CH 25.2

By the time she heard the crickets chirping from the window, Cherryl stretched her arms.

Cade, who showed no signs of exhaustion as he concentrated on his task, became conscious of her and placed the documents down.

“Are you tired?”

“My eyes keep closing, Your Grace. Aren’t you tired? There are still many letters piled up in here.”

“It’s alright. This is not that different from my usual job. However, I still have to accompany you to your residence.”

“No. I want to finish this. Perhaps, I’ll feel better after a short break.”

Cherryl groaned as she leaned her back against the sofa, her lids sinking heavily.

When would she arrive at her residence using the carriage?

Traveling was a hassle, and she didn’t want to go home immediately after she offered to help him with work.

Cade, who had been watching her for a long time, patted the documents and spoke.

“Don’t sleep here, My Lady. Why don’t you rest in my bedroom?” He offered tonelessly.

Did he still remember the intense physical contact they had earlier?

“It’s right across the door.”

Surprised, Cherryl straightened her spine.

She was sure she had told him she wasn’t ready to go further.

Cade let out a low chuckle as if he had read her thoughts.

“What’s wrong with your expression? Are you afraid that I’ll have my wicked way with you?”

“No, it’s—-”

Cade smiled as he grabbed Cherryl’s hand, urging her to stand up.

He opened the door to his bedroom himself and ushered her inside.

“It doesn’t mean anything else. I won’t take it back, so don’t worry and rest.”

“I’ll just get some rest then.”

Her eyes kept closing due to exhaustion.

Cherryl planned to take a short nap, wake up and help Cade again.

The Grand Duke’s bedroom was large and spacious that it looked empty.

It had no decorations indicating that Cade was staying here, so it felt dark and cold.

She wasn’t exaggerating when she thought the two beds and side tables were large enough for three people to lie on each.

“Do you always sleep here?”

Not a single window was open, but Cherryl still felt chills as if a sharp wind had blown from somewhere, causing her goosebumps.

Her palms swept across her forearms to get rid of it.

She laid herself on the bed with little human trace.

He seemed to have slept here given that a slight hint of Cade’s masculine scent permeated from the cold bedding.

If Cherryl had accepted Cade’s sexual invitation earlier, this bed would have contained the smell of their sweat and some other sticky stuff.

She must be tired enough to feel shame that she kicked the blanket to drive her wild imagination away.

As she laid her head on a pillow, she blinked in the dark until she fell asleep.

As promised, Cade hadn’t entered the bedroom.

Instead, he stood there, leaning one shoulder against the open door as he stared at her sleeping face.

“Well.”

Even if he looked the other way, he still felt the blood in his veins rushing down south.

When he kissed Cherryl until he had no idea whose saliva belonged to whom, his primal instincts ran wild like a crazy beast.

When Cherryl admitted she wasn’t ready, he tried hard to be patient.

No.

It felt like he was being tested every damned time!

***

This wasn’t just a test of controlling his lust.

Even a celibate priest who fought against different temptations wouldn’t have suffered such hardships.

Cade had no idea that a time would come when living as a full-grown adult male would feel so difficult.

In the past, Cade used to laugh whenever he heard a complaint from men having trouble controlling themselves in front of a woman they liked.

He didn’t expect he could relate to this story in the future.

It was as if his hot-blooded era came in late.

Even though he was in his prime, the changes in his body happened so often that he wondered how it was possible.

The sweet fragrance scattered in the air around her, her blue eyes as clear as the ocean, and the stubborn expression she sometimes makes.

There was nothing about Cherryl that convinced him to be patient.

Every time he was in her presence, his promise to be patient with her melted like a snowman under the scorching sun.

As he traced her pink lips with his fingers, he muttered to himself. “I can’t do this.”

As a man, sharing a bed with his future wife would require much more determination.

If that were the case, it would be better to do it once Cherryl felt the same way he did.

No.

What if it was impossible for her to like him?

He might end up not doing it in this life.

Could she embrace the heated craving that threatened to overwhelm him and burn everything around them?

He couldn’t even promise he could handle the kind of love he had for her.

Cade chuckled darkly at the thought of being an anxious bastard in his desire to sleep with the woman he loved.

A smooth marriage would have been impossible if she had caught a piece of insidious thought from his mind.

Cade slowly approached Cherryl so that she would not wake up.

Would she have reached out a hand if she knew he killed hundreds of people just to keep her with him?

He carefully tucked stray blond hair strands behind her ear.

Even in her sleep, a light smile appeared on Cherryl’s lips as if she was in a good mood.

The woman fell into the palm of his hand easily but his fear soared every time he thought she would vanish.

“I’m happy, if you’re happy——”

The voice grew in volume without him knowing it would fade after midnight.

Even if he had countless humans die in his hands, he had no intention of giving up what was his.