Chapter 14 – Part 2

“Of course. Do you want one?”

“Please.”

As Evan sat on the sofa, he watched Anne bring the candy case over.

Anne opened the glass case, picked up a strawberry candy with her fingers, and brought it close to his mouth.

“Here, say ‘ah’.”

Evan took her hand, pulling her closer, and bit the candy along with her delicate fingers.

His warm, soft tongue slowly caressed her fingers as it took the candy.

“…Duke, that’s my hand.”

Evan chuckled and placed a gentle kiss on the tips of her fingers.

“There’s still candy powder on them.”

Anne couldn’t bear to look at Evan and turned her head away, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her cheeks were a rosy red, and she felt a tickling sensation in her chest.

“…There’s plenty of candy. Stop it.”

Evan, without breaking his gaze, licked her fingers again.

Each time his tongue touched, her small hand twitched slightly in his grasp.

“Do you really think I’m doing this just to eat candy powder?”

Evan looked up at her seriously, and Anne quickly pulled her hand away.

Feigning nonchalance, she replied, “This is the best candy I’ve ever had. Although, I’m sure nobles like you can’t tell what’s really delicious or not!”

Evan’s blue eyes stared straight at her.

He realized this was his last chance to live a happy life with her.

“I’ll be acquitted at the upcoming trial. But if things go wrong, I’ll move to the Vails Kingdom.”

The news of his acquittal was a relief, but Anne was startled by what followed.

She worried whether the Vails Kingdom would welcome Evan, who had led the Terossa army against them until recently.

“Really?”

“Thinking about it made things clearer.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I need to do.”

‘This is my chance to hold onto you.’

Evan’s serious demeanor made Anne nervous as well. He could guess what she was thinking as she looked at him with trembling eyes.

Whenever Evan took a step back, Anne would come closer. But whenever Evan took a step forward, Anne would run away. She was that scared.

Although Evan didn’t know what had happened to her, it seemed she had deep emotional wounds.

Anne always measured her distance from people like a timid herbivore.

Yet, she was so emotional and affectionate that her bewildered reaction to Evan’s assertive approach was endearing.

This time, Evan had no intention of letting her go.

He would hold her close so she couldn’t run away.

“Shall we eat the candy together?”

“Evan?”

Evan gently pulled Anne onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist. In an instant, Anne was sitting in his embrace.

Evan kissed her cheek. Her wide-eyed, bewildered expression was incredibly adorable.

“Today, the little one won’t interrupt.”

“Oh.”

Anne gasped as she realized what he meant. Evan slowly kissed her slightly parted red lips.

At first, their lips brushed lightly. Anne, feeling embarrassed, closed her eyes tightly and stiffened.

Evan soothed her, gently stroking her back. But his body was tense as he suppressed his dark desires.

His sweet tongue cautiously parted her lips and slipped inside.

A sweet taste flooded Anne’s mouth. Even though it wasn’t their first kiss, her heart pounded as if it were.

His once gentlemanly kiss grew rougher. Occasionally, Evan would pull back slightly to ensure Anne could breathe before continuing with his fervent kisses.

Before she knew it, Anne had wrapped her arms around Evan’s neck, completely immersed in the passionate kiss. The large hands stroking her back and the way her thighs tensed against his were all excessively provocative.

“Hmmm.”

Anne unconsciously let out a small moan.

Evan paused the kiss, looking over Anne’s face carefully.

Seeing her unfocused eyes, reddened lips, and hearing her ragged breaths, Evan cursed softly.

Supporting Anne’s waist, Evan stood up from the sofa. Reflexively, Anne wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, causing Evan to let out a small groan.

He carried her through the sitting room and into the bedroom.

Anne’s heart was pounding so loudly she couldn’t think straight.

Evan gently sat her on the bed and spoke.

“…Come to think of it, what were you talking about with the Vails prince earlier?”

“……”

Anne avoided Evan’s gaze. When she didn’t answer, a brief silence followed.

Evan raised one corner of his mouth and asked again.

Though his expression was cold, his deep blue eyes burned hotter than ever.

“Did you talk about something I shouldn’t know?”

“……”

Anne’s shoulders trembled. Evan laughed softly.

“Was it really something you couldn’t tell me? It’s strange to see Anne Vanessa, who usually chatters non-stop, so silent.”

“When did I ever chatter?”

“See? You’re not someone who can keep quiet.”

A low laugh echoed in the room.

Evan’s demeanor, as if he knew her well, made Anne pout and turn her head away.

Evan chuckled and carefully laid her down. Then, he took off his jacket and loosened his tie.

