No Entry Except for the Master - Chapter 59

Eris used to share tea with him here often enough. Lost in wistful memories, she shook her head to dispel distracting thoughts.

Teia had said he wouldn’t come out—but since he’d even allowed her into the garden after rebuffing her at the door, surely his feelings must have changed.

It wasn’t unpleasant. At Ludvio’s engagement celebration, Teia had smiled and offered his congratulations so casually that Eris despaired of ever meaning anything to him. Yet now, Teia’s reaction delighted her. If he still remembered how painful their broken engagement had been, perhaps things could work out this time.

She sipped at her cooling tea, telling herself that the longer she waited, the greater the measure of his regret must be.

Having sat so long, Eris nearly nodded off, her head almost landing on the tabletop before she jolted awake. It was still daylight—summer days ran long—and bright sunlight poured in around her parasol.

Embarrassed at nearly dozing off, she glanced around—and caught sight of a figure slipping through the undergrowth.

Because she’d explored this garden before, she roughly knew where things stood. Following a shaded path of bushes led her to a secluded pagoda, hidden on all sides by tall ornamental trees.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips. So the Grand Duke had this unexpected side to him, too. Eris had planned to wait quietly until he sought her out; instead, he’d been deliberately baiting her. Perhaps it was time she offered some reaction of her own.

She gave the spot a moment’s pause, then rose. “Since His Grace won’t come, I’ll take a stroll.”

“Away from the gardens, please,” came a guard’s warning.

“I understand. I’ll just look around a bit nearby.”

Like Teia once had, Eris walked the garden unhurriedly, fanning herself with a lace fan, confident that her waiting did her no harm.

As she’d suspected, at the far edge of the bushes Teia was leaning casually against a column.

“Your Grace—”
She startled, but Teia was not alone. From behind the column peeped a young woman in a simple white dress, who stretched out both arms in playful greeting.

Eris’s gaze scanned the stranger head to toe. Her small, oval face and softly rounded features formed the very picture of a rabbit: large, gentle eyes, and long hair the color of pale lemon that shimmered faintly pink in the light.

Teia absently caught the girl in his arms, as if she were a familiar plaything. She nestled against him, tilting her head up to babble excitedly in pink-tinged, shy smiles and bright, starry eyes.

Even more astonishing than the stranger’s appearance was Teia himself. When he had been engaged to Eris, his partner had never elicited that kind of rapt attention. Every movement the girl made, Teia subtly shifted his stance to stay close—skin to skin.

He gently stroked her cheek and brushed the hair from her neck with tender affection. The newcomer leaned into him, utterly at ease in his arms.

Crack. A twig snapped under Eris’s foot. The girl turned toward Eris, but Teia spun her away, planting a kiss on her lips.

Teia! Eris clenched her fists, though she dared not speak his name aloud. He knew she was here—yet he kissed the girl openly, flaunting it.

The stranger wore a sleeveless dress held up by thin straps, exposing half her back. As Teia kissed her, he slid a finger under one strap, letting the fabric slip down over her shoulder.

She gasped, her hand darting to cover her sliding dress, but Teia laughed and pried her hand away. As the neckline fell away, one b****t peeked free—she wore no undergarments beneath.

“You’ve been pressed up against me all this time,” Teia teased, “yet you act as if you never felt anything?”

With a nimble pinch of her e***t n****e, he drew a soft moan from her.

“Teia…” she breathed.

“Just because a bit of fabric grazed you, you’re this hard already?”

His large hand enclosed her full b****t, deftly coaxing her n****e between his fingers. Each playful press, each tender squeeze, sent tiny ripples of pleasure through her.

“Ah… yes…” she sighed.

Eris watched, stunned, as the girl melted in Teia’s arms, every gesture brimming with affection. Her heart ached—this was not how things had been with him before.

Teia’s soft laughter mingled with the girl’s contented sighs. And Eris realized: she had lost him utterly.