Chapter 103: Chapter 1 “Hand me another towel.” The deep voice grazed her spine and raised the hairs on her body. She fought to keep her gaze level as she grabbed a towel and passed it to him. Riftan took the towel from her in a languid motion. As he soaked it in a washbasin and began wiping his legs, Maxi turned away and fidgeted with her skirt to avoid stealing glances at him. Every nerve in her body seemed fixed on him. She wet her parched lips. Her fingertips tingled with the desire to caress him all over. She found herself suppressing the shameful feeling before it occurred to her that there was nothing wrong with touching her husband. Hadn’t Riftan himself emphasized that it was only natural for a husband and wife? Maxi impulsively walked up behind him and placed her hand on his smooth, muscular back. Riftan stiffened and pushed her hand aside. “Don’t do this,” he said in a low growl. Startled, Maxi pulled back. Her face heated at the rejection. “F-Forgive...” Not knowing what else to do, she lowered her gaze. Riftan let out an abrupt sigh and pulled her into his arms. “You used your mana to save one of the scouts yesterday, remember? What if you were to become bedridden again because you overdid it?” He stroked her hair with his still-damp hand, and the feeling of his hot skin over her thin dress made Maxi release a shaky sigh. Bliss surged inside her. His body still reeked of werewolf blood, musk, and horses. It was certainly not a pleasant scent, but the fact that it was Riftan’s was enough to make it alluring. “I-I am really all right. I did not use... that much mana... a-and I have had plenty of rest... I am perfectly fine now.” When Maxi rubbed her nose against his chest, Riftan let out a strained groan. He fiddled with the braid secured above her head and murmured, “I’ve been restraining myself, so I don’t think I can be gentle.” Maxi cocked her head. Had he ever been gentle? She could not remember. He would always take the time to make her burn for him, but once he was inside her, he would move like a man who had lost his senses. Recalling the overwhelming pleasure he gave her whenever he did so, Maxi looked up at him beseechingly. “Y-You don’t have to be... gentle.” Riftan’s self-restraint crumbled at her words. He picked her up and hungrily kissed her. Maxi twined her fingers in his damp black hair. His lips tasted of fresh water. Meeting his wet tongue with hers, Maxi pulled him closer. Riftan let out a weak moan and wrapped her breast in his hand, rubbing its taut peak above the smooth silk of her skin. A tingling heat surged in Maxi’s stomach. When she subconsciously pressed her breast more firmly against his palm, a sigh closer to a lament escaped Riftan’s lips. “Damn it... You are just too beautiful. I cannot help myself.” Maxi gave him a bemused look as if he had said that the moon was green. Pressing his lips to her cheek, Riftan pulled down the neckline of her dress and slipped his hand inside. When his calloused palm kneaded her delicate skin, electrifying arousal shimmered inside her. Maxi let out a soft moan. Looking down at her, Riftan mumbled, “I go mad every time I touch you. How can someone be so desirable? Your whole body is so soft, it feels like it could melt in my hands... You’re so beautiful. From your head to your toes.” “Th-That’s not true.” Maxi could not think straight. Riftan had yanked down her bodice and was now rubbing his cheek against her bare breast. He began teasing her rosy skin with his mouth. Writhing, Maxi clung to his neck. Riftan clutched her buttocks and pulled her against him, making her feel the full extent of his arousal. His hardness made her start rocking her hips when a thought suddenly came to her. She nervously glanced at the door. “R-Riftan... don’t you think your b-bath... will be here soon?” “You should have thought of that before seducing me.” “I-I did no s-such thing. I-I wasn’t trying to seduce you...” “You were sneaking looks at me like you wanted to gobble me up, then urged me to hold you. Tell me that is not seduction.” He undid the laces of her dress and pulled it down to her waist. With her face flushed crimson, Maxi looked on as he peppered soft kisses across her flat stomach. The bones in her legs felt as if they had melted away. Pulling her dress down to her knees, Riftan spread her legs and buried his face between them. Maxi let out a soft cry and teetered before collapsing onto his shoulders. Her knees shook, and the crooks of her legs were beginning to feel numb. Riftan gently stroked her sensitive flesh and sucked on her inner thigh. Maxi’s whole body flushed pink, and she curled her toes and wept. All her reason burned away. She shook her head, a shudder passing through her. Riftan skillfully used his mouth and fingers to heighten her pleasure without pushing deeper. The tantalizing sensation was building to a climax when a knock came at the door. “My lord, your bath is ready.” Riftan raised his head. When he tried to get up, Maxi latched onto him and shook her head. They could not stop here. Just a little more and she thought she would be able to feel the release her body ached for. Riftan cruelly stopped and pushed her onto the bed. “Can you wait a little longer?” “I-I don’t want to...” “It’s been a while. I don’t want to rush it.” As if to appease her, he gently caressed her stomach with his big hand and pecked her temple. Maxi trembled like a newborn fawn and looked up at him with teary eyes. Riftan caught his breath as he returned her gaze, then began to ravage her lips. A moment later, barely managing to come to his senses, he covered her with a blanket and slipped into