"Really? So?" he asked, his brow raised with mild curiosity.
"It's my life," Seraphina began, her voice shaky, "and I've never had a say in anything. If I marry like this, I feel like I won't even be able to die in peace. So, I want to give my first time to someone I choose."
"Even if you don't know who that person is?" He sounded doubtful.
"Well, if I'm going to end up with someone I don't know anyway, then I'd rather it be someone I picked," she said, meeting his gaze with more confidence than she felt.
He let out a loud laugh, clearly entertained by her response. His eyes gleamed with interest as he gave her a playful grin, his hand tightening a bit on her shoulder, making her shiver. His grip wasn't rough, but there was a firmness to it that sent a wave of unease and something else through her.
"If that's how you see it, then I don't see why I should refuse," he said, his voice dropping to a more teasing tone. His hand slid up from her shoulder to her cheek, his fingers lightly brushing against her soft skin. "It's actually kind of a tempting offer."
"Wait, what—" Seraphina started, but before she could finish her sentence, his lips were on hers again. This time, it was much more intense. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth, moving with purpose, while their mixed breaths created a quiet but unmistakable sound. Seraphina's hands gripped his shoulders tightly, her lips now warm and red from the fiery kiss.
He held her close, pressing her against him before finally pulling back to let her catch her breath.
"Hah..." Seraphina panted, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to gather her thoughts. It was almost too much. For someone who had only ever read about this stuff, experiencing it in real life was way more overwhelming than she had expected.
Feeling dazed, she tried to pull away, but his hands weren't letting her go just yet.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, his tone casual but firm.
"Uh, well, this spot... it's a little..." Seraphina trailed off, glancing nervously around the terrace.
"Didn't you just say you wanted to do it here?" he teased, a smirk creeping across his lips.
"I-I said it was my first time," she stammered, clearly flustered.
He chuckled at her innocence. His eyes drifted down to take in her fancy dress, covered in detailed embroidery that hugged her body in all the right places. "You know," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "having your first time outdoors could be something you never forget."
"Pardon?" Seraphina's cheeks turned bright red, her eyes wide with shock. The very idea of doing something like that in a public place was mortifying. Sure, the terrace was secluded, but what if someone came outside or saw them from the garden? Her heart raced at the thought.
"I can't do that here!" she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down. "But if we go somewhere private—"
"I'm afraid I don't have the patience for that," he interrupted with a teasing grin. He grabbed her hand and guided it to touch him, pressing her palm against his body. Seraphina froze as she felt something hard and unfamiliar under her fingers.
"Wh-what is that?" she blurted out, her voice full of confusion. It was way bigger than she expected, and for a moment, she wondered if he had some kind of weapon tucked away. Even though she had no experience, she was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be this... big.
"Look what you've done to me," he said, his voice dripping with amusement.
"W-wait a minute!" Seraphina tried to back away, but the railing was right behind her, and there was nowhere to go.
"Relax. Nobody's going to see us. Everyone knows I came out here, so no one's going to bother following," he said, his tone reassuring but still playful.
She blinked, not fully understanding what he meant. Her mind was all over the place. His laughter brought her back to the moment, and she noticed the way he was looking at her, amused by her reaction.
"Are you scared of doing it outside?" he asked with a grin.
"That's not..." Seraphina stammered. She couldn't exactly say what was really on her mind. All she could think about was how huge he felt, and she started to wonder if it was even possible. There was no way she could ask him to make it smaller, so she was stuck with the awkward reality.
"I can't help it," he said with a smirk.
"Ahhhh!" Seraphina squealed as he suddenly lifted her off the ground, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. His body was warm compared to her cold skin, making her freeze up in shock.
He held her effortlessly, clearly surprised by how light she was. She should've been heavier, considering her fancy dress, but she felt like a feather in his arms. Seraphina tightened her grip around his neck, clinging to him even more.
"You're a lot lighter than I expected," he commented, his tone casual, but there was something in his voice that made her blush.