The Duke's Masked Wife

173 Student becomes the master (2)

Her plan was not over yet just because Edgar realized what she was trying to do. Alessandra knew he was expecting her to be shy just as she was when it came to holding his hand. However, the expression he wore now pushed her to want to thoroughly surprise him.

Using all the courage she had within her, Alessandra removed her hand from her side and placed it on Edgar’s bare chest. She tried not to blush to refrain from showing how such a small action affected her but she had a feeling her body might have betrayed her.

Edgar’s gaze did not leave her and she was sure he was anticipating what else was to come.

Alessandra tapped her finger against his chest and found it surprising that each time he held her, it felt soft but now it was as hard as a rock. “Are you tense?” She asked.

“No. I am the most relaxed I have been in a while,” Edgar replied.

Alessandra continued to tap her finger in the same spot. As her eyes wandered all over his exposed chest, she understood why Sally might find it odd that they had not slept together yet. The only shirtless men she had ever seen were the male servants who tended to her father’s animals and although they had muscles from the hard work they did, their bodies did not compare to Edgar’s.

‘I’ve heard he trains a lot but I have not seen him doing it. Does he do it when he is away from home? How could he still have this kind of body if he isn’t doing it regularly? Isn’t he too perfect?’ She thought.

“Why are you glaring at me, Alessandra?” Edgar questioned after she out of nowhere glared at him. What was she thinking about right now while she touched him to be staring at him this way?

“Was I?” Alessandra did not believe that she was. Was it because she thought him to be too perfect? “I’m sorry. Do you train often to keep up your body?” She stopped tapping him and started to trace the outline of one of his abs.

.....

“I have no choice but to. I have to remain in shape in case someone tries to attack me. I can’t depend on anyone else to protect my life. It appears I also have to keep in shape for my wife. What’s the game you are playing?” He grabbed her hand to stop her from touching him for a moment.

After their earlier time alone he had gotten rid of countless thoughts he had as she was not ready. Not even ready to kiss. Now here she was touching his bare chest willing without him doing anything to make it happen.

“I thought you would enjoy it if I touched you more. You are always the one reaching out to me. You don’t like it?” She thought it would have a positive effect on him. The first time she touched his chest, she was certain she felt him flinch. She had assumed that to be a good reaction. Was she wrong?

“Don’t like it?” Edgar chuckled. How could he not enjoy this moment? He was entertained by her coming out of her shell but that still didn’t change the fact she was playing a dangerous game. “You have no idea how much I am enjoying this but why now are you doing this to me, Alessandra? Now when you are more off-limits than ever? I can’t even kiss you as you requested.”

“Right,” Alessandra looked away from him for a moment. Teasing him was an idea that came in the spur of the moment. Still, she was glad she wanted to hold off on kissing in case this moment would have led to something more. She simply wanted to tease him tonight, nothing more. ‘I suppose this makes me able to tease him even more,’ she realized.

Earlier, when she requested they not go any further, he stopped. Even now, as he said he was enjoying this, he must be holding himself back from doing anything because of her wishes. She knew it was unfair for her to be touching him like this when he was trying to respect her wishes but when else would she have a grand moment to tease Edgar while he could do nothing?

‘I will die of embarrassment when I face him tomorrow but I will win this game right now,’ Alessandra said to herself.

Leaning forward to Edgar’s chest, she surprised even herself when she kissed him right below his neck. She felt him flinch once again, a sign she had successfully affected him. She could feel his warm breath against her forehead and as she decided to take things further to leave a trail of kisses down his chest, Edgar released her hand. She didn’t know whether he had willingly released her hand or he had not realized he did.

With her hand free, Alessandra began tracing her fingers along the lines of his abs while she continued to leave a trail of kisses going down to his abdomen. She was honestly surprised Edgar had not once moved or said anything up to this point.

She lifted her head to look at his expression and for a moment, she thought there was something different about the way he was watching her. Something she could not explain. She started to consider the fact she was probably taking it too far and taking advantage of her request for him to not kiss her until she took off her mask.

Alessandra thought of another way to tease Edgar instead of touching him. “I,” she paused for a moment to prepare herself for the words she was about to say. “Since that day by the window when Alfred interrupted us, I have had thoughts about the two of us. Thoughts that I never had before and I thought they were wrong but the more I was in your presence, the more I could not ignore them.”

Edgar, who had been perfectly fine with Alessandra touching and kissing him, was thrown off by her admitting she had desired him. It was one thing for her to nod her head and say yes but for her to express herself this way was hard for him to process for what moment. “What?”

“I think that is why I run away each time you try getting near me. I don’t like imagining things happening between us because it is foreign to me and I found it hard to believe a man like you would want me in that way. I always thought you were just trying to tease me. The first time you held me close at night I could hardly sleep because I didn’t know what exactly I was feeling. Back when we were together in the tub, as you touched I wonder what it would be like for us-”

“You,” Edgar said in a low tone. He was able to control himself but he was finding it painfully hard to refrain from touching her. “Kissing is off-limits but I can still touch as much as I want, right?”

Alessandra innocently smiled. “I am not experienced enough but am I right in saying if you touch me now, we would somehow end up kissing? I want to stay true to my deal to have my first kiss without my mask.”

A devilish idea came to mind on how to end this game. “Well technically, my second kiss with a man. Good night,” she quickly turned to face the other direction and closed her eyes.

She had witnessed Edgar getting upset each time she mentioned Mario to know this would be the perfect final blow to teasing him. Alessandra didn’t use Mario’s name as it would be wrong to play into the rumors so she left it without a name to let Edgar’s mind wonder about it.

The silence from the person behind her was suffocating and it made her wonder if Edgar had not heard what she said or if he was processing it. If he hadn’t heard her, she wouldn’t be repeating it. It felt like it was going to cost her life for saying such a thing.

“Alessandra,” Edgar finally broke the silence, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut. “Who did you have your first kiss with? Was it that cook who seems to be the source of your problems recently? I know that you are not sleeping,” he poked her in her side and watched her tremble. “Ha,” he licked his lip.

Edgar would have to give it to her. He did not like what he was feeling right now. To go from pleasure to feeling angry was not something he enjoyed. For now, he would let her enjoy this moment of feeling like she had gotten the best of him.

Edgar would not forget how bold she was right now. He would remember this moment for future interactions and make sure she felt what he was experiencing right now. “Just wait, Alessandra,” he warned her. “Remember you started this when tomorrow comes.”