Chapter 83

“Are you tired?” Kennard’s voice, low and velvety, brushed against Elena’s ear.

Before she could answer, he grazed her earlobe with his teeth, then captured it between his lips, sucking gently. A wet sound filled the space between them as his tongue dipped into her ear and withdrew, leaving a warm, glistening trail in its wake.

A shiver rippled through Elena’s body. Her breath hitched, and goosebumps rose across her skin.

“Your Grace, that tickles,” she murmured, shrinking away instinctively, tilting her head in a feeble attempt to escape his relentless tongue.

But the more she evaded, the firmer his grip became. His fingers curled around her jaw, holding her still.

“Does it only tickle?”

Kennard tilted her head back until it rested against his shoulder. His lips found her temple, lingering there as if marking his claim before moving downward. He kissed her eyelids, then traced the curve of her lashes with the tip of his tongue, sweeping them delicately.

“Your Grace…”

Elena’s lips parted unconsciously, her breath barely more than a whisper.

“Are you asking for a kiss?”

The curve of his smile pressed against her eyelid, teasing. She wanted to look at him, to see that smile, but his tongue continued its torment, rendering it impossible to open her eyes.

Just as she thought he had relented, his lips descended again—this time between her brows. Slowly, they traveled down the bridge of her nose, inch by inch, never rushing.

All the while, his fingers remained at her chin, keeping her in place, ensuring she couldn’t turn away.

Then, at last, his lips brushed against hers—a mere whisper of contact. A fleeting touch.

And then, a slow, deliberate stroke as his tongue traced the parting of her lips.

“Kiss me.”

His whisper melted against her mouth, intoxicating, as his tongue flicked lightly over her teeth, coaxing her to surrender.

Elena’s eyes widened in shock as she gazed up at him.

He wants me to kiss him first?

The mere suggestion sent a wave of heat rushing through her, setting her aflame from the inside out.

“Hurry.”

His fingers, once holding her chin, traced a slow path down her neck, stroking the delicate curve with tantalizing ease.

Kennard’s golden eyes gleamed with expectation, shimmering with unspoken patience. He was waiting—for her.

Elena bit her lower lip, her throat tightening with hesitation. But after a brief moment of wavering, she stretched her previously tense neck, inching closer.

The sheer embarrassment of taking the lead made time feel agonizingly slow. Every second stretched unbearably, the weight of anticipation pressing against her.

Just as her lips were about to brush his—

Kennard pulled away.

Elena blinked, startled, her wide eyes locking onto his.

His usual sharp gaze, always laced with irritation, softened at the edges. Amusement flickered in the golden depths, a hint of mischief playing across his features.

Then, he smiled—one she had never seen before.

“You’re still too far away,” he murmured.

And with that, he pulled her firmly against him.

Their bodies moved as one, sending ripples through the water. It sloshed over the edge of the tub, spilling in chaotic waves, forgotten in the heat of the moment.

“Hngh…”

A soft whimper slipped from Elena’s lips, her brows furrowing.

Because at that very moment, his fingers—already buried deep inside her—sank even further.

The sudden intrusion sent a jolt through her, stealing her breath.

But what truly unsettled her was the hard length pressing insistently against her lower body, its presence undeniable.

“Hah… Your Grace…”

A breathy moan escaped her as she clung to the arm wrapped around her.

Kennard responded with a slow, deliberate curl of his fingers, teasing her from within, coaxing out every last tremor he desired.

“Your Grace… please… stop…”

Her voice trembled, but her body betrayed her. She shook her head, moaning uncontrollably, her breath hitching with each sharp wave of pleasure.

Her eyes squeezed shut on their own, brows knitting together as heat-dazed sounds slipped from her parted lips—soft, breathless, utterly foreign.

She had never imagined she could make such sounds.

Each time she was in his arms, each time he claimed her, she unraveled further, discovering parts of herself she had never known existed. It was bewildering. Exhilarating. Terrifying.

Kissing him was one thing. But when Kennard’s fingers delved into her, when his hardened length pressed insistently against her, the sensation was almost surreal.

And yet, the heat between them burned so fiercely it threatened to consume her whole. The pleasure unfurling inside her was so intense, so overwhelming, it left her on the precipice of surrender.

“Now that we’re closer, kiss me properly.”

Kennard’s voice was both a command and a coaxing whisper, sending a fresh shiver down her spine. His fingers traced slowly up her throat, cupping her chin, tilting her face upward—controlling, guiding, demanding.

And still, his hand between her thighs didn’t stop.

