Standard Contract Guidelines for a Fraudulent Marriage - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 69

At Adelia’s reply, Loerston lost his words for a moment, then burst out laughing.

In that instant, he found himself thinking: when had he ever felt this close to her?

“You really won’t tell me what the secret is?”
“If I tell you, it won’t be a secret anymore.”
“Hmm…….”

Loerston’s finger flicked at Adelia’s cheek, his sound weighted with meaning.

“Wh—what are you doing?”
“Wondering how to get you to spill that secret of yours…….”
“I didn’t know you were so… persistent.”
“You’re only now realizing I’m a persistent man?”

Adelia felt her face flush unbidden as she wriggled deeper beneath the blanket.

But in doing so, his scent grew only stronger, and she found herself unable to manage her expression at all.

A good smell. That was what Adelia thought, curled up as she was.

Like a single rose blooming on a cliff face, surrounded by moss and earth and forest. His scent always carried that quality. It was so even though he wore no perfume.

Adelia poked her head out from beneath the blanket.

“You……”
“Mm?”
“You always smell good.”
“Didn’t you say something like that before?”
“Well, yes, but… I suppose every time I catch your scent, I feel the need to say so…….”

In that moment, Loerston drew his body closer to Adelia’s.

When his firm chest suddenly blocked her view, Adelia remained curled up like a startled rabbit, her eyes blinking slowly.

“You always have a lovely scent too.”
“But I didn’t put on any perfume?”
“You don’t need to. You smell wonderful.”

Speaking in a low murmur, Loerston bowed his head into the space between her jawline and collarbone.

The moment she felt his nose touch her skin, Adelia found her knees drawing up instinctively.

Sensing that shift, Loerston whispered with teasing delight.

“Why? Does it tickle?”
“I—it does tickle…….”
“Even though I’m just taking in your scent?”

His nose brushed past her collarbone and traveled upward, tracing the delicate line of her ear. At the sensation of his touch skimming the gentle curve, gooseflesh rose across her skin.

Yet it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. It was like the involuntary awe that rose in you when faced with a beautiful, vast landscape……. That kind of feeling.

‘But what sort of landscape is it?’

That was what Adelia wondered.

Loerston now held a handful of her hair gently, breathing in her scent.

“P—please, stop smelling me now…… or so you might think?”
“Different scents in different places—it fascinates me.”
“I doubt there’s much difference…….”

Her face flushed, Adelia lowered her gaze. Loerston’s bare chest remained before her eyes.

It was the same person’s body, yet why did she feel such an urge to touch it?

As Adelia hesitated, the moment Loerston released her hair, she ventured to place her fingertips lightly against his ribs.

She thought she’d been careful enough that he wouldn’t notice, but to her surprise, she felt his body stiffen for a moment.

“Oh, I—I’m sorry.”

Adelia quickly withdrew her hand. Embarrassment flooded through her.

What was she doing, touching his bare skin without permission? It was inexcusably rude!

“Why are you apologizing?”
“Oh…… yes? No, well. I touched you without asking…… or rather, I didn’t fully touch you, I just—I placed my hand there, and I thought you might be displeased…….”

For a moment, Loerston simply studied her eyes in silence. Then he cupped her cheek gently in one hand.

“Do you want to touch me?”

Adelia’s lips parted slightly.

She had no idea how to answer. To say “Your collarbone looks beautiful and I want to touch it” felt…… somehow wrong for this moment.

“J—just a l—little…….”

She felt her face burning.

What am I even saying? Won’t he think this is strange? Oh, I should have insisted on sleeping in another room!

“All right.”

Yet all those worries scattered at his single word.

“R—really, you’re all right with it?”
“Yes. Touch me as much as you want.”

Then, playfully, he winked at her with one eye.

“You’re my wife, after all.”

“No, not at all. It’s warm and feels good.”
“You sc—scared me.”

“Adelia.”
“Y—yes?”
“May I touch you?”

Adelia’s eyes went wide.

“M—me?”
“Yes. If you don’t want me to, I won’t.”

Her head spun. Why did he want to touch her?

“I don’t think I’d be interesting to touch…….”

Loerston let out a soft laugh.

“You can’t know that. May I find out whether you are or not?”

With her hand resting on his chest, Adelia hesitated a moment. She felt the urgent, racing beat of his heart beneath her palm.

‘I hope you don’t have an irregular heartbeat…….’

Lost in worry, her expression thoughtful, Adelia didn’t notice as Loerston’s lips approached her ear.

When he gently caught her delicate earlobe between his teeth, then drew her waist close against him, a soft, startled sound escaped her.

“Is it all right if I touch you?”

His voice drilled straight into her ear.

It was a voice like some strange drug—her mind hazed at the sound. Wrapped in that fog, Adelia answered.

“It’s all right.”

Then Loerston smiled.

As the buttons of her chemise came undone one by one, Adelia continued caressing his collarbone without seeming to fully comprehend what was happening.

It wasn’t until he drew down the top of the chemise that she gasped, covering her chest with her hands.

“Y—you’re really going to t—touch me like this?”
“Yes. Do you hate it?”

Do I hate it? Adelia wondered.

When she held Loerston’s hand, linked her arm through his, or occasionally leaned against him, it felt good.

She saw no reason to dislike his touch. Mortifying as it would be, certainly, but not dislike.

“I d—don’t hate it…….”
“Then don’t pull away. Come here.”

Loerston extended his arm and drew her body close. When her soft breasts pressed against his firm chest, she felt his body tremble slightly.

“Senior, wait—”
“Shh, just a moment.”

Along with a whisper barely audible, his hand began to caress her back.

His large hand, its knuckles prominent, was so distinctly felt that she could almost see it clearly before her eyes.

“Senior, it t—tickles.”
“Just bear with me a moment.”

His long fingers began to trace down her spine, finding each vertebra one by one.

Is this a dream? Perhaps it might be a dream.

Adelia surrendered herself to his careful touch, her mind floating with such thoughts.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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