Chapter 104
“Go ahead. I want to court you in your own way.”
The Grand Duke spoke with a stern, serious expression, declaring that he would learn physical affection solely for Ruan, a gesture that held no meaning for him.
Seeing such a Grand Duke made Ruan’s heart swell with affection. It was so endearing that it also caused a pang in his chest. The face before him was so lovable that he could hardly bear it.
And then, the overwhelming cuteness ignited into heat.
The hand that was holding the Grand Duke’s cheek glided over his firm skin and moved to the back. Ruan’s fingers tangled in the thick hair, and his thumb brushed against the soft earlobe. The man with a high body temperature was warm even at the earlobe. Ruan traced the line where the earlobe met the cheek with his thumb and said.
“Then, could you lower your head a little?”
At Ruan’s soft request, the Grand Duke, who had been observing him, bowed his head. Since they were already standing close, the distance between their faces closed quickly. Ruan thought that if the Grand Duke’s eyes wandered even for a moment, they would resemble a predator ready to pounce, and he pulled the hand that was cradling the Grand Duke’s jaw closer.
Their noses brushed. Seeing the Grand Duke’s pupils dilate in an instant, Ruan swallowed hard without realizing it.
The Grand Duke’s eyes, wide open as if to take in everything about Ruan, scanned him thoroughly. Feeling that gaze, Ruan lowered his eyes. Even from this close distance, where he could only see parts of the face he had always thought was unrealistically handsome, it was perfect enough to elicit a sigh.
Ruan’s gaze reached the Grand Duke’s lips, which he also found beautiful. He extended his tongue and licked those lips slowly. He could see the Grand Duke’s mouth stiffening as he looked down with half-closed eyes.
A suppressed laugh escaped Ruan’s mouth as he licked his own dry lips. Even though he bit his lips to stifle the laughter, the closeness made it feel as if his breath, along with the laughter, reached the Grand Duke, and he felt the jaw in his hand stiffen.
With the sensation, warmth, and affection emanating from that touch, Ruan suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion.
“Your Highness.”
Finally, Ruan smiled broadly, his eyes sparkling.
“Could you open your mouth for me?”
The Grand Duke, who had been watching Ruan like prey ready to be devoured, obediently opened his mouth. Ruan burst into laughter once more at the sight and pressed his slightly tense lips against the Grand Duke’s mouth.
Perhaps due to the warmth, the Grand Duke’s lower lip felt a bit dry. After giving it a gentle lick, Ruan pushed his tongue inside the open mouth.
Ruan explored the unfamiliar sensations and warmth with his tongue. Warm breaths and saliva mixed together. He could feel the Grand Duke’s jaw tightening. Ruan extended the hand that was cradling the Grand Duke’s jaw deeper, gently caressing the back of his neck.
As their lips connected more deeply, Ruan traced the line of the Grand Duke’s nape with his thumb, gliding over the ends of his hair, brushing against his teeth, and sucking on his rough tongue. Each contact with the coarse tongue sent shivers down his spine.
Unintentionally swallowing a moan, Ruan traced the sharp canine teeth with the tip of his tongue.
At that moment.
The Grand Duke’s breath seeped into their overlapping mouths. It was a breath that lingered somewhere between a sigh and a gasp. Following that, Ruan’s soft laughter mingled and dissolved within their mouths.
Perhaps it was the breath breaking apart inside their mouths that tickled. The Grand Duke’s teeth clenched tighter. As Ruan traced the inside with his tongue, he pressed down on the Grand Duke’s lower molars with the tip of his tongue. At the same time, he opened his eyes wide and looked into the Grand Duke’s eyes. The Grand Duke’s pupils, fully dilated with excitement, watched Ruan’s movements before he opened his jaw without resistance.
In the widened space, Ruan’s tongue slid effortlessly deep into the Grand Duke’s mouth. He scraped along the hard curves of the palate, then spread his tongue wide to sweep across the rounded area in one go. As he stirred the tender flesh inside, he felt the Grand Duke’s rough tongue subtly brushing against the underside of his own. With the sudden stimulation while his sensitivity was heightened, Ruan felt a shiver run down his spine.
“Ugh.”
Ruan exhaled a breath that sounded like a sigh, suddenly realizing that this was getting dangerous. If this continued, he might return to the mansion in an embarrassing state.
