Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 66.2

“It’s sweet.”

“Sweet?”

Could it be…!?

‘So the notion in novels that the female lead’s skin is sweet and melts is actually true—!’

But no, I’ve touched my arms and legs before, and it wasn’t like this. Or maybe the nape of the neck was just particularly soft? Well, if you think about it, wild animals do aim for the nape of their prey. Of course, it was partly because it was a vital spot, though maybe it was also because it was softer…

Out of curiosity, I unconsciously reached out and caressed my nape. As my fingertips grazed the spot where his lips had just been, Enfrise pressed his lips against my hand.

“Wait, don’t interfere.”

“Interfere?”

“I’m trying to concentrate, but the sensation of your lips makes it hard to focus.”

“Then, I’ll taste it and let you know.”

Enfrise carefully pushed my hand away from my nape, holding my wrist tightly as I tried to pull back, perhaps worried I would hurt myself.

It was my wrist that was caught, but it felt as if my whole hand was enveloped.

“Enfrise.”

I called out to him, but he didn’t respond. He steadied me with his legs to prevent me from slipping away, using his left hand to gently sweep away the few strands of hair left on my nape. The next moment, he pressed a kiss at the junction of my neck and back.

The lips that had been cold just a moment ago were now warm. Moreover, they felt strangely soft and moist. As I leaned forward, Enfrise’s lips followed, gliding down along my neck.

My heart raced at this unfamiliar sensation.

“Ugh…”

“How does it feel?”

“It’s strange.”

“Is it ticklish?”

“I don’t know. It feels… soft and moist, which is odd. Please stop.”

“Just a little longer… would that be alright?”

If I refused, he would stop.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been the end of it, but for some reason, this time, he didn’t pull away. Instead, he sought more. I turned my head slightly to glance back at him and saw those golden eyes watching me.

In an instant, a chill ran down my spine.

It felt like standing in front of a large black panther—a strange sense that any slight movement could lead to being devoured.

My heart began to race at this unfamiliar side of Enfrise.

“Ah…”

I couldn’t respond, only letting out a low sound.

Perhaps taking that as an answer, Enfrise bit down gently on my nape, his eyes half-lidded. What had started as a soft exploration suddenly turned into something that felt more intense as something crawled up my neck. It was warm and firm, much more solid than his lips.

Could it be… his tongue?

“Enfrise… please stop.”

It wasn’t that I was afraid of Enfrise. I knew he would stop if I truly didn’t like it. Still, I had no idea how to handle the unfamiliar sensation this act was giving me. I wasn’t sure how to react either.

Perhaps sensing the tremor in my voice, he pulled away.

“Do you not like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just strange.”

“…”

His fingers, which had brushed through my hair, softly traced the spot where his lips had just been. The rough texture of his fingers felt oddly comforting, and I let out a sigh of relief.

“Do you think you’d get used to it if we did this often? Just like how you got used to hugs.”

Well… that might be true.

However, it seemed more appropriate to take things step by step.

Reflecting on it, I realized I had been too casual about physical affection. When Enfrise said to stop, I knew I should definitely respect that. Now that I understood the incredible power of the sensations his lips could evoke, I knew I needed to be more careful moving forward.

“Shall we start with hands for now?”

“Hands?”

“The neck, well… it seems to evoke a more instinctual fear, which makes it feel scarier and stranger. Let’s start with fingers, which are farther away from the heart.”

Just like when swimming, you slowly get used to the cold water by wetting the parts of your body farthest from your heart first, right? So, it made sense to begin physical contact from areas farther from the heart as well. Starting so close to my heart makes me feel like something might burst.

My heart, perhaps.

Or the beating.

“Let’s try to avoid suddenly creating this kind of atmosphere.”

I felt like I struggled to adapt since we had been in an innocent, all-ages vibe, only to suddenly shift to something more closer. As I nodded, I heard a low mumble from behind me.

“I’ve always wanted to do this… Haven’t I mentioned that before?”

‘…Yes, you have. I remember.’

But somehow, it felt like he always said it without taking any real action. If I had taken the initiative to kiss him, I doubt he would have expected me to do something like this.

With his tongue… his tongue…

I didn’t see that coming!

“Ugh, I’ll be careful.”

“….”

After a brief moment of silence, Enfrise let out a low sigh and a smile, then pulled me into a tight hug. I nestled against him, trying to calm my still racing heart by mentally reciting…

“Until the East Sea waves are dry…”

…I found myself singing the national anthem for no particular reason.