Kyle tilted his head slightly. Her statement came as a surprise to him, but it was well within her persona to be straightforward and honest with him.
"You were badly hurt. I feared the worst might have happened. I'm… relieved. Very happy that you are alright."
Kyle smiled faintly. "Thank you."
A moment of silence passed between them.
After a few more seconds, she spoke again, this time even more quietly, "If I may… You seem different. Since waking up."
Kyle's eyes narrowed, not in suspicion, but curiosity. He decided to ask a question of his own.
"Do I?"
"Yes, my Lord," she said, quickly lowering her head. "Forgive me for speaking out of place."
"No," Kyle said, his voice thoughtful now. "You're not the first to notice, I think father thinks the same."
He looked down at his hands, which were submerged just below the surface of the water. He clenched them once. Slowly.
"I feel different, too. If only a little."
She didn't reply. But he felt the weight of her presence, listening, respectful, silent. He continued.
"I can't place it clearly, but I can feel it inside me."
Kyle's eyes fixed upon her face, tracing the gentle features and curves of it. His gaze lingered on her plump, red lips.
Her lips were full and plush, the kind that seemed made to tempt. A deep, luscious red clung to them like velvet, rich and ripe like the first bite of forbidden fruit.
They glistened softly in the flickering light, parting slightly with breath, inviting, warm, and impossibly kissable.
Every curve highlighted their softness. They didn't just draw the eye; they held it captive. Kyle's eyes lingered on her lips, soft, full, slightly parted as she breathed.
He hesitated. Debating whether to have a taste or not.
Would it be too forward? The thought echoed, tight in his chest. He barely knew where the boundary between them lay.
Their closeness, the way she looked at him, was it an invitation, or just his own desperate yearning reading too deeply into it?
Would it be taking advantage of her kindness? Numerous thoughts ran through his mind. What scared him the most were the consequences of his actions.
His hand twitched at his side below the water, then slowly rose, pausing midway as if caught between impulse and restraint.
If I kissed her now… would she pull away? Or worse, would it shatter the close dynamic between them?
He swallowed hard, his heart hammering against his ribs. The air between them felt heavier now.
Nuna was still washing his hair beside him, to the left of the tub, seemingly unaware of the storm brewing in Kyle's conscience.
He breathed out slowly, as if making the toughest decision of his life.
And then...
He dove straight in.
Their mouths collided.
Nuna's eyes widened, surprised by the sudden attack. Her body jolted, as if struck by lightning.
But she didn't push him away; she did not deny him. She only closed her eyes. As the kiss deepened, slow, passionate, and deliberate.
She felt a wet arm wrap around her waist, pulling her closer.
Kyle cupped her face in his other hand, a thumb stroking over her plump bottom lip.
His mouth was hot and hungry against hers, sending tingling sensations racing through her body.
They kissed longingly, pouring all of their longing, the pent-up passion, into it. Kyle pulled her small frame even closer, as if trying to meld their bodies together.
He could feel the soft swell of her breasts press against his bare chest, her nipples pebbled, hardening and yearning for his touch through the fabric of her clothes.
They broke the kiss, both of them breathing heavily, a thin line of saliva and steamy breath where they parted. Nuna's cheeks flushed crimson.
She didn't know where to look. She tried to look at his face, but ended up looking down again.
"Forgive me," Kyle breathed, leaning out of the tub until his lips brushed against his ear. "I couldn't help myself. You're just so beautiful."
Her blush deepened, spreading down her neck. She looked away, biting her bottom lip, but the flutter in her chest betrayed her composure.
"Young master…" she whispered, her voice shy, restless, and barely audible, more breath than sound.
Kyle lifted a hand to her cheek, his fingers warm and trembling with restraint. "Kyle...Call me Kyle when we are alone. If this is too much for you, too fast, just say the word, and I will stop."
She met his gaze then, her eyes wide.
No, she thought.
I don't want to lose him.
She told herself. Gathering her courage, she raised a hand to his face and brushed his jaw affectionately, her movements vulnerable but brave nonetheless.
"No," she said, her shy voice a little steadier now. "Don't stop."
A gentle smile bloomed on her face, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her gaze felt like a silent confession to Kyle.
His own breath hitched.
The sheer love and care outpouring from her overwhelmed him; just looking at her expression made him tremble with delight.
That is all I needed. He thought in relief.
"I love you. I don't want you to stop, Kyle, if you will have me, though I am unworthy, that would make me very happy."
A smile bloomed on Kyle's face, "Don't say that, you are more than worthy. If only you could see yourself the way I see you. You're worth so much more than you give yourself credit for. And, I love you too, Nuna, I always have."
Nuna's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"mmm...!"
Their mouths collided once again, the kiss more aggressive this time, tongues sweeping across each other with a tentative caress.
"Ahhh...!"
A soft moan escaped her lips as Kyle deepened the kiss, his tongue delving into her sweet cavern. She responded eagerly, parting her lips wider to grant him access.
They parted again, to catch their breaths, taking a moment to look each other in the eyes.
His lips claimed hers once more in a bruising kiss, plundering depths she hadn't even known existed.
One hand slid up her chest, claiming her chest in a cup before pushing open the middle button on her maid's uniform...
"Nngh… ahh—" the moan tore from her, shaky and full of heat, her body trembling with it.
She shivered under his touch, an intense heat pooling low in her belly.
Kyle's hand found its way inside her dress, his palm sliding across the silky smoothness of her skin.