked up at Maverick’s apologetic face. Though he always looked neat even during his Royal Guard duties, today he was particularly well-groomed. His skin even seemed to glow, as if he’d had a special treatment.

“Don’t look at me like that. It makes me want to kiss you. Or are you offering to let me?”

Maverick frowned as she stared at his appearance, but quickly smoothed his brow.

“You look beautiful.”

He gazed at Irina with immense satisfaction. He wasn’t the only one who had dressed up today. She looked different from usual too.

She typically wore loose clothing that concealed her figure. But today she wore a low-cut dress. Maverick’s eyes kept wandering to the curves of her chest following the line of her slender neck.

She was surprisingly voluptuous. What would it feel like to hold those br*asts in his hands?

Maverick slightly bent his waist as he imagined it.

“I would be honored if you would grant me the privilege of dancing with your beautiful self tonight.”

Irina put on a prim face but eventually extended her hand to him. The dance felt awkward after so long, but Maverick slowly matched her pace.

“I’m glad you came today. I thought you might run away again claiming you had work.”

He seemed to still harbor some resentment about the jousting tournament incident. Irina felt indignant at his tone that made her sound like a habitual offender. But since she had indeed done it, she could only pout without retorting.

“I’m joking. I’m happy you came today.”

When Maverick smiled brightly, Irina’s heart fluttered.

“You look very pretty today.”

“…You look handsome too, Sir.”

When Irina voiced her compliment, Maverick burst into laughter.

“Thank you, even if it’s just flattery.”

“It’s not flattery…”

“So you mean it?”

Maverick smiled broadly. Irina felt her face burning red.

“Sir Maverick, why are you smiling so much today?”

Usually, he would just smirk unpleasantly. But today, why did he look so genuinely happy?

“Because you’re giving me your time for the first time.”

Though Maverick’s efforts had made their meetings quite frequent, they had all taken place during Irina’s working hours. Not even he could intrude on her personal time.

“So I can’t help but be happy.”

Irina didn’t know how to react to Maverick’s smile and looked away.

“Happy birthday, Sir Maverick.”

She wanted to look into his eyes while saying it, but her heart was racing too much to manage it.

“Irina, I have one request. Will you grant it?”

Maverick pulled Irina firmly into his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Stop calling me ‘Sir’ so formally.”

“What should I call you then?”

They were so close that their lips would touch if either moved just a bit closer. Irina held her breath, tense.

“Just Maverick, or Rick if you prefer.”

“Ma… Maverick Sir.”

“Just drop the ‘Sir.’ Maverick. Try it.”

“Maverick Sir.”

When Irina persisted in adding “Sir,” Maverick’s eyes sharpened.

“It’s difficult to suddenly drop it.”

Irina expressed her innocence with large, doleful eyes, insisting she wasn’t being deliberately difficult.

Maverick sighed, his lips twitching. When she spoke with such an adorable face, he couldn’t argue.

While they were taking a break after dancing, a man called out to Maverick as he was going to fetch something for Irina to drink.

“I finally get to meet your much-rumored fiancée today. Indeed, she’s beautiful enough to captivate Sir Maverick, who never spared a glance for any of Bardor’s beauties.”

He was trying to flatter Maverick by complimenting his fiancée. But he failed completely.

“If you would introduce us…”

Maverick turned away coldly without responding. Of course Irina was beautiful. And he did want to boast about his woman’s beauty to everyone.

But when the man looked at Irina with suggestive eyes, it disgusted him. That wasn’t all. Looking carefully, he noticed several men at the party were eyeing Irina the same way.

“Those eyes are attached for no good reason.”

Maverick was seized by the urge to kick the backsides of all the men stealing glances at her.

“Why are you suddenly making such a scary face?”

Irina was startled when the previously smiling man approached with murderous intent.

“I’m thinking it’s problematic that you’re too pretty.”

Maverick muttered, glaring at the men. Those who met his eyes hastily looked away.

“Who is?”

Oblivious to others’ thoughts, Irina tilted her head innocently. Maverick sighed as he looked at her. If his own eyes were going crazy, how could theirs not?

Fortunately, Irina disliked parties. If she had enjoyed them, she would have been swarmed with suitors. He might have met her when she was already married to someone else.

“Darling.”

When Maverick called her softly, Irina jumped in surprise.

“I’m very happy right now, but also a bit sad.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll have to send you home when the party ends.”

Maybe I should extend it for a week or so. Send the guests away. Of course, it wouldn’t be a party anymore, but Maverick couldn’t help having such thoughts.

“I want to have you tonight.”

Maverick swallowed hard, wanting to claim her proudly in front of all these onlookers. But Irina wouldn’t allow it.

Sighing, he turned to look at Irina and his eyes widened slightly. She had always coldly wielded the knife he handed her, saying no, refusing him. But strangely, her face was now bright red as she glanced at him nervously.

“Irina?”

Maverick tilted his head, unable to believe her reaction. Irina gave a small nod.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

Maverick slowly blinked three times, then immediately grabbed Irina’s hand and pulled her along. When she couldn’t keep up, he grew impatient and simply carried her, running through the corridor.

Had he ever regretted his bedroom being hidden so deep inside the mansion as much as he did that day? Maverick hurried his steps.

He laid Irina down on his bed and breathed heavily. His hands rushed to remove his clothes.

“Maverick Sir.”

“What? Even if you say no now, I can’t back down.”

Maverick, on the verge of losing his reason, declared.

She had nodded. She definitely nodded. He hadn’t seen wrong. She had given permission to hold her, to take her tonight.

Absolutely no backing down.

Maverick placed his hand beside Irina’s face and looked down at her. Tension filled her eyes. Reconsidering, he thought she might say she couldn’t go through with it after all.

“Si—”

Not wanting to hear such words, Maverick silenced her with his lips. As their lips crashed together, he removed her clothes.

“Si—Sir!”

Irina finally broke free from his lips and cried out.

“Don’t get my hopes up only to reject me.”

Maverick shook his head desperately, his expression pleading. Irina grabbed his face and looked straight into his eyes.

“Be gentle with me. Be tender enough to make me feel good.”

When Irina spoke, Maverick’s eyes widened. The urgency in him gave way to some composure. He planted a quick kiss on her lips and rubbed his nose against hers.

“I’ll make you feel good.”

“…Gently and tenderly?”

“That I can’t promise, darling.”

Maverick cupped Irina’s br*ast and took her n*pple into his mouth. As he moistened and teased her n*pple with his tongue, Irina carefully embraced his head.

Maverick’s hand traveled down her stomach, lifting her skirt to reach between her legs. He pulled down her underwear slightly and touched her soft flesh, finding it already somewhat wet.

“Hng!”

Irina’s body trembled when Maverick’s finger entered her. Restraining his desire to thrust deeply, he moved his finger gently inside her. He tried his best to be as gentle and tender as she had requested.

“Hm, haah, mmm, ngh…”

Irina held Maverick’s head while breathing heavily. She felt embarrassed making sounds, but he kept touching her in places that felt good.

When Maverick released her n*pple from his mouth, a strand of saliva stretched between them. Leaving that wet, er*ect n*pple, he extended his tongue toward her other br*ast.

Maverick’s careful fingers slipped out of her opening and entered again. This time he inserted two fingers, making it a bit tighter.

“Hm, inside, don’t…!”

Maverick pressed against her inner walls as if trying to widen her opening. He released the n*pple he had been sucking and planted a quick kiss on her lips.