Garden of May - Chapter 42
Chapter 42
When she was with him, all her senses heightened. A mere brush of lips, a flicker of his tongue, and she would become wet, her n*pples hardening. Such changes in her body had become commonplace. The moment she realized this, a strange fear gripped her.
She felt as though, in the very near future, she would be clinging to him, begging. Giving everything without a thought, without knowing where the line of regret lay.
“What are you thinking about with such a serious face?”
River Ross had returned, placing the wooden bucket filled with water at her feet. Floating on the shimmering surface were a profusion of peonies. Vanessa’s eyes widened.
“Where did the flowers come from?”
“I used the peonies you brought. Seemed a shame to let them dry out.”
“They were just ones I picked up from the ground.”
“If they can be used, they should be.”
They certainly had a use. The sight of something so vibrant floating in the water made them appear doubly beautiful and fresh. Vanessa, captivated, dipped her hands into the water and lifted out a peony.
“Beautiful.”
Oddly, a tingling sensation spread through her chest. It didn’t matter whether it was a deliberate effort to put her at ease or not. At least, that’s how it felt.
She lifted her head from where she had been admiring the flower. River Ross stood with his arms crossed, his face slightly damp. He must have washed his face while fetching the water. A droplet clinging to his fringe fell onto his sculpted cheek. He cocked an eyebrow.
“Why?”
Vanessa, her face flushed to her hairline, quickly averted her gaze. She didn’t want to think about how foolish she must look. She didn’t want him to know how acutely aware she was of every single thing about him.
Vanessa placed the flower back in the water, removed her shoes, and dipped her feet in. She realized she hadn’t taken off her stockings only after her calves were wet.
“That’s a strange way to dip your feet.”
He chuckled, his fingertips testing the water as if checking the temperature. Vanessa, trying to ignore her burning cheeks, put on a brave face.
“This is how all women do it. You can’t just lift your skirt outside.”
“This isn’t outside.”
“That’s true, but…”
“They’ll get wet. Hold this.”
He gathered her dampening skirt and placed it in her hands. His touch was expert, like a professional, as he unfastened her garter belt and removed her stockings. If there were such a thing as a professional in that area. Vanessa watched him with wide eyes.
He seemed accustomed to this situation. Of course, with a face and body like his, it was unlikely this was his first encounter with a woman. He must have undressed women hundreds of times…
Strangely, a sense of calm settled over her. She hadn’t impulsively seduced a virtuous man; she had proposed an indecent act to someone who was accustomed to such things. This was a fair trade.
He would receive her most precious dowry and enjoy the minor pleasure of her body as a side benefit. She would slightly tarnish his reputation, and neither of their futures would be significantly affected.
“Ah.”
Lost in thought, she gasped as her ankle was suddenly grasped. Vanessa’s eyes widened in surprise. River Ross examined her ankle with a serious expression.
“There’s still some swelling.”
“Oh, yes. I took off the bandages because they felt constricting, but I was told to be careful for a while.”
“Does it still hurt?”
“It’s much better. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“You moved suddenly. I thought I’d touched a sensitive spot.”
His long fingers delicately pressed against her ankle bone, heel, instep, and fibula, as if checking for injuries. The sensation of his touch on a place rarely touched was unfamiliar. She curled her toes.
“That’s… just, ticklish…”
Ticklish meant it was an er*genous zone, Rosaline’s teasing whisper echoed in her mind. Just then, a hot breath caught in her throat.
