Lewd Courtship - Chapter 23

To Rachel, it was the best possible offer. Still stunned, she instinctively reached out and grabbed his hand. As soon as she stepped onto the stirrup, she was pulled forward by a strong force and seated in front of him on the horse. The hard saddle pressed against her bottom, and behind her, she briefly felt the less-hard warmth of a man’s body before it pulled back.

Warm…

Killian’s body was warm where it brushed against hers. Maybe it was because she’d been chilled since morning, but she wouldn’t have minded staying pressed against him a little longer. Rachel subtly leaned back. However, he seemed intent on avoiding contact, leaning away as much as possible.

…Don’t be disappointed. I’m not disappointed. Think. Remember. That man insulted my parents.

Feeling that flicker of regret, Rachel desperately recalled all the vile things Killian had said about her family. As she replayed his words, her emotions quickly cooled.

Even as her mood soured, a faint longing still stirred deep in her heart. To hide her feelings, Rachel straightened her back stiffly. The posture made things awkward for Killian, and he gently pressed on her back.

“I’ve studied how to carry someone on horseback, but this is my first time doing it. Try not to move.”

“…Okay.”

Each time he spoke, his breath grazed her ear, warm like his body. The palm that touched her back was large and rough—seemingly gentle, yet devoid of warmth. That contradiction stirred Rachel’s memory of their past intimacy despite herself.

A growing heat pulsed between her thighs, her body stiffening as warmth spread through her. Her thoughts grew sluggish, consumed entirely by the memory of him—that thick, crimson length glistening with her own slickness.

It was ridiculous. Seeing his handsome face hadn’t affected her, but the mere brush of his hand now had her reduced to this?

The heart that had raced in fear of exposure now pounded with anticipation. Her hips twitched involuntarily, the saddle’s pressure against her dampening core almost cruel.

‘I don’t want this. I don’t. That bastard is vile, a f*****g—…well, not impotent, clearly. That thing was… God, I’m losing my mind.*

No amount of self-reprimand helped. At this rate, her arousal would be obvious soon. Part of her dreaded discovery; another part ached for it. If he wanted her, she’d pretend reluctance for all of two seconds before giving in.

…Pathetic.

Killian noticed, of course. Rachel wasn’t even trying to hide it. Certifiable, he decided. Even for a kingdom sexually liberal, this woman was excessive—a slave to her own hunger.

Their occasional contact transmitted the frantic rhythm of her pulse. He listened to that betraying heartbeat as he urged his horse forward.

With each step, their bodies pressed closer. Her back brushed his chest; the sway of her hips ground against him. The plushness reminded him too well of their last encounter.

He was a man, after all. Blood pooled southward—but only slightly. That was all she’d get from him.

He wasn’t the type to openly display his desires in public.

“Hng…”

About twenty minutes after entering the forest, Rachel finally let out a small, involuntary moan.

The breathy sound pricked at Killian’s ears. His head snapped toward the surrounding knights, relieved to find their expressions undisturbed—clearly, none had heard that obscene noise.

When he turned forward again, his brows furrowed sharply. Since when does an Emperor have to worry about his knights’ reactions? This charade of propriety had gone too far. Fed up, he decided then and there to kick Rachel off his damn horse.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

She turned to face him, their eyes meeting at startlingly close range.

Her green irises, glazed with unmistakable arousal, were… pleasing. Her slightly parted lips, flushed from panting, stood out starkly against her pale skin.

Those lips…

A sudden, violent urge gripped him—to pry them open with his tongue, to claim her mouth right there. And in that instant, the blood in his lower body roared to life. His c**k, already half-hard from their contact, swelled fully against her back, prodding insistently at the curve of her a*s.