3.3

The sight of a man’s bare body for the first time was both beautiful and shocking. It was dizzying and provocative, making Ellen feel as though all the blood in her body was rushing to her head.  

“Not planning to seduce me today?”  

Just as she was about to push his hand away, Leon’s unexpected words slipped out.  

“What?”  

Ellen’s eyes widened in surprise. Asking if she was trying to seduce him when they had already broken up, what was he even talking about?  

A blush spread across Ellen’s face. 

Had he noticed my attempts to seduce him again?  

It was true that she had planned it, but being confronted so directly made her feel embarrassed. It felt as though her innermost thoughts of trying to win him back even after being rejected had been exposed.  

“No. I won’t do it today.”  

So she denied it. After all, today didn’t seem like the right situation for seduction anyway.  

“Why not…?”  

His puzzled expression was directed at Ellen.  

“….”  

Ellen found herself at a loss for words.  

Had he wanted me to seduce him all along? 

That couldn’t be it. He’d rejected her outright when she’d mustered the courage to suggest spending the night together. So why was he saying such things now? What kind of dreams had he been having to make him act like this?  

“…Because we’ve broken up?”  

After thinking it over, she hesitated before giving her answer. She did plan to try seducing him again later, but she couldn’t reveal that now. Given the circumstances, this seemed like the best response.  

“I see.”  

Leon’s expression, as he accepted her answer, somehow seemed tinged with regret.  

What’s this? Did he have feelings for me? No, that can’t be. If he did, he wouldn’t have ended things with me.  

Ellen tried hard not to let herself fall into delusions.  

But the languid gaze he directed at her made her body tremble. It felt as though Leon was the one seducing her.  

This won’t do. I need to get out of here right now.  

However, Leon’s demeanor seemed odd. No matter how she looked at him, he seemed to genuinely believe this was a dream.  

Ellen pushed against Leon’s arm, which was holding her wrist. He didn’t seem to be gripping her tightly, as her wrist easily slipped free from his grasp.  

“Let’s talk about the rest tomorrow.”  

As she spoke, looking directly at his face, her eyes suddenly widened. Her gaze quickly shifted to one spot.  

“You’re hurt?”  

Her hand reached for the wound on his face. He could feel the concern in her eyes as they looked at him.  

Is she trying to seduce my heart instead of my body today? Well, yes, I am hurt. Not seriously, but I did get hit by Logan because of you, Ellen.  

Leon liked the worried look in her eyes and the touch of her hand. He didn’t regret throwing a punch at Logan earlier, not even in the slightest.  

“I am hurt. Because of you.”  

Since it was a dream, he answered honestly. It had been a rough day, and receiving comfort from her didn’t seem like a bad idea. Since it was just a dream, it would be fine.  

“Because of me?”  

As expected, Ellen was startled. Even though this was supposedly a dream, her reaction felt so vivid. She had always been expressive, but this was the most animated he had ever seen her. And he found it quite endearing.  

Instead of answering, Leon rested his head on her shoulder.  

“Uh… um….”  

Ellen seemed flustered, her face turning red as her lips moved soundlessly. Leon chuckled softly and blew a warm breath against her neck.  

“Ah!”  

He felt her body flinch. For some reason, her reactions seemed especially adorable today. 

Was it because this was a dream?  

Leon’s hand, which had been gently stroking her back, firmly gripped Ellen’s waist and pulled her close against his solid body. When her soft frame pressed against his broad, bare chest, Ellen gasped softly in surprise.  

“Did I scare you?”  

“….”  

Leon gave a languid smile. Every time his breath brushed against her ear, Ellen’s body visibly tensed.  

What do I do?  

Ellen blinked rapidly, her eyes wide. The sight of the alluring man before her made it hard to breathe.  

Why does it feel like he’s the one seducing me?  

It might have been a misunderstanding, but Ellen felt she couldn’t stay composed under his spell. She wanted to push him away, but his presence was far too intoxicating for her to act on it.  

“Shouldn’t we stop here for today? Won’t it be awkward to face me tomorrow if we go any further? So please, let me go.”  

Thinking it would be better to distance herself from him, Ellen tried to push Leon away. She was so flustered that she started rambling incoherently, unsure of what she was even saying.  

But Leon didn’t seem to have any intention of letting her go. And at that moment—  

She could feel something firm and swollen pressing against her through the towel where their lower bodies were close. He was aroused. Ellen, too, felt her body starting to heat up.  

“Uh, um….”  

Ellen thought she needed to snap Leon out of it. Things were getting dangerous.  

Being physically intimate with him was something she had longed for. But not like this. Not under these circumstances. They had broken up yesterday, and she believed that must have been Leon’s true feelings.  

So going through with this wasn’t right. If they were to share such intimacy, it should be after Leon had regained his senses, after she had asked him about his true feelings and sorted out their relationship.  

“Have you… grown to dislike me?”  

But Leon continued to tempt her, lightly nibbling on her delicate earlobe. His low voice, resonating in her ear, made her resolve waver.  

Dislike you? Not at all.  

Ellen closed her eyes tightly and shook her head.  

She found herself wanting more and more. It wasn’t easy to resist the man who had always been so guarded, now showing a different side, one that was seducing her.  

Should I just pretend not to know and give in to his advances?  

She had a feeling that today would mark a significant change in her relationship with Leon. Whether that change was for better or worse, she didn’t know. But she simply wanted him.  

This was her chance. If not now, she might never have another opportunity to get what she wanted.  

Ah, I can’t hold back anymore.  

In the end, Ellen decided to follow her instincts. She pushed aside the thought of their breakup and chose to be honest with her feelings in the moment.  

“Sir Guilford, this is all just a dream!”  

To hell with everything.  

Ellen took the initiative and pressed her lips against Leon’s.  

She loved the contrast between his firm physique and his soft lips. The tender texture sent a deep thrill coursing through her, filling her with excitement. Just holding their lips together felt satisfying enough.  

But then, something hot and wet slipped through the gap between her lips. Leon had accepted her and was responding in kind.  

As his tongue explored every corner of her mouth, a shiver ran down her spine. The kiss was rich and intense, their tongues intertwining as they moved together.  

The heated breaths they exchanged filled the space between them, and the sound of their mingling saliva echoed throughout the bathroom.  

Leon’s hand slowly pulled away the towel covering her body. It was the first time she had ever shown him her bare skin, and she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious.  

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. You’re beautiful.”  

Pulling back from the kiss, Leon gave a faint smile. His lips, glistening with their shared kiss, shimmered alluringly.