A desperate whimper left her lips as heat coiled low in her belly, her hips twisting involuntarily. Each tiny movement made his arousal press harder against her lower back, pulsing with unmistakable urgency.

“Hurry.”

His voice, thick with restrained desire, barely concealed his impatience.

Elena, her body melting against his, wrapped an arm around his neck. Then, hesitantly, she lifted her chin and pressed her lips to his.

The moment she did, Kennard devoured her.

His tongue plunged into her mouth without hesitation, claiming her in a kiss that left no room for resistance. A wave of dizziness overtook her as their tongues tangled, each stroke deeper, more demanding.

He kissed as if he meant to consume her whole.

There was no space to breathe, no moment to escape. His lips sucked at hers, his tongue coiling around hers, keeping her utterly captive.

And, just like always, she surrendered.

The steamy air of the bath, the water that had long turned her skin flushed and fevered—it all blurred together, making her head spin.

With his lips pressed against hers, he stole her breath completely.

Her vision wavered, her limbs turning languid beneath the weight of his dominance.

“Stick out your tongue.”

Kennard finally pulled back, granting her a fleeting moment to gasp for air.

Elena, still breathless, blinked at him in shock.

“…What?”

“I said, stick out your tongue.”

His golden eyes, darkened with heat, bore into hers.

“But—”

She hesitated.

It had taken every ounce of courage just to kiss him first. And now, he wanted her to present her tongue to him so blatantly?

A memory surfaced—the night she had touched the Banachi flower, its venom forcing her body to react in ways that had left her humiliated. That had been mortifying enough. But now, being bound to him in a far deeper way, this moment felt even more overwhelming.

“Ah—! Your Grace!”

Before she could react further, Kennard lifted her effortlessly, the sudden motion drawing a startled cry from her lips.

Her body twisted instinctively, but in the next instant, she found herself straddling him—facing him directly.

Her breath hitched as his narrowed gaze slowly trailed downward, tracing a scorching path over her exposed skin.

He hadn’t even touched her. And yet, under the sheer intensity of his stare, she felt as though he was stripping away the last of her defenses, caressing her bare body with nothing but his eyes.

Elena’s arms moved on their own, crossing over her chest as she averted her gaze in an attempt to shield herself.

But when her eyes fell upon his arousal—thick, rigid, unmistakably demanding—she swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut.

Kennard let out a soft chuckle.

“You’re sitting here, completely bare before me, and yet you’re too shy to stick out your tongue?”

His voice carried a teasing amusement, but there was something deeper beneath it—something that sent another wave of heat coursing through her.

Before she could think of a response, his hand was at the nape of her neck, pulling her toward him.

He kissed her again, his tongue sweeping through her mouth as if searching for something hidden.

“Come on,” he murmured against her lips, coaxing her once more.

Elena had no choice but to yield.

Slowly, hesitantly, she extended her tongue—but only just past her lips.

“More.”

At his command, Elena squeezed her eyes shut, her lashes trembling as she hesitantly extended her tongue further, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

“Good girl.”

His approving murmur sent a shiver down her spine, followed by the featherlight press of his lips against her cheek.

Then, without warning, he captured her tongue between his lips, drawing it into his mouth.

He sucked deeply, teasing, playing, only to retreat—then return—enveloping her lips entirely.

Each time their lips met and parted, his tongue coiled around hers, toying with it mercilessly.

Saliva pooled between them, trickling down their chins, blurring the line between where one ended and the other began.

“Haa… Elena. My Elena.”

Kennard’s breathing grew heavier, more ragged, as he drank in her taste.

His grip on her waist tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh with a force that bordered on pain.

The more fiercely he sucked at her tongue, the more her body arched backward. But each time she tried to retreat, his hand at her nape reeled her back in, keeping her locked in place.

Even when her tongue instinctively attempted to withdraw, his lips pursued it, drawing it back with renewed intensity.

Just from the sheer force of his devouring kiss alone, Elena felt as though she would melt into him completely.

Her vision blurred, her senses swimming in the overwhelming heat of his embrace.

She couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes—didn’t have the courage to meet his gaze.

And then—

Kennard did something that made her eyes fly open in shock.

He took her hands—her hands that had still been modestly covering herself—and guided them forward.

Before she could fully process what was happening, her fingers wrapped around him.

Firm. Hot. Unyielding.

“Your Grace…”

Her voice came out in a breathless whisper, barely more than a startled gasp.

Wide-eyed, she stared down at her own hands, now enveloping him completely.