Chapter 20

‘If this suspicion turns out to be true…’

Just as Erin’s thoughts reached that point, her mouth acted before her mind could catch up, blurting out whatever came to mind.

“It—it was for the trial.”

“…The trial?”

“Yes. I had something to discuss with him about the clinical trial…”

“What on earth could you possibly have to talk about with a reporter…?”

Ash started to speak, then paused for a moment.

The fierce glare he sent her made Erin involuntarily catch her breath.

“Gasp.”

Ash’s already red eyes were blazing. He looked as if he might hit someone at any moment.

“Don’t tell me, Doctor…”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Were you trying to fill in the incomplete section of your report?”

“What? Incomplete section…?”

At that moment, something flashed through her mind.

The report she’d prepared for the upcoming presentation.

The one part left blank, which she’d stared at—and Ash had followed her gaze to that exact section.

‘So that’s…’

The subject diversity section.

Only then did Erin realize what Ash was misunderstanding. Goosebumps prickled all over her body.

“Wait! I would never…!”

She would never do that with that reporter!

‘Besides, that guy wasn’t even attractive!’

“Gasp!”

But before she could explain, her lips were swallowed.

A hot tongue slowly traced her lips, making her body shudder without thinking. Erin was already so used to Ash that just his touch excited her.

As she gasped for air, Ash’s tongue pushed deeper, roughly exploring her mouth.

He kissed her so fiercely that her cheeks bulged alternately, and even the soft flesh of her palate was touched, making her feel like she might gag.

‘…No!’

Her body moved instinctively, not wanting to gag during a kiss.

She’d rather—

Thud!

Erin pushed Ash away with unexpected force. Then, gasping again, she looked up at him.

‘It’s not that I rejected him.’

His broad shoulders moved easily as she pushed, but Ash’s eyes only grew fiercer.

“Ash, that’s… I mean…”

‘It’s not that I don’t like you…’

Before she could say it, Ash tilted his head with a crooked smile, not his usual gentle one. Seeing that, Erin’s whole body bristled.

Soon, his low voice flowed out.

“If there’s an incomplete section, you can just prove it with an absolute amount.”

“Uh, wha—?”

“I mean we should fill the missing section with more frequency, Doctor.”

‘That’s not the same…’

No matter how much, it couldn’t fulfill the requirement for diversity.

But Erin couldn’t bring herself to argue.

Before she could add anything, Ash tore off his shirt with a rough motion.

“…….”

Seeing his exposed chest and abs, Erin lost her words. It wasn’t her first time seeing his body, but she still couldn’t understand why it always left her so dazed.

“Apparently, what we’ve done so far hasn’t been enough for you to feel confident about the experiment.”

His slow words fell on her ears. Erin blankly watched Ash approach.

“This time… I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

* * *

“Huht…!”

Erin slowly closed her eyes and then opened them.

It felt unfamiliar that such a broken voice had come from her own throat. 

Her voice was much more ragged than usual, thanks to the length of Ash’s caresses.

“This… this…”

Ash had warned her to be prepared, and now he was truly melting her.

He licked her hardened peaks atop her chest until they were almost raw, and massaged only the most sensitive spots.

Maybe that was why—

The heat that enveloped her entire body, the sensation of sweat dripping off her bare skin—it all felt overwhelmingly stimulating to her. Everywhere moisture touched seemed to bloom with heat.

“This is too much…”

But among everything, the most stimulating was—

“Ah!”

The sensation of her pleasure-shaken body being mercilessly ravaged, licked, and sucked.

It was surely the man’s large hands and lips tormenting her peak, pushing her reason to the edge of a cliff.

‘How many minutes…?’

It felt like dozens of minutes.

Ash was clinging to Erin from below, sucking and licking her womanhood.

As if determined to leave her with no reason at all.

“Ah!”

Her sensitive spot peaked, and her mind went blank. Shaking, Erin struggled to sit up and cried out.