As he unbuttoned his shirt, his sculpted body gradually came into view.

“Duke?”

“It doesn’t matter what he said. But there’s no need to listen to the arrogant young man’s words.”

Anne had intended to refuse the prince’s proposal from the beginning, but the implicit pressure to do so made her burst into laughter.

Evan stared at Anne intently with his downcast eyes. Then, as if displeased, one of his eyebrows arched upward.

“Answer me.”

“I’ll tell you once I’ve properly refused the Vails prince.”

Evan let out a small sigh. This mischievous young lady was unpredictable.

He remembered a time in the past when she had spoken so boldly.

Evan gently caressed Anne’s cheek, lost in brief thought.

Ah, that night when he was particularly exhausted, on the stairs leading from the outer castle to the inner castle in Dehart. It must have been then.

‘Shall we spend the night together?’

If he had asked her to promise not to grieve if he died before he went to battle, would things have changed?

No, he didn’t even know if she had such deep feelings for him back then.

Understanding Anne’s thoughts and feelings was always difficult for Evan. Even now, with her lying beneath him, he couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

Anne Vanessa was that difficult.

Recalling her bold words from before his regression, Evan spoke.

“Would you stay with me tonight?”

“…Well.”

“Well?”

Anne hesitated for a moment. It felt like all the courage she had gathered had vanished.

She worried about how people would perceive her being with the Duke.

A scandal involving a commoner of unknown origins, would that be okay?

She had initially thought this relationship was just a brief mirage on the battlefield.

Despite the ceasefire and the near-certain acquittal, she couldn’t understand why Evan still desired her so much.

‘What is he thinking?’

Since he still wanted her, perhaps she could be a bit more selfish?

Anne liked him. She didn’t know when another moment like this would come.

“Alright.”

The problem was that Anne didn’t know how to take off her dress by herself.

She spread her arms wide and closed her eyes tightly.

Her gesture seemed to challenge him to undress her, with layers upon layers of rich lace.

Evan stifled a laugh.

At times like this, she had the same quirky charm as that bluebird.

“Anne, could you turn around?”

“Huh?”

“To undress you, I need to undo the buttons at the back.”

Anne exclaimed, “Oh!” and turned over, lying on her stomach. But strangely, she neither heard nor felt anything from behind.

Evan watched her, stifling his laughter with a hand. It was truly impressive how she could kill the mood so effectively.

He gently stroked Anne’s hair and began unbuttoning her dress slowly.

As he reached a certain point, Anne raised her voice in a panic.

“Ah, wait a minute. I can do the rest myself now!”

Evan’s hand paused.

Just as Anne was about to rise, Evan tenderly kissed her shoulder through the gap in her dress.

“Aaah…”

The sensation of his breath on her shoulder made Anne shiver and let out a small moan. Every touch seemed to ignite a fire in her lower abdomen.

However, she was most concerned about hiding the chrysanthemum seal. She instinctively pushed Evan away.

“I can undress myself! Yes? Please?”

Evan knew about the chrysanthemum seal, but he was uncertain when to bring it up to Anne.

Watching her green eyes widen in fear like a frightened rabbit, Evan kissed her forehead and stepped back.

He sat on the bed, turning his back to her, though the rustling noises from behind sounded unusually loud.

Even though he had undone all the buttons on his shirt, his body remained hot.

As soon as Evan turned back, Anne sprang up. The unbuttoned dress quickly slid forward.

Anne swiftly shed the dress, leaving only her slip, and dove under the covers.

She called out to Evan in a small voice.

“Duke.”

When Evan turned around, he saw a mountain of blankets with just Anne’s face peeking out at the top.

Evan wondered.

‘Does she really expect me to do anything like this?’

“Do you want to sleep with me, Anne?”

“Are you teasing me?”

Anne buried her face in the blanket.

‘Is he an idiot? Why else would I be lying here on the bed? Why does he need to ask again?’

“No. I’m asking sincerely, Anne.”

“Do noblemen act like gentlemen even in bed?”

Evan leaned in and kissed the corner of her eye, barely exposed.

“Do you want me to act like a gentleman?”

“Not necessarily… but why do you keep asking such embarrassing questions?”

Blushing to the tips of her ears, Anne glared at him with only her eyes peeking out.

With eyes still burning with desire, Evan gently pulled the blanket away from Anne.

“Anne, could you call me by my name?”

“What?”

“I’d like you to call me by my name when we’re in bed.”

“…Evan.”

Her voice was barely a whisper, but Evan smiled, satisfied.

“Well done.”