After finishing her lunch, the Countess suggests to Emilia that she bring a snack for Alistair since he only eats small portions. The girl agrees and has a maid follow her with the food to Alistair's study room. She knocks on the door before opening it, finding Alistair standing by his desk, facing away from them and towards the window that looks out onto the garden filled with various blooming flowers.
Emilia knows that he is aware of their presence in the room, but Alistair chooses to immerse himself in his thoughts until the door is closed again. Since the Countess had been kind enough to give her tonic, Emilia must fulfill the task entrusted to her by the woman.
"Let's have a snack that I brought for you," knowing her words wouldn't catch Alistair's attention, Emilia held the man's arm and led him slowly toward the sofa.
Outside the study door, Isabella lurked, perhaps spying on the couple to confirm her doubts about their relationship. The tension is palpable, but Emilia is determined to show the girl they're more than just allies. They're lovers.
She glanced at the closed door, then turned her attention back to Alistair, who was sitting beside her, looking more tense than usual. Emilia could see the concern etched on his face while his mind drifted to the Queen's condition. Poor him, he is so worried.
A mischievous smile creeps onto Emilia's lips when she decides to distract him. Her fingers dance toward the platter of fruit, plucking a grape between her fingertips.
"You think too much," she whispers, bringing the grape up to his lips. "Why don't you take a break?"
Alistair glances at her, the man's brow furrowed. But the way Emilia looks at him, playful and daring, makes his heart race. He leans forward slightly, opening his lips to take the grape from her fingers. Their eyes lock, her touch lingering longer than necessary.
"Good boy," she teases, trailing her finger down his chin.
Alistair chews slowly, amusement flashing in his eyes. The man watches while Emilia reaches another grape, putting it between her lips and leaning toward him, inviting Alistair to take a bite. He obliges again, leaning forward and gently biting the green grape, their faces inches apart.
As he takes the grape, Emilia lips press lightly against his, enough to feel Alistair's breath mingle with hers. Without thinking, the girl closes the gap, kissing him deeply.
"Isabella's watching… let's give her a show." Emilia murmuring between kisses.
She feels Alistair stiffen for a moment, but then he relaxes, following her lead. Emilia pushes him back slightly so that he's lying on the sofa, and she climbs on top of him, straddling the man's hips as their kiss deepens.
The girl's hands slide through the man's hair, tugging lightly, while his hands settle on her waist, pulling her closer. The platter of fruit tilts unsteadily, forgotten on the edge of the table.
Alistair's mind briefly flickers to the Queen, but with Emilia kissing him with such passion, all his worries begin to melt away. She's right, he's been overthinking everything. Right now, that matters is the heat between them, the way her body moves against his.
"You should relax," Emilia says, pulling back for just a moment, a wicked smile on her lips.
The man chuckles, his grip on her waist tightening as he pulls her back down into a searing kiss. This time, Alistair reverses their positions, moving smoothly until he's on top of Emilia, pressing her into the sofa cushions.
"You started this," Alistair whispers, his lips grazing her neck while he kisses a trail down to her collarbone. "Now it's my turn."
Emilia gasps when his hands roam over her, teasing the edges of her dress. Their kisses become more intense, more urgent. Alistair can feel the tension in his body easing with every touch, every breath they share.
"The Queen… she'll be fine, I promise." Emilia is breathless, but she attempts to reassure him anyway.
Alistair pauses for a moment, her words sinking in. She's trying to comfort him, even in this playful moment. His heart swells with affection for Emilia, and he captures her lips again, more fierce, more eager.
"You always know how to make me feel better." The man speaks against her lips
She smiles against his kiss, feeling his hands tangle in her hair when he deepens the kiss. The man's body is warm and solid, and Emilia can feel Alistair's need for her. But it's more than that, there's tenderness in his touch, a silent gratitude for the way she eases his loads, even with something as simple as a kiss.
The girl's fingers trace his jawline, then slide down to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of the man's heartbeat. For a moment, everything else fades away, Isabella and the Queen. Just the two of them lost in each other.
Alistair pulls back slightly, resting his forehead to hers while they both catch their breath. His hands still caressing her face, his thumb brushing lightly over her cheek. There's a softness in Emilia's eyes that makes Alistair want to protect her, to remember this moment forever.
"You're dangerous, you know that?" Alistair said softly with a smile.
"I like to keep you on your toes." Emilia grinned.
They laugh softly, the weight of their worries lifted, if only temporarily. When they lie there, tangled together on the sofa, the world outside the study door seems far away.
"I've spent my whole life being the man everyone wanted, strong, controlled, untouchable. However, somehow I want to let it go, to just be myself." Alistair's soothing voice revealed the different version of himself that he tried to suppress.
Emilia raised one hand and played with Alistair's hair, "You don't have to be perfect. Before a Crown Prince, you are also an ordinary person, who has flaws, fears and parts you want to hide. Because, that's who I'm falling for."
Alistair lifted his head and gazed at Emilia, "Do you ever worry that you're not enough? That one day, everything you've worked for will fall apart?"
Stroking his hair, Emilia looked straight at him and answered. "Every day. But then I remind myself it's the people we keep close that keep us together. You don't have to be perfect to deserve love."
