Chapter 148
Each Other’s First
For a moment, her breath caught in her throat.
Even though she had her back to him, she could feel his gaze. It was far denser than before—dangerous, intense.
Eleanor froze stiff inside his hot, solid embrace, unable to move. Her tightly pressed lips stayed silent, but her pale violet eyes trembled slightly.
Karsian slowly lifted his hand and gently stroked her head, as if soothing her. His languid touch slid through her soft hair and brushed against the nape of her neck. When his fingers naturally slipped between her collar and grazed her bare shoulder, Eleanor shuddered without realizing it.
“Ah…”
Perhaps because she already knew how intoxicating the pleasure he gave could be, just that light touch on her shoulder was enough to draw out a soft moan. Startled, Eleanor quickly covered her mouth—but it was already too late. He had heard it.
Behind her, his broad chest rose and fell slightly, and a low voice murmured near her ear.
“You really are…”
Embarrassment flushed Eleanor’s face red—and suddenly, Karsian buried his face into her shoulder.
“You’re adorable.”
It was a simple compliment, yet because of his low voice, it sounded indecent. And as if to prove it wasn’t just her imagination, his actions followed.
He pressed his lips against her narrow shoulder a few times, then began to suck gently at her pale skin. When his teeth lightly bit down, a sensation spread that she couldn’t tell was pain or pleasure.
“Karsian…!”
Only then did Eleanor regain control of her body and sharply turned her head like a startled fish. In the dim darkness, the eyes she met were already far beyond any line of restraint, glowing intensely.
As if even her weak attempt to stop him pleased him, Karsian curved his dark brows in satisfaction and slowly licked the spot he had bitten.
Does he enjoy biting cute things?
A strong instinct told her that if she stayed still, he would bite her again. Panicking, Eleanor quickly turned around to face him properly—but the distance was so close that their lips almost brushed.
She instinctively stepped back. Karsian followed her without thinking.
Thud.
Only when her back hit the wall did Eleanor realize she had been completely cornered.
“Chasing you when you run away is fun in its own way,”
Karsian said softly, curling his lips upward.
“But right now, it’s time to do something even more fun.”
The way his hands gently held her face made his meaning clear. And truthfully, it was something she wanted too.
Eleanor’s long eyelashes trembled, then she slowly closed her eyes. It was permission.
Their lips met slowly. Unlike before, the kiss was careful and respectful. Though, considering he had bitten her shoulder like a beast, “respectful” wasn’t quite the right word.
Their lips brushed and parted repeatedly, as if savoring each other. When Eleanor finally opened her mouth, he slipped inside as if he had been waiting for it.
His movements were unhurried as he traced her delicate inner flesh and entwined with her soft tongue. It felt strangely slow—almost like he was deliberately holding back.
Unable to endure it, Eleanor timidly moved her tongue. She awkwardly tried to imitate what he had done earlier—sucking gently, pressing her lips back against his.
She was clumsy beyond measure.
But to Karsian, that clumsiness was unbearably stimulating.
And then, the kiss changed completely.
With one hand braced against the wall, he kissed her as if drinking water after a long thirst, swallowing her lips again and again. Their bodies pressed closer, flesh tangled messily together. The kiss was no longer just passionate—it was desperate.
“Hng…!”
Barely keeping up with his fierce rhythm, Eleanor gasped for breath when their lips finally parted.
Her strength drained away again. Her body seemed to give in to pleasure far too easily.
Perhaps realizing this as well, Karsian didn’t kiss her again. Instead, he reached out—and lifted her up.
Eleanor naturally wrapped her arms around his neck. Having been carried by him several times before, it didn’t surprise her anymore.
What made her tense was what came next.
Their destination was, of course, the bed.
He gently laid her down on the soft blankets. Eleanor looked up at him like a deer moments before being devoured.
When their eyes met, Karsian’s brow twitched.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that.”
What shouldn’t she do? Eleanor didn’t understand, only blinking in confusion.
“I told you. I can’t stop anymore.”
And with that, he captured her lips again.
The kiss was intensely fervent. Any thoughts she had of explaining something vanished instantly under the rush of pleasure.
As her mind went blank, Karsian’s hands moved steadily. Without her noticing, buttons came undone one by one, and pale skin slowly emerged from between the parted fabric.
Soon, his hand slipped inside her clothes. Even his light touch was enough to spark sensation as his hand moved slowly along her bare waist—then reached a place no one had ever touched before.
