Chapter 96

Lionel’s lips approached softly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. It was the usual beginning.

But as Clarette was embraced, she felt a slight shortness of breath in his arms.

“Lionel, wait…”

When she tried to push him away, he only held her tighter and kissed her deeply. The breath passing between their lips grew rougher. Clarette gasped and nearly leaned against the easel.

“Ah!”

Lionel quickly reached out to stop the easel from falling. Clarette hurried to grab the canvas that had been pushed aside and returned it to its place.

Only then did their lips part, and their gazes met closely. Lionel, eyes slightly glazed with heat, murmured as he stared at her.

“Sorry, Clarette. I’m rushing too much, aren’t I?”

“It’s fine, this much…”

“Let’s go. We can’t do this here.”

Lionel took Clarette’s hand and led her out of the studio. She had to walk quickly to keep up with him as he strode down the hallway. Even as he apologized, he was still hurrying.

There were no lanterns in the corridor, but the night was bright with a full moon. In the bluish light, her bedroom door opened and closed in an instant.

Clarette’s bedroom was also not completely dark, as moonlight streamed in. Lionel, as if he’d been there many times, deftly locked the door and guided her inside.

His lips touched hers, then slowly pressed her body. Lionel laid her down on the bed and climbed on top.

“Lionel, you’re heavy…”

“Oh, sorry.”

He belatedly lifted himself slightly to ease his weight. There were many things to apologize for today. Seeing his embarrassed face, Clarette finally felt reassured.

“Please go slowly again today. I understand you want to hurry, but…”

“You understand?”

Lionel smiled and began to undress. His hands unbuttoned his shirt quickly and precisely.

Compared to Clarette’s awkward attempts, Lionel removed his shirt in an instant. He gazed down at her, still untouched.

“Don’t worry, Clarette. I want to enjoy this as long as possible, too.”

The next kiss was, as promised, gentle and affectionate. Clarette accepted Lionel’s hands as he undressed her without resistance.

Unlike before, he quickly removed her top and underwear. As their lips parted, his gaze lingered on her exposed body, then Lionel’s nose touched Clarette’s neck.

“Ah…”

He gently bit her white neck, then kissed slowly downward between her br*asts, to her stomach and waist. Clarette let out a low m*an, barely enduring the ticklish feeling as she softly grasped his golden hair.

Lionel enjoyed the way his hair was tousled in her hands, continuing his slow caresses. As her grip weakened, she heard him removing his trousers.

She thought, ‘I should undress too’. At that moment, Lionel’s hand slipped inside her skirt. Clarette grabbed his hand, which was stroking her leg, and asked,

“Wait, Lionel. I want to take off my skirt too.”

“You don’t like it like this?”

“No, my clothes will get wrinkled…”

Worried about her clothes? Lionel glanced down as he touched her petticoat.

“Is this the outfit Jasmine bought for you?”

“Yes. She gave it to me as a gift to wear while painting.”

“…Ah, I see.”

Lionel replied simply as he untied her skirt. He removed all of Clarette’s clothes and murmured,

“To be honest, I was really jealous of Jasmine.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I wanted to stay in a hotel with you for a whole month, too.”

If they did, wouldn’t they end up doing this every day? Clarette avoided Lionel’s longing gaze and answered,

“If you want, let’s do that next year. Once all your work is finished, you’ll have time, too.”

“Not this year?”

Lionel whispered seductively.

“This summer, you’ll only paint me, Clarette. There’s no one else but me.”

“That’s true, but… Ah, mm…”

He slowly moved his hand between her legs, stimulating her. Lionel admired Clarette’s trembling body and spoke softly,

“Clarette, I think I never really knew myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought I wasn’t someone who felt jealousy or possessiveness. I never understood people who acted that way.”

“So, do you understand now?”

“Yes. Truly.”

Lionel embraced her and murmured in a husky voice,

“…So this is how it feels.”

As he entered her slowly, Clarette hugged his large body and squeezed her eyes shut. Fortunately, it didn’t hurt like the first time.

But this time, the pleasure was almost overwhelming. Clarette barely endured being joined with Lionel, but once he started moving, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Ah, Lionel…”

She called his name countless times as he pressed into her. Lionel didn’t block her lips with kisses, letting her call him freely.

He loved her voice ringing in his ears. The desperate way she craved him.

Wanting nothing to disturb this moment, Lionel wished to erase everything else from Clarette’s mind. He wanted to fill her body and heart only with himself, and his blood rushed downward.

Now, Clarette didn’t cry like the first time. She looked up at him with a flushed face, her eyes burning with heat, clumsily wrapping her legs around his waist, her body trembling under his touch, her breath mingling with soft m*ans.

Everything about Clarette heated Lionel’s heart. Sometimes, when their chests touched, Lionel was surprised to find his heart beating even harder than hers.

Why did he become such a stranger, even to himself, in front of this woman?

Perhaps, not as a captain or a duke, but as Lionel the man, he was always this way. Because she was precious, he suppressed his desires, became careful not to hurt her, and feared losing her.

Maybe he was always someone who could truly love.

That’s why he couldn’t let Clarette go. He gently pressed her limp hand, so soft compared to his strong grip, which fluttered every time he moved his hips.

“Clarette.”

At his quiet call, Clarette barely opened her tightly shut eyes and looked at Lionel. His lips parted as if to say something, then closed firmly.

What was he going to say? That he loved her?

But in the next moment, Lionel embraced her fiercely. He gently bit her slender shoulder and let out a low groan, making Clarette tense and try to push away his chest.

“La, Lionel, don’t, if you do this…!”

“I know.”

Lionel furrowed his brow and murmured roughly,

“I know, too. That I shouldn’t…”

He held her gently and slowly steadied his breath. After a moment, as he propped himself up on the bed, Clarette was breathing anxiously in front of him.

Lionel couldn’t help but smile wryly. He’d never made a mistake before, but today, he almost did.

It was only their second night, and he’d fallen too deep, too quickly.

He gently stroked Clarette’s cheek as she looked up at him awkwardly.

“Don’t worry, Clarette. I’ll finish properly.”

“You promised, really…”

Answering with a kiss, Lionel gently soothed her anxiety. He was determined not to make any mistakes.

The boundary Clarette allowed was clear, and he could never cross it. If he did, that night would surely be their last.

If she wasn’t respected, she would leave.

But Lionel couldn’t imagine life without Clarette anymore.

He took deep breaths until the very end, doing his best for her. Wanting Clarette to cling to him so she couldn’t escape, but still, he thoroughly kept the boundary.

Suppressing the urge to take responsibility, and finally turning away from the unfamiliar possessiveness he’d faced for the first time in his life.