Episode 6
The moment I pounced onto Theo, his ears flushed an even deeper crimson than before, as if reclaiming their color had been only temporary.
I leaned close to his ear and whispered,
“Even while your sister’s mind is all over the place, I made sure to wear completely sexy lingerie. And this is how you greet me?”
Half in voice, half in breath, I drew close, stopping just shy of his lips, teasingly near, and then slowly retreated.
Theo’s hand slid to my back, following me with his lips as if chasing a phantom.
I toyed with the distance—close enough to tempt but far enough to deny—and the blue ocean of his eyes rippled impatiently.
But there were limits to fleeing on a narrow bed.
The position I had used to straddle him had shifted. Now I sat atop his sturdy thighs, facing him, and the thin hem of my chemise had rolled up, exposing pale skin under the heat of his gaze.
The air in the bedroom thickened with tension.
Target achieved.
I quickly pulled away before the mood escalated further.
After several intensely brewed cups of tea throughout the day, my stomach protested. Prolonged exertion in this state was impossible.
“Rebecca.”
Theo’s slightly husky voice called my name, a hint of frustration in it at my teasing retreat. Yet his gaze wandered lower than his lips, brazenly lascivious.
“I’m hungry… really, I’m starving.”
Feigning ignorance of the sultry heat in the room, I exaggerated my pitiful hunger. Theo’s brows knitted with mild disapproval.
“You do realize how cruel you are, right?”
He ruffled his golden hair in frustration.
“Dinner first. Okay?”
The completely sexy lingerie would have to wait until after the meal. I smiled innocently, trying to soothe him.
“Really?”
Theo’s flushed eyes, the corners reddened, searched mine for confirmation.
What’s with those eyes… so… provocative.
Weak to temptation, I wavered.
Even after a day apart from my lover, my body still burned with longing. Words promising a later indulgence faltered on my lips.
Noticing my hesitation, Theo’s voice softened, taking on a slow, sticky drawl.
“Later, I’m going to do whatever I want with you.”
He pressed his cheek against my palm, eyes gently hooded, teasing. I shivered at the sensation, sinking into the quicksand of Theo’s allure.
A storm of conflicting instincts roared inside me.
Heat that had briefly subsided flared anew.
Theo brushed his lips lightly along each of my fingers, a mischievous smirk tugging at his mouth.
A soft, wet brush of his tongue sent shivers up my arms, igniting a warmth that spread through my body.
He paused, gauging my reaction, then slowly took one finger into his mouth. No teeth, just lips, a gentle suction, followed by a flick of his tongue.
Small gestures, but to bodies familiar with one another, enough to stir anticipation.
Inside me, a battle raged—lingering reason against instinct.
“Stay focused. If you give in now, this is the beginning of ultra-hunger exercise gone rogue.”
They say human sexual desire isn’t one of the three primary needs—but apparently, I was not entirely human. Two desires collided inside me.
After a fraught struggle, reason barely won.
I clenched my eyes shut and withdrew my hand from Theo’s mouth.
“Ah.”
His eyes creased slightly in disapproval. The flash of his red tongue had drawn my attention, and my nails had grazed his tender lips in reflex.
“Did you not like that?” he muttered sulkily.
“No, it wasn’t that. It was… an accident.”
I instinctively reached to embrace him, hoping to mollify my sulking lover.
Regret followed immediately.
Theo, knowing exactly what he wanted, wasted no time. He allowed himself to be led into a mock embrace, pressing his cheek against my shoulder in a coquettish display.
Every movement brought his soft lips to my sensitive ears and neck, his breath teasing. Innocence cloaking impure intent.
By the time I realized it, the roles had reversed.
I was trapped in his arms.
His lips no longer masked their intent, and my toes curled at the ticklish, electric sensation. Theo tightened his embrace, whispering huskily into my ear,
“So, when will you give me an answer?”
The tyrant, who allowed no room for refusal, nipped my earlobe lightly, then soothed me with a tender kiss.
Theo’s shirt wrinkled under my hands.
“Wait a moment, okay?”
I pushed him back in words only, gasping for breath. My voice thick with strain, barely audible.
Theo ignored it entirely. His kisses descended from my ears to my neck, leaving heat in their wake.
The loose hem of my garment slipped from my shoulders. Any protection from the thin layer of fabric disappeared, leaving only his warmth invading mine.
I felt like prey before a predator.
Breath ragged as after a sprint, a hand moved with clear intent over my exposed skin. I weakly pushed at his chest, but it was a feeble protest.
Theo yielded only to prolong the game, sensing my body’s gradual surrender.
I struggled to steady my breath, unable to adjust my disheveled state. The balance of my heart had long tilted in one direction. Any reversal now would have felt regretful.
I parted my lips, acknowledging desire openly. No shame in admitting it—though weakness to temptation was a little embarrassing.
Theo smirked provocatively, slowly undoing the first buttons of his neatly fastened shirt. Through the simple, indoor garment, glimpses of firm muscle revealed themselves.
My gaze followed his intention, descending naturally.
Abdomen, sculpted and pale, began to emerge. Theo paused, removing his hands from his shirt.
“Dinner first… or me?”
The temptation was too dense to resist.
“Obviously… you.”
The next scene shifts to the aftermath of this brief reprieve, returning to the office and the arrival of urgent news:
Even a single day’s rest had a harsh cost. Returning to the upper office, I was greeted by a tower of paperwork.
“Ugh… just looking at these makes me want to puke.”
No matter my aversion, the stacks wouldn’t disappear without action. I sighed deeply and took my seat, working with surprising speed, thanks to the brief respite.
I mechanically sifted through the papers until a hurried knock interrupted me.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knockity knock.
“Master, master! Something big has happened!”
Before I could even respond, my secretary, Lucy, burst in, breathless. Normally composed and cool—her moods dictated by her bank balance—this was truly urgent.
“What is it? What happened?”
A fire in the warehouse? A rival caravan poaching our clients? In an instant, my mind raced through every possible catastrophe.
Gasping for breath, Lucy managed to speak,
“No, it’s not bad. In fact… it’s amazing!”
She paused to catch her breath mid-sentence. True to form, teasing me by withholding details.
“Do you know what she wants?” I pressed, impatient.
Lucy’s voice returned, more coherent.
“Earlier, a servant of Duchess Harriet stopped by. They want our caravan’s goods for her daughter’s upcoming engagement and requested a visit as soon as possible.”
Duchess Harriet?
Even her excitement made sense. The Duchess was among the Empire’s most powerful social figures, one of the only three ducal families, and her daughter’s engagement was a major event.
The Empire’s elite all had their eyes on this affair, and for our modest caravan to be involved—it was a game-changing opportunity.
“What items did they order?”