The man sighs, "I've always thought I had to be strong for everyone else."
"Then let me be the only one you can be weak around."
Alistair takes a deep breath and the scent of the girl's body calms him, then the man begins to wonder, is Emilia really someone he didn't know he needed all this time?
***
Emilia slowly drifts off to sleep while they continue talking. She vaguely feels someone placing a warm blanket over her body, but she's already too deep in slumber to register much else. When evening falls, Alistair carries her to their bedroom and tucks the girl into bed.
It seems like all the pent up from the past few days have caught up with her body, making Emilia feel incredibly sleepy. The only time she wakes up is to drink the tonic provided by the Countess at night before falling back again. Luckily, no one made a big deal out of her condition, they simply let her rest and recover peacefully that day.
Thanks to the consideration, Emilia wakes up the next day feeling rejuvenated in both body and mind, just as Countess Evelyn promised. She enjoys a hearty breakfast and even indulges in some extra food, because she had skipped dinner the night before. While they make preparations to visit one of the Duke's mansions, introduced by Lady Seraphine at the last party, the girl begins to feel a strange effect on her body.
However, things got worse as the journey went on. Emilia shifts uncomfortably in her seat, her chest rising and falling rapidly beneath her wet gown. Alistair, sitting across from the girl, notices her discomfort immediately.
Alistair leaned in, his voice low and commanding, "You're not feeling well, are you?"
The man's sharp eyes flicked to Emilia's chest, noticing how the fabric was slightly damp, clinging to the outline of her breasts. His eyes were dark, and though his words were a question, his tone left no room for denial. Emilia hesitated, biting her lip while she tried to ignore the ache building in her chest.
"It's… my breasts. They feel so full and sore. I… I think it's from the tonic Countess Evelyn gave me." Emilia looked embarrassed.
"Let me take care of it." Alistair murmured, pulling her onto his lap.
His voice is deep and filled with a mixture of authority and desire. Emilia's breath hitched as Alistair slowly lowered the collar of her dress, exposing her breast, glistening from the moisture that had seeped through the fabric. She feels them becoming painfully full.
Emilia's nipple hardened, a combination of the cool air and the effect of the medicine. Alistair's eyes fixed onto it, and without hesitation, he leaned forward. The man's lips brushed her skin, soft and teasing, before his mouth closed around her nipple.
Emilia gasped, her back arching involuntarily when the sensation shot through her. Alistair's tongue swirled slowly, deliberately, just like savoring the taste of her. The pressure of the man's mouth was firm yet mild, and the heat seemed to spread throughout her body, making her even more aware of how sensitive she is.
Alistair's tongue circled her nipple, moving lightly before sucking deeply, creating a rhythm that sent jolts of pleasure through Emilia's body. His hand moved to her other breast, squeezing it carefully when he continued to suckle, the sound of his lips moving against the girl's wet skin filling the cramped space of the carriage. She feels both relief and arousal while the tension eases.
The man's free hand slid down her side, possessive and slow, tracing the curve of her waist as he shifted closer, his breath hot against her skin. Each suck, each flick of his tongue calculated to push her further over the edge.
"You're so sweet," Alistair whispered against her skin, his voice husky. "Like I could devour you whole."
Emilia's eyes are closed, her breathing ragged when she pressed herself closer to him, needing more, craving the sensation that Alistair was giving her. The combination of his words and the intensity of the man's mouth on the girl was too much. Her hands gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into him while waves of pleasure rippled through her body.
The rocking of the carriage seemed to mimic the rhythm forming between them, making the moment feel even more out of control. Every movement was more intense in the confined space, adding to the sense of urgency and forbidden desire.
The girl felt herself trembling under him, Emilia's mind spinning between wanting to pull away and give in completely. The medicine had heightened her sensitivity, but it was Alistair's presence, his raw dominance and the way he knew her body that pushed her closer to the edge.
"Mmh.." Emilia's voice sounds breathless, but she leans in to allow him more access.
Alistair smirked against her skin, but took the opportunity to talk about the man they were about to visit. "Are you on the same page as Duke Rhys?"
The man gives Emilia's nipple a firm suck, then releases it, looking up at her with sparkling eyes.
"Mmm.. He may have the finest jewelry in the city." Emilia replied, absentmindedly running her finger through Alistair's hair, pulling him back to her chest, clearly enjoying the sensation.
"I heard the Duke has an obsession with jewels. His collection rivals the King's."
Alistair trails his tongue over Emilia sensitive skin, sucking gently, savoring every sound she makes.
"The Duke's mansion is legendary. I hear the chandelier in the grand ballroom alone is worth more than most people's estates." Emilia catching her breath.
"Also, I heard that he has a 'private collection' on display in the vault. It's guarded by his personal army, no one is allowed to approach the treasure unless he allows it."
Alistair's voice is rough with desire as his lips tease Emilia further, his mouth closing around her nipple.
"You don't think someone would dare try to steal from him, do you?" Emilia raises her eyebrows.
"I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried." Alistair answered with a sly smile.
Emilia laughed softly, "Let's hope we can get through tonight without causing a scandal first. After all, we wouldn't want to upset the richest man in town."
***