a dressing gown. “Make it quick.” The servants entered the room with a tub full of steaming water. Maxi hid under the blanket and tried to soothe her tender breasts. The few minutes it took for the servants to adjust the warmth, place an extra pail of water by the fireplace, and arrange a change of clothes, soap, and a towel on top of the cabinet felt like hours. Riftan, evidently feeling as impatient as Maxi, said sharply, “That’s enough. Now, get out.” “O-Our apologies, my lord.” Flustered, the servants hastily picked up the empty pails and left the room. As soon as she heard the door closing, Maxi dug into his side. With a moan, Riftan pried her off and hoisted her onto his lap. Maxi yanked his gown open and wound her legs around his bare waist. His hardness promptly pushed into her wet entrance and filled her deepest parts. “Ah...” Her spine tingled. Inflamed with desire, Maxi dazedly gazed up at him. His face, engulfed in passion, was frighteningly fierce yet fragile at the same time. Riftan pulled her tightly to him, leaving no space between them. His body shook like a man enduring terrible torment. Maxi, however, could no longer wait. She rocked her hips, possessing him. ... Riftan drew in a sharp breath and gripped her as deep lines creased his forehead. “Wait, wait! Maxi...” “R-Riftan.” “Wait.” Trying his best to calm her, Riftan stroked her sweat-slicked back with his calloused hand. “I want to be gentle. I... don’t want to hurt you.” Maxi stared at him in irritation. She was tired of hearing those words. She nipped at his lip and rubbed against him in a spasm. Riftan stiffened before crashing down onto the bed and thrusting upward into her. Maxi clung to him like a snake and sobbed. His passion quickly overwhelmed her own. He lowered his head to suckle her breast and began to move in earnest. It felt like she was riding a stallion too powerful to control. Unable to keep up with his speed, her thighs convulsed, and the flesh between her legs seared. She cried out and twisted, completely losing self-control. A momentary fear gripped her as Riftan took her beyond the point she thought was her climax. Unable to bear the intense pleasure tearing through her body, Maxi instinctively tried to twist away. Riftan bit her ear and growled ferociously. “No. You’re the one who drove me this far. Endure it to the end.” “W-Wait... I-I don’t think I can take it.” “You can.” ... He heaved through gritted teeth and rocked his body. For a moment, her vision turned white, and her whole body curved up like a tightly strung bowstring. She cried out as her body convulsed. Riftan’s back stiffened before he shuddered to a finish after her. They clung to each other as if they were one entity and waited for the perfect climax to wane. After a while, Riftan mumbled in a daze, “Hell... I can’t even tell where we are.” Maxi raised her sweat-slicked face and looked at him nervously. “A-Are you saying... it was bad?” “That is impossible. I would gladly slay another dragon if that’s what it took to experience that again.” He grinned and planted a soft kiss on her shoulder. Relieved, Maxi pulled him closer and buried her face in his neck. Riftan chuckled as if he felt ticklish and rose from the bed with her still in his arms. “We shouldn’t waste a good bath.” With that, he walked over to the tub and stepped inside. Maxi released a sigh when the lukewarm water engulfed her flushed body. Scooping a handful of water, Riftan trickled it over her neck and gently sucked on her wet skin. “Your skin feels so good. It’s always so soft.” “I-I think the freckles... are u-unsightly.” “It’s like it’s sprinkled with sugar. Quite delectable to look at.” As if to prove his point, Riftan licked the faint brown freckles on her shoulder. Maxi hunched over like a turtle as a deep flush colored her face. He chuckled and pecked her cheek. “I also love how quickly you grow red like a perfectly ripe peach.” Maxi rolled her eyes. Listening to him made her wonder if her appearance really was not all that bad, but she was certain that Riftan’s idea of beauty deviated greatly from the general standard. “How are you feeling?” “I-I am perfectly all right. I told you I would be fine.” He brushed away the strands of hair covering her face and studied her expression. Seeing that he was not completely reassured, Maxi sighed. “I t-truly am all right. I collapsed last time... because I had to heal people... with severe w-wounds, one after the other. I will be fine... as long as I don’t get carried away like last time.” Riftan looked deep in thought. “I heard that you tended to the scout so well that Ruth had nothing else to do for him. That fledgling knight wanted me to tell you how grateful he was and that he is indebted to you.” This was the first time Riftan spoke of her magical abilities with approval. Maxi looked up at him, her eyes brimming with joy. “I-I am glad... that I was of help.” “Yes, you were a big help.” Although his reply was in the affirmative, Riftan seemed to be of mixed emotions. Maxi’s elation dissolved when she saw that he was not entirely pleased. Should she tell him that she had decided to continue learning magic from Ruth? Maxi pressed her lips together. She did not wish to shatter the intimate air between them right now. In all honesty, she feared that he would forbid her from learning any more magic. Maxi justified her decision not to tell him by convincing herself that everything would be fine as long as she did not do anything reckless. The thought pricked at her conscience, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. At the moment, all she wished was to savor this happiness.