“W-wait! Ash!”

“Hold still, Doctor.”

Ash pressed down on her lower belly, making her lie back again. Erin’s face grew even redder as she saw exactly where he was pressing.

‘That spot…’

It was exactly where Ash would be, deep inside her, close to her womb.

Ash deliberately pressed that spot, stimulating her. Erin shook her head lightly, lips trembling.

‘This is too much.’

She could tell Ash was excited, but at this rate, she felt like she’d die from pleasure.

And the lingering, thorough caresses kept making her think strange things.

‘Maybe Ash…’

Really did like her, and that was why he was doing this.

Maybe he was obsessed and jealous, thinking she’d tried to sleep with another man.

Thinking that made the rest of her reason evaporate.

Even her doubts that Ash might be a spy—all of it.

‘No, I can’t.’

She had to keep her head.

Erin gathered her strength and tried to sit up, whispering,

“I-I’ve thought about it, and I really don’t think this is necessary…”

“No.”

His voice, low and growling, pressed her to keep still. And since he spoke so close to her womanhood, his hot breath swept inside.

“That’s only what you think, Doctor.”

“No, I really mean it…”

“Isn’t it a bit late for that?”

“Y-yeah, it is late…”

Flustered, Erin tried to push Ash’s head away.

But his red eyes locked onto hers seductively.

Then, as she tried to push him away, he took her hand and kissed it.

Thump.

Her heart dropped. The overly intimate gesture made Erin jump again.

“T-this kind of thing…”

“It’s all necessary. So…”

“Huu…”

“Please don’t move.”

‘You might get hurt.’

He was using polite words, but they sounded like commands in her ears. She was the superior, but it was strange.

“Ah!”

“You’ll get hurt.”

With that, Ash spread her legs, and Erin helplessly surrendered her lower body. His hot, soft tongue traced sensitive flesh, licking her deeply, making her whole body tremble.

“Ah, yes…”

Ash soothed her, sucking her womanhood thoroughly. As if it was the sweetest thing, he licked and sucked, then reached up to gently caress her br*asts.

Even though his attitude was oddly dominant and his grip strong enough to make her powerless, his touch was so soft it felt like oil, sending shivers through her.

Erin felt the sensation of Ash kneading her br*asts and thought,

‘Were his hands always this soft?’

Suddenly, realization struck her.

She’d always seen his hands covered by lab gloves, so she’d never noticed.

Even when they’d been intimate before, she hadn’t paid attention.

Ash’s bare hands, gripping her br*asts, were large and strong, with prominent bones and veins—hands you’d expect from a laborer or a knight, not a researcher.

Big and thick, but with soft palms and firm fingers.

‘A researcher’s hands…’

Aren’t supposed to be like this.

But at that moment, as if to keep her from getting distracted, Ash squeezed her br*ast. Her sensitive n*pple, poking between his thick fingers, was twisted.

“Ah, yes…”

Erin moaned, then noticed the finger pinching her peak.

‘That…’

There was a ring on his index finger. The cold metal brushed her sensitive n*pple, and she couldn’t help but notice it. Her eyes went straight to the ring.

‘…It looks expensive.’

Especially for her own lab assistant.

The ring was thick, and the gemstone set in it was striking—a deep pink stone, almost certainly a ruby.

‘A jeweled ring…’

How did he get something like that?

Thud.

Her heart dropped again.

A jeweled ring was on a whole different level from the expensive clothes Ash had bought her or the fancy furniture in his house.

‘Jeweled rings are ridiculously expensive.’

Ordinary commoners would never be able to afford even a tiny one.

If it was fake, maybe—but the way it gleamed on Ash’s finger, it seemed to whisper, ‘I’m genuine.’

‘If that’s a real gemstone…’

That kind of thing could only be obtained working under a noble.

‘…Maybe he really does work for someone else besides me?’

The thought made her stomach churn again. The confusion was so overwhelming she felt like she might lose her mind.