"Co-couldn\'t you pressure Baron Jason not to reveal this secret?" Lyra asked, finally finding one strong enough reason, though she wasn\'t sure if the incident when she slept with Duke Kleo was classified as a secret. She just wanted to be free, really. "You\'ve always done it if you wanted to overcome something."

Duke Kleo got up from her lap, then sat down facing her. "I\'m sure he has already spread the word about this, about us. Don\'t you remember how he is so fussy just to look great in other people\'s eyes?"

Oh, that\'s true. Sometimes Baron Jason exaggerated something to make him look cool in the others\' eyes. He was a noble who needed attention and acknowledgment, but instead, he did various disgusting ways, thus driving others away from him.

\'Oh, why should I date a guy like that?\' Lyra thought regretfully. Yeah, regret always comes at the end.

"But, My Lord, couldn\'t you confirm it first? I mean it\'s possible that he hasn\'t spread this to everyone right?" Yeah, though she wasn\'t sure about that, considering how lowly and disgusting Baron Jason was. "Then you can suppress him too. Haven\'t you been able to pressure someone all this time, to obey your orders and rules? You can also do that for this matter right?"

Duke Kleo glared at her then snuggled closer as he could, making his feet touch her hips. "Lyra," he said softly, holding back his patience. "Tell me honestly, am I unattractive in your eyes?"

Shocked, Lyra couldn\'t believe he had asked her that. Wasn\'t the answer obvious? His good looks and charm are still trending today. Despite his very bad temper, he still won the hearts of many women. Not a few women vying to approach him, hoping to conquer his heart.

Although his charm also bewitched her, that did not make her have the intention to compete to win his heart. She chose to live a normal life, tempting nobles and then breaking their hearts after going through the amazing intimacy night.

"That\'s not what I meant, My Lord," said Lyra at last. "I don\'t think you\'re unattractive."

"Then why did you reject me?"

"Because…. Because…because I have a reason."

"What\'s that?"

Not daring to answer at once, she fiddled with her fingers, feeling his warm breath, feeling him sitting squeezing her. "If I admit my reasoning, you must promise not to punish me."

"Let\'s see what kind of excuse you have."

"You have to promise first!" she demanded.

He finally raised his hand, giving up. "Okay, tell me what\'s your excuse?" He still thought that he wasn\'t good enough in bed, considering that she had slept with a lot of men.

Of course, she has gone through many phases of satisfaction with other men, and he may just be an ant among a herd of elephants. Uh, he didn\'t expect to feel insecure because of this problem. How shameless it is!

"The reason is that I don\'t want to get married," Lyra admitted.

"Why?" Duke Kleo tilted his head, wanting to absorb all of her expressions as much as possible.

"Because I don\'t want to commit." Her face looked up. "That\'s my principle," she continued. "Don\'t you also have principles, do you? You can see how much we don\'t get along. So this marriage shouldn\'t have happened. Two people who don\'t get along will never succeed in a marriage."

"Marriage is not the perfection of two human beings," he said meaningfully, in a very deep tone of voice. "However, it is the most sincere effort between two human beings to understand each other. The question is are you willing to try to understand me?"

Of course, the answer is no. Lyra didn\'t want to go to the trouble of trying it when she didn\'t want to get married.

Duke Kleo lost his temper. His hand cupped her face, making her see him. "Look at me! Now think about it, am I unattractive in your eyes?"

"I never…"

"Are you sure you want to reject me?" he interrupted, not letting her answer or argue. "Are you sure you don\'t want to repeat the night we were at the hotel?"

"I was drunk at the time and I don\'t remember…"

"I can make you remember it again," he said firmly. He felt his jugular veins tighten just because he\'d restrained himself from dragging her over to the bed and sleeping with her. Damn it, why is memory so addictive?

"W-what do you mean?"

"I can help you remember the times we were at the hotel. I can do it." His fingers moved, along her jaw, twirling around her ear, down again to her neck, then uphill to caress her lips, looking at her gulped nervously. "You can pretend to forget it if you don\'t like it. You can forget about it…"

His face drew closer, their lips pressed together, pressing and sucked, devoured and pecking. His tongue tickled because it wanted to slide inside, waiting for the gate to open. She let her space open, welcomed his tongue to spoil her.

The servants watching from a distance were flabbergasted, wide-eyed. Some of them even almost had a heart attack.

"Hi…. His Grace and Miss Lyra…" He failed to continue.

Mr. Bertus growled in shock, then he jerked so the servants wouldn\'t see the sight. "Turn around! We have to give His Grace some privacy!" He had another jolt when he saw a maid secretly turning her head to take a peek. "Stay where you are or you will be punished!"

Gena protested. "Come on, Mr. Bertus. This is a rare moment. His Grace has finally found the girl he loves. We must be witnesses to this miracle."

"Don\'t protest or your salary will be cut!" Mr. Bertus\'s final threat was finally able to overcome the stubborn attitudes of the servants.

Meanwhile, in the distance, in the middle of the garden, under the beautiful and serene moonlight, Lyra and Duke Kleo gasping in the middle of their kisses. His tongue tickled and sometimes poked until her throat, making her weak looking for breath in the deep intimation.

Her hands were around his neck, her hands grabbing her hair softly. They tilted their faces from one side to the other, as if to ensure the correct position for their tongue inside.

Lyra screamed, when feeling his hand creep around her jaw, and then dived along her neck, fondling on her chest, forcing to touch something under her dress. Gasping for worse, she crooned feastly when he bit her upper lips once in a while, then rotated his movement following the chest shape.

Choking, she finally pushed him away when she felt she was about to lose. This couldn\'t happen, she couldn\'t get carried away and fall in love with him. She would lose, she would be dumped one day.

Duke Kleo blinked in confusion, as his lips lost their candy. His hand gripped the void. "Lyra?" he said, a little disappointed.

"I-I, I have to go to bed, My Lord." She got up, looked down, and fiddled with her fingers. Her face was red, while her breathing was still erratic.

He rubbed his face roughly. "Okay," he nodded. "Let me walk you to your room."

She didn\'t turn down the offer, maybe she didn\'t have time to think about refusing because her focus was so messed up. She walked, bowing her head the whole way until she finally arrived at her room door.

"I\'ll walk you in. I should see you lie down and sleep," he said again, and he was grateful that she had not refused his request.

Ella and Gena waited outside, gawking and giggling.

When Duke Kleo and Lyra were already in the room, and when the bedroom door closed he grabbed her by the arm, then pushed her gently against the wall. His face protruded again, closer, hitting her face with his heated breath.

"Just tonight, Lyra," he shrieked, restraining himself. "I won\'t go any further," he continued. "I promise." He begged. "But let me kiss you tonight. Forget your principles tonight, only tonight."

Lyra was still too shocked, her eyes wide as her body stiffened with confusion. Suddenly heat hit her body, and she clamped the emptiness. How did he ask for a kiss when she wanted something more?

"Just tonight. Do you want it?" asked the duke again, looking serious.

She finally nodded softly, as their lips crashed into each other, devouring the same saliva, and then moaning smoothly filling the room.

\'Just for tonight,\' thought Lyra, as she got the biting on the crook of her neck, when she got the soft rubbing on her chest. "My Lord," she whined.

***