Though they had impulsively kissed, they were now outside, a little distance away from the mansion. Staying here would make it hard to manage. It was a bit embarrassing that only he was in such a state while the Grand Duke remained composed.
Right. He had originally intended to show a kiss as a form of courtship. This was where it should end.
But as he thought that… he felt a reluctance to stop.
Ruan lightly bit the Grand Duke’s lips as if scraping them with his teeth, then made a loud smacking sound before finally pulling away. Even then, the feeling of regret lingered, and the hand that had been wrapped around the Grand Duke’s neck slid down, tracing his tense shoulders.
Suppressing his heated emotions, Ruan said,
“A kiss as a form of courtship is like this.”
His voice was lower than he had expected, making him feel a bit awkward.
As he licked the long string of saliva that stretched between their lips, Ruan raised his gaze to meet the Grand Duke’s eyes.
And in that moment, he realized.
The quietest moment for a cat is just before it pounces on its prey, when all its muscles are taut and ready.
In the darkness, eyes shining brightly were fixed on Ruan. They were the eyes of a predator ready to pounce on its prey.
* * *
It was a quick journey back to the mansion.
No, to be honest, he couldn’t even remember how they got there. At some point, Ruan found himself arriving at the mansion.
His steps toward the bedroom were hurried. During that time, the Grand Duke continuously showered Ruan with the “learned” kisses. Strong arms tightened around Ruan’s shoulders and back. Ruan willingly wrapped his arms around the Grand Duke’s neck, shivering with every brush of the rough tongue against his mouth.
“Haah.”
Ruan let out a soft moan as he entwined his tongue with the Grand Duke’s.
The lust that had been awkwardly contained surged forth as the Grand Duke approached him with an insatiable hunger. Even though they were already touching, they wanted to press against each other more deeply. They wanted to connect completely, without any gaps. Ruan’s body, throbbing with desire, wished to merge with that warmth, to become one and dissolve together.
As they made their way to the bedroom, Ruan nearly stumbled several times, and each time their bodies intertwined more deeply. The Grand Duke kissed him again. The kisses grew longer.
With a lack of control, the sturdy door of the mansion slammed shut with a loud noise. Normally, Ruan would have thought that it was borrowed and shouldn’t be broken, but right now, his mind couldn’t reach that far.
The Grand Duke shed his clothes as if to free himself from the grip of his own body. The complex and ornate attire prepared by the knights for his proposal was nearly torn off by the Grand Duke’s hands.
As Ruan watched the expensive fabric rip apart, his gaze traveled over the Grand Duke’s solid muscles, from his shoulders to his chest and down to his abdomen. The taut muscles, filled with excitement, moved in sync with the Grand Duke’s breathing. Rough curses swirled in Ruan’s mouth.
Ruan bit his lip and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt in a rush. His hands, driven by impatience, kept slipping. Why were the buttons so small and thin, and why were his hands so clumsy? The Grand Duke roughly licked Ruan’s lips, which he had been gnawing on. There was a faint taste of blood. The tender skin began to swell.
The Grand Duke no longer waited for Ruan’s awkward movements. He slipped his hand into the collar of the shirt he had finally managed to loosen and pulled it open, turning his head to bite down on Ruan’s neck.
“Ugh—”
Ruan moaned as he reached out desperately toward the Grand Duke. Heat radiated from the taut muscles wherever his hands touched. His own heated hands caressed the Grand Duke’s firm chest and waist.
As the Grand Duke pressed against Ruan, his head gradually lowered. The last button of Ruan’s shirt, which had been hanging on by a thread, popped off and disappeared somewhere.
But as Ruan was gradually overwhelmed by the Grand Duke’s strength and sank onto the bed, he didn’t notice. The Grand Duke’s large, muscular body pressed down on Ruan like a beast cornering its prey.
Trapped between the hot, large body and the bed, Ruan ran his hands down the Grand Duke’s sleek back. Before he knew it, the long tail that had emerged wrapped around Ruan’s wrist. Feeling the warmth wrapping around his wrist, Ruan gently stroked from just above his tailbone to the base of the tail with his thumb.
“Haah.”
A breath that burst out thickly tickled Ruan’s collarbone. His heated body felt even that as a stimulation. Ruan’s body shivered.
