Chapter 44

Vivian eventually decided to disregard his hand that was still caressing her back. She didn’t dislike the warmth that seeped from his touch at all.

“I don’t hate being with you.”

Vivian intentionally didn’t give any reply to his words through her lips. Instead, she only gave a slight nod while still feeling his touch before she closed her eyes slowly.

Did he comprehend the meaning of her response? His hand that was touching Vivian became much more cautious.

“Are you going home again today?”

“Of course, I am.”

“Then, would you like to take a bath before leaving? You were sweating a lot before.”

“Would that be okay?”

Vivian opened her eyes wide before she responded to Knox’s words.

“Of course. There is absolutely nothing that you can’t do here.”

To begin with, she was the first person who had remained in Knox’s room for a long time—with the exception of the chief physician. At the very least, there was no one in the mansion who wouldn’t respect her.

Knox was secretly watching Vivian, who couldn’t contain her surprise, with such a warm gaze.

“Then, I’ll have someone to prepare the water.”

“Ah, wait! The clothes…”

“Why do you even need to cover up your body?”

Vivian’s body immediately flinched to Knox’s blatant words.

Why, you say? How can you not wear any clothes when someone else is coming here? Vivian’s face began to feel ablaze. Do all nobles behave like this—originally? She tried to grasp it in her head, but she was still feeling all too embarrassed.

“Why, you say. There’s the position of Your Highness and I…”

“Do you actually think there are others who are still unaware of the fact that you and I have become intimate with each other?”

“What? Really?”

The shock had made Vivian’s lips become round at once. Her face was getting warmer by the second, but Knox was still acting rather nonchalant himself.

“That’s why—you don’t need to feel embarrassed at all.”

Knox, who was mumbling rather stealthily, immediately slid his hand towards her lower body.

“And also, I prefer if you don’t wear anything at all.”

His hand that had been continuously touching her bottom was absolutely filled with his own self-interest. When his hand had eventually gotten serious as it slid further down to the deep valley that was in between those appetizing buns, Vivian hurriedly clutched on his shoulder.

“But, I’d like to ask you a favor.”

“What is that?”

“Please don’t touch me while we’re in the bathtub.”

There was no more strength left for Vivian to take upon him. She needed an absolute rest more than enjoying the pleasure as for right now.

“It looks like you’ve been imagining my bathtub to be wide enough for that. Unfortunately, the size is just the same as the others, so we’ll be touching each other—no matter what.”

“Still, it’s okay if our bodies just bump into each other. It’s just—please don’t touch me with your bare hands.”

“Why?”

“That is…”

She hesitated for a while. Even though he was the one who always had been touching her body explicitly, it was still quite hard for her to tell him exactly through her own lips.

Especially these words that’d say, ‘since you might ask for sex once more’. Then again, it might seem that she, herself who secretly wanted him to do it once again. Therefore, Vivian couldn’t bring herself to tell him that exact, particular reason at all.

“If I can’t hear any specific reason then, I’ll just assume that it’s absolutely fine for me to touch you.”

“…ju, just because.”

“Isn’t the reason—too arbitrary?”

“Then, I wouldn’t like to take a bath with you.”

When Vivian had adamantly raised her upper body in due course, he straight away pinned her shoulder firmly. As soon as the back of her head had touched the fluffy pillow, Knox immediately wrapped her cheeks before pushing Vivian’s face down with his forehead.

“I got it, you stubborn lady. I got it—so, won’t you take a bath with me?”

“…okay.”

Once Vivian’s consent had sagged, he hugged her shoulders before pulling her towards him. Then, he embraced her with the rest of his arms—enveloping her body with his—and planted a kiss upon her, who was already burrowed in her pillow, with such a satisfying smile on his face.