Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 144

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After crying his heart out, Ed felt a sense of relief wash over him, though he was left with a strong sense of embarrassment and awkwardness.

‘Ah, this is so mortifying.’

Trying to pull away slightly from the Duke’s embrace, Ed noticed something unexpected.

‘…His Grace’s face seems a bit flushed. Is he feeling unwell?’

Without realizing it, Ed reached out to gently touch the Duke’s face.

‘It doesn’t feel like he has a fever, though.’

But as their gazes met, Ed found himself captivated by the crimson eyes shimmering under the soft moonlight.

He felt as though he was being ensnared, unable to look away.

At the same time, a thirst arose deep within him—a desire to draw closer.

‘I want to be nearer to him.’

‘I want to touch him more.’

Almost in a trance, Ed leaned forward and pressed his lips to the Duke’s.

The warmth and softness of their contact made his heart race, and he felt the corners of the Duke’s lips curl into a smile.

As the Duke’s tongue lightly traced his lips, Ed parted them as if enchanted, his eyelids fluttering shut.

The heated, sweet sensation coursed through him, sending tingles to the tips of his toes.

“Aah…”

Realizing what he was doing, Ed quickly pulled back, his face burning with shame.

‘What on earth was that…?’

Letting out a small groan, he wished for a hole to crawl into.

“…”

“…”

Unable to meet the Duke’s gaze, Ed stared at the floor, finding the charged silence unbearable.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Grace. I must have lost my senses for a moment. I mean, it’s not even confirmed that I’m pregnant or anything…”

But before he could finish his rambling, the Duke cupped the back of his head and drew him forward once more, swallowing his words with another kiss.

This time, the Duke’s lips pressed firmly, insistently, against Ed’s, leaving him breathless.

‘Smack, slurp.’

This kiss was more fervent, more consuming.

As their lips moved together, Ed clung to the Duke, overwhelmed by the sensations rippling through his body.

His hands trembled, his legs went weak, and a dizzying heat flooded his senses.

‘…It’s just a kiss.’

In movies or novels, people seemed to do it so easily.

Was it supposed to feel this intense?

His thoughts were muddled as he struggled to keep up.

When their lips parted, Ed found himself lying on his back, the Duke hovering above him.

The change in position left his mind blank.

“Your Grace…”

“What if you’re not pregnant?”

“…”

“It’s fine, Ed. If the blessing of the dragon is real, then as long as your feelings don’t waver, a child will come eventually. And to ensure your feelings don’t change, all I have to do is try harder, right?”

The Duke brushed aside the damp strands of Ed’s hair, his gaze soft as he looked into Ed’s slightly trembling eyes.

Then, slowly, he leaned down.

As the Duke’s face drew closer, Ed instinctively anticipated the soft, warm touch of lips.

But instead, the Duke pressed a kiss to the corner of his eye.

The unexpected gesture made Ed let out a small sigh, prompting the Duke to chuckle softly.

Ed found himself giggling at the ticklish sensation, his eyes following the Duke’s every move.

He didn’t want to miss even a second of the moment.

When the Duke’s lips finally met his again, he whispered against them, “I love you, Ed.”

Hearing the Duke’s confession—something he thought he would never hear again—Ed felt a lump rise in his throat.

Unsure of how to respond, he blinked rapidly before lifting his head slightly to kiss the Duke back.

The tender press of their lips quickly deepened into a passionate kiss.

The Duke’s tongue slipped into Ed’s mouth, teasing and caressing, before sweeping along his own tongue with a deliberate, languid motion.

“Aah…”

A faint moan escaped Ed’s swollen lips, disappearing into the heated space between them.

The sensation of their tongues intertwining left Ed’s legs weak, his entire body trembling with a mix of heat and vulnerability.

When Ed turned his head slightly to catch his breath, the Duke adjusted their angle and pulled back, his lips glistening as he gazed down at Ed.

“Hah… hah…”

Ed panted softly, his chest heaving.

His body felt like it was on fire, his head spinning as if he might lose himself entirely.

“Ed.”

The Duke brushed his damp bangs aside again, his large hand lingering gently on Ed’s trembling cheek.

Sitting astride Ed’s thighs, he leaned down once more.

“Ah…”

The heat that had subsided for a brief moment returned as the Duke’s lips grazed Ed’s closed eyelids.

His hand traced slow, deliberate circles over Ed’s lower abdomen, the fabric of his clothes barely dulling the sensation.

The combination of excitement and tension made Ed take a deep breath, his stomach rising and falling under the Duke’s touch.

When the Duke lightly nipped at his jawline, Ed let out a small sound of surprise.

