The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 55

Sitting side by side in the middle of the long sofa, Kyler and Sasha shared their thoughts and apologized to each other. Once they clearly understood their own shortcomings, apologizing felt natural. As they talked, more and more memories of kindness and understanding came to mind, and they laughed together, busy exchanging thoughts.

A gentle breeze drifted into the room. The space was long and open, and the air seemed to circulate smoothly, as if something had been designed to keep it cool and refreshing.

“Kyler, I think both of us were just doing our best in our own way. We cared for each other so much that we ended up rushing things. That’s all it was. We just need to say things clearly and honestly.”

She was right. This was something simple, something truly easy. Once they understood each other, everything became more manageable. The only difficulty had been reaching that understanding.

Sasha felt lighter. Her smile grew wide and bright. It felt like they had taken a real step forward, like they had become closer than before.

The breeze, the peace, the view outside. No matter where they were in the mansion, quietness seemed to follow. Even if they brought up a light snack to this spot, the scenery would make it feel like something special.

“I’m not making any promises about trying harder or doing better. I just always want to be good to you while I’m beside you. I think about what I can do for you, but sometimes it feels like I take too long to figure it out.”

Looking out at the view, where the green lawn and the blue sky stretched endlessly, Sasha felt calm. She wanted to take her time and go slowly, step by step. Their beginning hadn’t been perfect, and she wanted to move forward the right way now.

“I worry because I know there are many things I’m not good at. But I never worry about you. Just being with you feels right.”

Even with Kyler’s quiet voice, she found herself smiling. Maybe she couldn’t yet explain how deep her feelings were or how much she loved him. But she knew, without a doubt, that they were growing closer.

Sasha turned toward him and moved slightly closer. Her chest gently brushed against his arm.

The view of the mansion’s garden through the long windows looked smaller than usual. From up here, it felt calm and far away.

“I’ve been stuck in my own head since yesterday. I think I just needed to clear my mind.”

She spoke softly, her voice calm and steady. Kyler looked down at her as she leaned gently into him.

Sasha reached out to him with both her words and her body. At night, he always held her, pulled her close, touched her. Tonight, she wanted to feel that warmth again. She wanted to feel that closeness.

His hand moved slowly from the back of her neck down to the curve of her waist. The touch sent a chill down her spine, and she inhaled quietly.

“I used to be so afraid of this. But now, it feels good. Really good.”

His hand was large enough to feel like it could hold her entire body. That comforting pressure, that familiar warmth, filled her with something steady and strong.

She still felt shy. The act of being close was something that made her blush. Just reaching out to him like this took courage.

Maybe he understood. His hand moved along her shoulder, down her back, across her waist, and lower. The way he touched her, with just the right amount of pressure, was enough to make her skin tingle.

A soft sound escaped her lips when his hand tightened slightly. It was quiet, but still enough to startle her. Thankfully, it wasn’t loud or embarrassing, but it was clear that Kyler had noticed.

He looked at her for a brief moment, then gently lifted her into his lap. Sitting on his thigh, face to face with him, she could feel her heart racing. Even that simple movement made her feel flustered.

Kyler didn’t say a word. He looked at her seriously, his eyes tracing the shape of her body. It wasn’t just about touching her anymore. He realized that something more was happening between them.

“Your hands are so big and warm.”

She spoke to ease the silence. The room was too still, and she needed to say something. He met her gaze.

“Your voice is trembling.”

“My heart is beating even faster.”

He was holding her waist with both hands, gently stroking her. Then, without warning, he lowered his head. Resting his ear above her chest, he could hear her heart pounding.

“It’s beating fast. I think it’s the same as mine.”

“Kyler, are you nervous too?”

She hadn’t known before. He always seemed so calm, so sure when he held her. But now she understood that even he felt nervous when they were this close. That made her feel warm inside.

His hand slid from her waist down to her legs, tracing her shape. Then, in a sudden motion, he lifted the hem of her dress and slipped his hand underneath. The heat of his palm against her bare skin made her flinch in surprise.

“I was nervous too. Anyone would be, doing something for the first time in their life.”

His voice trembled slightly as he admitted it, and Sasha’s heart raced at the thought that she had truly been his first. Still, it was hard to believe. He had seemed so confident from the beginning. Right now, the voice she was hearing belonged to a woman who had once been overwhelmed and flustered by how naturally he had touched her.

“Mm.”

His warm hand began to move gently along her legs, and Sasha’s throat released a soft sound in response. Even the faintest sound from her never escaped Kyler’s attention. He reacted immediately.

His head was resting against her chest, but then he lifted it and took her lips with his own. The sound that had escaped her earlier now flowed directly into his mouth. His lips pressed deeply against hers, and when he pulled back slightly, his tongue traced across her sensitive skin. Then he pressed his lips to hers again, gently but firmly.

He felt like someone playfully teasing her, almost waiting for the perfect moment. It was both maddening and irresistible.

Sasha tried to collect herself, but it was no use. Just when she seemed lost in thought, his lips closed over hers again. Time passed between them, filled with quiet, shared focus. It felt like the world had slowed down, and yet everything moved so quickly.

His touch grew more intense, almost as if things would go further right there. Her body felt as though it was melting into his.

“Is this really okay for you? Is it because it’s me that it feels this way?”

A strange sort of desire stirred within her. Maybe it was because she had taken the first step this time. She wanted to know if it was truly her that he wanted, not just the act itself.

“Of course. I am with you because you are the one I want.”

Even though she expected an answer like that, hearing it directly still made her heart flutter. His lips began to move down toward her neck.

Perhaps her dress, which didn’t reveal much, had begun to bother him. As his mouth moved against her skin, he quietly started to remove the fabric.

His strong hands, which could have easily torn the dress away, instead moved slowly and carefully. There was something incredibly warm and gentle about that.

“Yes, this feels right.”

The cool air against her skin helped calm the heat that had risen inside her. It grounded her.

Then Kyler began to kiss her collarbone and neck, as if he had finally found what he had been looking for. His touch was delicate, but he knew exactly where to linger. He didn’t need to be rough. He already understood where and how to make her react.

Her bare skin wasn’t just exposed to the air. In the light of the room, it was fully visible to him as well. While his mouth and hands had been busy before, now he simply paused and took in the sight of her.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

The way his eyes traveled over her body made her feel a deep, tingling sensation all the way to her fingertips and toes.

Kyler didn’t respond right away. He traced her trembling waist and the rise and fall of her breathing chest with his gaze.

“You’re beautiful. Seeing your body like this while holding you feels new, even though I’ve touched you before. You look so beautiful.”

Her skin seemed to shine under the light. Maybe the glow was just a trick of the room’s brightness, but even so, her bare skin was stunning.

He wondered if her skin was so pale because she hadn’t grown up under the sun, or so soft because she hadn’t moved much. The smoothness of her form, rising and falling with each breath, was captivating.

“I feel more embarrassed than anything. Please stop looking so much.”

Being under his gaze made her feel like every nerve in her body was sparking. The heat gathering low in her body made her wonder if this was what people meant when they said something was irresistible.

In the end, Sasha wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace. The feeling of his skin against hers, the way their bodies pressed together, made her feel both vulnerable and deeply safe.

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