Chapter 23: Dance in Desire

Lydia felt as if her entire body was on fire as Ephraim kissed her passionately. His lips felt warm against hers.

His arm shifted to the back of Lydia’s neck, pulling her closer so he could deepen the kiss. Without breaking it, Ephraim flipped their positions until he was on top of her.

Their bodies only got hotter as their Resonance and Guide energy danced in desire.

Ephraim cupped her face with his warm hand and kissed her again, even deeper this time. His tongue slid against hers while her hands clutched on his chest.

His hand trailed down Lydia’s side as he slid down her summer dress. Ephraim captured one nipple between his lips and sucked it gently. His teeth grazed her sensitive flesh.

"Lydia..." Ephraim panted over and over like he was locked in some kind of trance.

He sucked one of her nipples while his other hand fondled the other. Soft moans from Lydia encouraged Ephraim to continue worshiping her breasts with his tongue and teeth.

The whole room was filled with their ragged breaths and moans. Every time Lydia thought the kiss might finally end, Ephraim drew her closer, leaving her heart racing and her face burning.

When they finally pulled apart, Ephraim kept trailing small kisses on her lips, neck, down to her breasts. His thumb rolled over her sensitive peak as both of them were lost in each other.

"Ah... Ephraim... nnh..."

The blush on her cheeks only deepened as Ephraim kissed her with a desperation that left her breathless.

Her dress was skewed from his large, warm palm that was cupped around one of her breasts. Her skirt had been pushed up as Ephraim’s hand drifted lower.

Lydia could barely process what was happening. Her cheeks burned as she struggled to decide whether the kiss itself was more embarrassing or the fact that her body had betrayed her so completely.

One moment, they had been talking, and the next, Ephraim had pulled her into a kiss so passionate that she had completely forgotten what they had been discussing.

Ephraim had always been affectionate, but he was also the very definition of a polished Crown Prince.

This, however, was an entirely different matter. Ephraim wasn’t giving her any opportunity to collect her thoughts, much less question his sudden change in behavior.

Before Lydia could even understand what was happening to her, something else caught her attention.

Both of their Spirit Animal features had appeared!

A pair of delicate white antlers rose from her hair, while a fluffy deer tail emerged behind her. At the same time, Ephraim’s golden lion ears had appeared atop his head, accompanied by a long tail that swayed behind him.

"Ephraim..." Lydia reached for his lion ears. "Why are you suddenly being like this? This is my first time seeing them when we’re being intimate like this. Not that I mind."

The unexpected question startled Ephraim so much that he released her, although he didn’t move very far.

Lydia hurriedly put some distance between them, staring at him as she fixed her clothes shyly.

Well... Unlike Ephraim, his ears and tail were more honest. They were flicking and swishing in joy as he ran a hand through his hair and released an exasperated sigh. His usually immaculate hairstyle is becoming slightly disheveled now.

"Why do you have to be so oblivious?" he muttered as he covered one hand on his face. Trying his best to hide his embarrassment.

Oblivious? What was that supposed to mean?

His chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath, and the flush across his cheeks made him look nothing like the composed Crown Prince Lydia knew.

I had never seen Ephraim like this before. Sure, it wasn’t like we were never making out or doing something much more than this. But he never let his emotions get the best of him. Not even in my previous life.

"Your ears and tail are giving you away. At least they’re much more honest than my fiancé."

Before Lydia could demand an explanation, Ephraim leaned closer again. The sudden movement made her lose her balance, and she sank onto the bed with a soft bounce.

Ephraim followed her down, bracing himself above her with his arms on either side of her body, caging her against the mattress.

His face hovered above hers, his expression caught somewhere between an irritated scowl and barely restrained embarrassment.

Lydia couldn’t look away.

Damn him and his ridiculously presentable face. This isn’t fair. In my previous life, I never once saw Ephraim blush like this. Not even once!

[Blushing Prince1.jpg] — Saved.

[Blushing Prince2.jpg] — Saved.

[Blushing Prince3.jpg] — Saved.

[Blushing Prince4.jpg] — Saved.

[Blushing Prince5.jpg] — Saved.

With lightning speed, Lydia tapped her bracelet. She couldn’t possibly let such a rare occasion go undocumented!

"Lydiaaaaa! What are you even doing?! What kind of fiancée takes pictures of her fiancé when they’re..." He stopped, apparently unable to finish the sentence.

"These are precious memories! Besides, I might use it as leverage. Or perhaps, to blackmail you in the future. Will it be wonderful?"

"All bark and no bite. You’ll never do that."

"Who knows? Besides, when else am I going to see you blush like this? This is a museum-worthy moment!"

"Unbelievable. But if it will make you feel better then it’s fine."

"You aren’t even angry?"

For once, the Crown Prince of Adelstein only smiled warmly and leaned closer to her neck.

"Lydia..."

"Ouch! W-What did you just do, Ephraim?"

Lydia was enjoying the moment far too much. Perhaps because it had been so long since she felt warmth, desire, and comfort, and she wanted to hold onto it for as long as she could.

SLAM!

Suddenly, a flash of the Hawk insignia illuminated the entrance as a powerful surge of Resonance forcibly unlocked the door’s security mechanism, sending it flying open.

The sudden noise made Lydia jump, while Ephraim immediately turned toward the intruder.

"Why are you hiding in your room, you pathetic girl?!" a furious male voice demanded. "You still have to pay for the—"

Vincent Valendorf stopped speaking.

The second son of House Valendorf stood in the doorway, one hand still raised from forcing the lock open.

He had clearly arrived prepared for an argument, judging by the anger on his face and the accusation already forming on his lips.

But his words died down when he saw Lydia was caged by her fiancé. Both in a really uncompromising position

More specifically, he saw his little sister lying beneath the Crown Prince.

Vincent even had to look away for several seconds when he saw how Lydia’s neck and whole cleavage was littered with hickeys and bite marks.

The silence stretched like forever.

Meanwhile, Ephraim remained positioned above his fiancée and smiled at him with his usual politeness as if he wasn’t just making out with his little sister an hour ago.

"Good evening, brother-in-law, Vincent."

Vincent’s expression slowly transformed from confusion to disbelief, then to an outrage so profound that Lydia wondered whether his Resonance might explode right there in her bedroom.

"You PUNK!!!"

His roar shook the room.

"What are you doing to my little sister?!"