“W-what?”

Caught off guard, Ed’s eyes widened as the Duke’s lips trailed up along his jaw, the deliberate movements sending shivers down his spine.

Finally, unable to contain himself, Ed spoke.

“Ah, it tickles!”

“How does it feel? Do you like it?”

“Yes…”

Ed’s tension melted away, replaced by a soft warmth as he answered.

The Duke took Ed’s hand in his, guiding it upward.

“This time, would you like to touch me, Ed?”

“…Your body, Your Grace?”

It wasn’t an indecent or provocative question, but Ed’s cheeks flushed deeply.

Though he had been the one to initiate their kiss, the atmosphere between them had grown so charged that every word, every look, and every breath from the Duke seemed to ignite a fire within him.

‘Am I going to burn to ashes at this rate?’

Pushing aside his nervous thoughts, Ed hesitantly let his fingers trace along the Duke’s sharp features, feeling the strength and warmth beneath his touch.

‘This is a sensation only I am allowed to feel.’

When Ed felt it, his chest tightened painfully, yet at the same time, a deep certainty settled in—he knew the duke wouldn’t harm him or ruin him.

Propping himself up firmly with one hand beside Ed’s face, the duke leaned in, his steady gaze fixed on him.

Ed’s fingertips traced along the duke’s face—his sharp nose so defined it seemed it could cut, his warm, soft lips, his strong jawline, and the steady pulse in his neck.

Slowly, Ed’s hand moved lower, grazing over the firm chest and descending further. When his fingers brushed against the hard muscles beneath the shirt, Ed swallowed involuntarily.

At first, it was just one finger tracing the bridge of the duke’s nose.

By the time his hand reached the duke’s abs, his fingers had spread wide, openly exploring the firm surface through the fabric.

His palm slid along the contours of the duke’s abdomen without restraint.

Ed wanted to feel as much of the duke as possible. More than anything, he found it fascinating.

“Abs this defined, even through clothes? This isn’t fair,” he thought.

It was clear evidence of the duke’s dedication.

Despite his relentless duties as protector of the northern stronghold, he hadn’t neglected maintaining his body.

Ed absently swept his hand over his own flat stomach, then brought it back to the duke’s, stroking again.

The smooth glide of fine fabric under his palm filled the quiet room with a subtle sound.

Without realizing it, Ed’s hand ventured lower, and he blinked in surprise.

“…This?”

“Yes, this.”

The duke exhaled a shallow breath, as though suppressing something, and offered a faint smile.

Ed, momentarily startled by what he’d touched, hesitated before lowering his hand again, unable to stifle his curiosity.

Finally recognizing what his hand had encountered, Ed murmured in a daze, “This really is… unfair, isn’t it?”

“Hmm, do you dislike it then?” the duke teased.

“That’s not—”

Looking up at the duke, still towering over him without faltering, Ed grasped his wrist, feeling a sudden surge of inadequacy.

‘This isn’t enough,’ he thought.

As if compelled, Ed tried to slide his hand beneath the mattress the duke was pressing down on, desperate to close the distance between them.

But before he could, the duke entwined their fingers together, stopping him.

“Kiss me. Then I’ll consider it.”

With a low chuckle, the duke leaned in and pressed his lips to Ed’s once more.

Their lips met—warm and damp, carrying a faintly sweet scent.

The duke’s lips nipped gently at Ed’s lower lip, then shifted slightly, parting Ed’s mouth.

When his tongue slid in, Ed let out a small gasp, “Ah…”

Their breaths intertwined deeply.

The duke’s tongue moved languidly within Ed’s mouth, exploring with deliberate slowness.

Wet sounds mingled with their shared breaths as their saliva mixed.

The heat and sweetness flowed down Ed’s throat, making him swallow instinctively.

“Ah… Mm.”

The kiss deepened as Ed’s throat contracted.

A shiver ran through him, and his body trembled lightly.

The duke’s tongue pressed firmly against the roof of his mouth, sending jolts of sensation that made Ed’s eyes sting and water faintly.

“Mm…”

The duke’s tongue brushed against the tender flesh inside Ed’s mouth before curling around his, sucking strongly.

Amid their mingled sighs, the sound of their shared desire grew wetter, more intimate.

At some point, the duke’s hand on the back of Ed’s head tightened, lifting it slightly so their lips could press together even more closely.

His tongue ventured deeper, leaving Ed’s suppressed moans to resonate in his throat, while his flushed fingers quivered helplessly.

Sensing Ed’s reaction, the duke’s lips curled into a soft smile against his.

Even Ed could feel the subtle curve of his pleasure.

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