This is just sympathy! Yes, compassion! Nothing indecent!... Alice calmed her turbulent emotions as she lied to herself and let Kole hold her hand.
A fatal mistake!
Whom was she kidding? Any noble would be able to guess Kole's intentions. It was the job of aristocrats like him, to appear as gentlemanly as possible and convey their emotions through small actions.
Seeing Alice not resisting his touch, Kole became braver and started shifting his seat toward Alice's.
In fact, he didn't know who unearthed the hidden playboy in himself, but he has become more aggressive even against his mother!
Sure, Alice had a fiancé, but that made it even more exciting!
He looked at Alice who has already become beet red by now.
She only lowered her head as she looked at the cup of her tea, and didn't even notice Kole's actions.
Suddenly, Kole removed the glove from her hand, and holding it tight he gave a gentle kiss.
"!!!" Alice felt Kole kissing her hand. Her pupils dilated as she looked up at him in shock.
Now, if before, Kole was just being a good friend, then his intentions were bare to see for all.
Her mind whirled, several emotions clashing and creating a storm!
For a moment she was dazed, Alice didn't know how to react.
Despite being the lively bold girl she was—she was by no means a cheater, fraud, or swindler. She was supposed to be someone else's woman, but here she was feeling pleasure from the touch of another man.
Not to mention, that damn handsome face that can put even the most dashing princes blush in shame! It did critical damage to Alice.
All of this created Alice to fall into a reverie, and she blankly looked at Kole taking her other arm and doing the same by planting soft kisses on her little fingers.
"Miss Turner, a gem like you deserves better… don't you think so?" Kole paused, gently stroked her pale white fingers, and asked with a sly grin.
Alice broke out of her stupor. She tried to laugh at the previous tension, but couldn't as she stuttered, "Ah… yes?"
Kole feigned a sorrowful look, "It must be hard for your fiancé but considering he might have some mental imbalance even after the treatment, would you still marry him?"
"Don't you think it's unfair to you? To your aspirations? Your ambitions to see the world?" Kole's voice turned stern as he enticed her; his lips stretching into a wolfish grin.
Taking deep breaths, Alice calmed herself.
She retracted her hands, and Kole didn't force her.
Taking a sip from the tea, that has already turned cold, Alice felt her mind cooling as well.
"Kole, you've been a good friend of mine. You have appreciated my adventures." She sighed as the realization of the situation hit her.
She exhaled a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
She was a noblewoman and not some street girl.
Even if her hobbies were frowned upon by other women, she has always carried herself with poise and grace.
She could not let her dignity be tarnished.
Her brows furrowed deeply as she continued, "And I like that about you. Unlike others, who discourage me and tell me how a noblewoman should act, you've given me a company that I enjoy, really. But that is all, Kole..."
"Well… You know…" Kole chortled, "My mother is the Duchess. If I ask her, sincerely, arranging something as trivial as this won't be a problem. You should be able to leave these shackles that are about to bind you."
Alice, for the first time, laughed cynically. She shot a look filled with slight rage she was feeling, "And then what? Marry you? Isn't that your intention, Heir Akerse?" She changed her way of addressing him, to a more formal one, indicating she wasn't happy with what transpired.
Kole was slightly surprised. But soon, a look of understating appeared in his eyes.
The anger wasn't directed at him but at herself. Yes. She was blaming herself for letting Kole get ahead of himself, and feeling good through his touch!
Hearing Alice's question, Kole didn't shy away from her gaze and looked deeply into her emerald eyes with his deep black orbs.
They were already very closely seated.
The gentle breeze was flowing, as the sky was slowly turning a darker shade, and the night approached.
Kole's hand slithered behind her waist; he leaned forward. In one swift motion, he removed her hat that covered her face with the fishnet veil.
Their noses almost brushed past each other. Alice could feel the hot breath of Kole on her face. Her heart raced again.
She couldn't help but become lost in those dark abyss-like eyes.
"!!!" Suddenly, Alice felt her lips being sealed!
Her emerald eyes widened in surprise. Immediately, her body went rigid.
It was at that moment when Kole decided to push things as fast as possible before the instinctive rejection of females started!
Females were contradicting creatures. And Kole understood that fact. Even if they liked something, they'd pretend otherwise!
He poked his tongue at her white pearly teeth, and Alice who was completely stupefied gasped as she felt Kole's hand snaking past her waist, and towards her butt.
Even though she was seated and Kole couldn't get full access, it was enough to stun Alice and make her open her mouth by mistake!
Kole didn't let go of this golden opportunity. His tongue glided past her defenses, meeting with the small pink tongue of Alice.
All the while, Alice's mind was completely blank.
In its jubilation, Kole's tongue ravaged Alice's mouth, and her little tongue was left entirely at Kole's mercy! Alice's breathing grew haggard as she took deep gasps.
Their lips mashed together, and tongues coiled around.
Instinctively, her hands moved toward Kole's chest.
Her fingers knotted into tight little fists as she held Kole's shirt.
Alice, who felt her mouth being claimed by Kole, suddenly came out of her stupor.
It was at that moment she realized what was happening.
In a panic, she bit on the intruder in her mouth.
Ouch!... Kole broke the kiss, and a thin line of silvery saliva separated their mouths, which Kole deliriously devoured.
Alice, on the other hand, couldn't make any coherent thoughts.
She panted as if she had run a marathon.
Seeing the red tinge appearing over her face, and her small figure, still holding onto his shirt as if her life depended on it, was in a way very cute for Kole. It gave him immense pleasure.
Sweet. She tastes like wild cherries!... Kole couldn't help but remark inwardly.
He was very satisfied with his first kiss.
In his previous life, it went horribly wrong as he didn't know what to do. But now, he perfectly controlled the pace and enjoyed every second of it, even though it was very short.
"You!!" Steadying her breathing, Alice glared at Kole.
"Yes. Be mine." He answered Alice's previous question; instead of giving an explanation.
"I will support you like I always have, Alice. Always, because I love you." He spoke in an appealing tone; his eyes brimmed with sheer love.
Suddenly, Alice was at a loss for words.
Damn, my acting skills have gotten better!... Kole thought as a mischievous smirk appeared on his face.
…
In the window of Akerse's manor, a strange scene was being enacted.
If anyone saw this scene, they'd be left horrified and wouldn't be able to sleep because of harrowing nightmares.
"Are you just going to watch?" Muttered Faneia with a stern look on her face.
"Only a pervert would watch." An impassive-looking Faneia said.
"Fufufu~ Let me watch, okay?" Said Faneia who had extreme tenderness in her eyes.
The eyelids of two Faneia's twitched.
In fact, all the Faneias in the manor stared at the Faneia who said these words, with a dry look.
Hundreds, No, thousands… No, even that would be an understatement!
Under the rapidly approaching blanket of night, Akerses' manor appeared to be engulfed in an even darker shade.