“Ah!”
Her vision flashed white. Her body jolted as if struck by lightning.
Before she could even understand what had happened, another overwhelming wave of pleasure followed. His hand stimulated the same spot again.
“H-hng, wait…!”
She meant to beg him to stop for a moment—but before she could finish, he swallowed her lips again. His teasing hand never paused.
Eleanor thought she understood pleasure after what they had done at the inn before.
She was terribly mistaken.
Touching bodies while still clothed and being stimulated with nothing in the way were entirely different things. And naturally, the latter was far more intense.
Excessive pleasure felt no different from pain.
With his hands and his mouth, Karsian drove her relentlessly to the edge—and Eleanor reached her climax in an instant.
Her lips fell open. Her arms and legs trembled violently. Her body stiffened, then went completely limp.
Haah…
As Eleanor gasped for breath, Karsian kissed beneath her collarbone, as if even that sight was adorable to him.
Kiss. Kiss.
His lips slowly traveled downward along her skin, as though warning her that the night was only just beginning.
Having barely steadied her breathing, Eleanor looked at him with unsteady eyes.
Suddenly, something she had glimpsed before flashed through her mind.
She hadn’t seen it clearly—but it was obvious that it was far from an ordinary size.
Gulp.
Without realizing it, Eleanor swallowed.
Could her body really handle that? She was confident in her mental strength—but not her physical endurance.
“…Are you afraid?”
Karsian suddenly asked.
When she lifted her gaze to his face, she saw a serious expression.
Despite how heated things had become, he was worried about her. Even though he had said he couldn’t stop, if she asked him to, he truly would.
Seeing that made her smile naturally.
“Yes. I’m embarrassed—and scared. Being naked like this is embarrassing, of course. And what scares me is…”
She forced strength into her limp arm and slowly raised it, gently stroking his cheek.
“I like you so much… that I’m afraid someday we’ll grow apart. I’m afraid of that day.”
Karsian’s brow twitched sharply. Clearly displeased, his voice dropped even lower.
“That day will never come. I won’t let you drift away from me.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. Of course. What a pointless worry. I’ll help you forget those unnecessary feelings. If being naked alone embarrasses you… would this help?”
Karsian lifted his upper body and positioned himself over her. Then, suddenly, he began undoing the buttons of his shirt.
The scene felt strangely familiar.
She remembered a similar moment at the Grand Duke’s residence in Juvenile.
Back then, he had promised her—next time, he would show her his body.
And now, he was keeping that promise.
One by one, the buttons came undone, revealing his solid body beneath the white shirt. The more that was revealed, the wider Eleanor’s mouth fell open.
Karsian’s bare body was… like a sculpture.
No—more than that.
No statue she had ever seen possessed a body so perfect.
His chest rose powerfully. His abdomen was tightly packed with defined muscle. His broad back and shoulders were so large it was hard to believe they belonged to the same man.
“Can I… touch you?”
“It would be an honor.”
Karsian nodded with a fox-like smile, looking genuinely delighted—as if her touch were the greatest honor imaginable.
Forgetting that she herself was naked, Eleanor cautiously reached out and placed her palm on his chest.
His skin was burning hot and incredibly firm—like touching a stone heated by fire.
She slowly traced his body with her hand. As her small, cool hand explored his bare skin, even the composed Karsian began to frown. It clearly wasn’t just ticklish.
It was fun.
Up until now, she had always been the one overwhelmed. It felt good to return the favor, even a little.
“…That should be enough.”
“No. I want to touch more.”
She replied playfully and pinched his firm flesh once—revenge for earlier.
Seeing his brows twist sharply was immensely satisfying.
“Your body is amazing. It’s completely different from mine.”
Her pale hand slid from his chest down to his abdomen, then lower still. As she neared a sensitive area, his body jerked.
“It’s so hot…”
She whispered with a sly smile, her hand continuing downward.
“And… hard.”
That was Karsian’s limit.
Letting out a low, beast-like growl, he could no longer endure and pushed Eleanor back onto the bed.
“This time, I’ll find out for myself,” he said.
The brief pause was more than enough.
Having exhausted his restraint, he moved without hesitation.
“Exactly where your body is different from mine.”
Slowly. Thoroughly.
Karsian whispered roughly.
It was time for them to take each other’s firsts.
