The Devil's Betrothed-Chapter 762: You Do Know What We Are Doing?

Lucian stepped inside, carefully lowering Erin onto her feet before guiding her to sit at the edge of the bed. He knelt on one knee before her on the floor.

Before Erin could fully comprehend what he was doing, Lucian reached for her feet. With a firm yet gentle touch, he began to remove the winter boots she wore over her thick socks. Her breath hitched, a mix of surprise and embarrassment washing over her.

She wanted to protest, to tell him she could manage on her own, but the words caught in her throat. Something about the quiet care in his actions rendered her silent.

She observed his lowered face, making her wonder about all his actions. She understood he had been maintaining boundaries with her because, a few times when he tried to be close to her, she had warned him not to touch her and to keep his distance. But, at that time, she didn’t know what was in his mind, and she was just angry at him.

She had long forgotten it, but this man respected her words even after she agreed to marry him. He truly maintained respectful distance with her and this truly touched her. He was a man of his words.

But now, when she finally asked him to show what he felt about her, he was ready to go all out.

In his dictionary, it was either this or that, and there was nothing in the middle. He either maintained the boundaries or was ready to cross them entirely. He was truly different.

But the question was—was she truly ready to go ahead with him when they were not even married yet? In her heart, she knew the answer. He was the man she loved, but it was not the only reason to accept it. The reason was that she trusted him. She knew he was never going to betray her. Unknown to her, she had deep trust in him now.

Once Lucian removed her boots and placed them aside, he removed his own boots as well.

Erin was nervous, while there was not a tinge of nervousness or hesitation in Lucian. He said he had never been with any woman, but he was surprisingly confident in his actions.

Once done, he looked up at her, only to find her looking at him. He held her hands in his and stood up, making her stand as well. The floor below was carpeted, so it didn’t feel cold to her bare feet, and the temperature in the room was just right—or perhaps this closeness with him was making her feel everything just as perfect.

His hands lingered at her waist as he looked down at her, his eyes searching hers for any hesitation.

Erin’s heart thudded loudly in her chest, but she didn’t look away. She had decided—decided to be his now. His calm yet deep and intense gaze had already trapped her heart.

His hands moved to her face, his thumb gently brushing her cheek as he leaned closer and kissed the corner of her soft but swollen lips, still tender from their previous intense kiss.

Erin closed her eyes as that gentle peck sent shivers down her spine. She felt his warm lips trailing down, placing gentle kisses along her jaw before moving to her neck.

Only she knew how loudly her heart was beating at this moment, as if she might faint any second. Her hands moved to hold onto him to keep herself steady.

Lucian’s hand slowly moved to the back of her head, tilting it up so he could relish the delicate curve of her neck. His warm mouth sucked and nibbled at her skin, leaving a burning heat in its wake.

Unknown to her, soft moans escaped her throat as she allowed him to explore.

He gently bit her in the crook of her neck, making her let out a soft cry as her fingers clutched his clothes tightly. Meanwhile, his hands moved to the back of her dress to undo the laces, his intentions clear.

The moment Erin felt her dress beginning to loosen, her body stiffened, and she swallowed hard. She tried to remain calm, her eyes looking over his shoulder, focusing on the view of the mountain ahead, all while feeling his hands move to her shoulders to lower the loosened dress.

Her breath grew shallow at the thought of being exposed in front of him. She had never imagined it would be so embarrassing and nerve-wracking at the same time.

Lucian noticed her unease and looked down at her before even pulling her dress down.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his deep voice resonating straight to her heart.

She nodded, keeping her head lowered. As if understanding her hesitation, he finally spoke. "We can stop if you want to."

She shook her head. "No... I didn’t mean to..."

Lucian continued to study her lowered face. He had never seen her so shy and nervous. She was the woman who was always full of confidence, always facing everything head-on, but this time...

He gently held her chin, tilting her face up so their eyes met. "You do know what we are doing?" His question carried a hint of reassurance, a desire to be absolutely certain.

She nodded. "I know... and I don’t mind..."

Of course, she knew. She wasn’t like those naive daughters of noble families, kept unaware of such things until their marriages. She was educated in every way, and thanks to her brothers, who had never treated her like a delicate or naive girl, she had grown to understand the world more clearly.

In response, Lucian took her hand and moved it toward the buttons of his shirt. She looked up at him, her wide eyes filled with uncertainty.

"Maybe you can help me as well," he said, his gaze steady as he looked into her puzzled eyes.

She nodded lightly and looked at the buttons of his shirt. One by one, she began to undo them, her fingers trembling slightly as his perfectly shaped body started to unveil before her eyes. She couldn’t deny that he was utterly tempting.

The sight of him made her momentarily forget her own shyness as Lucian removed his shirt right in front of her. Her eyes boldly lingered on him this time, as if cherishing the beauty of the man who now belonged to her.

His gaze never left her as he observed her newfound boldness. Once he was done, his hands moved to her shoulders, silently making her aware of what he was about to do.

Slowly, he slid her dress down from her shoulders, the fabric pooling around her legs. Her bare skin immediately felt the chill of the air, despite the warmth in the room. She felt his gaze roaming over her exposed body, and a wave of self-consciousness swept through her. Unable to bear the intensity of his eyes on her, she instinctively turned around, her hands moving to cover her chest.

Even though she had prepared herself for this moment, under his steady and intense gaze, she couldn’t help but feel a burning need to hide. Her face flushed a deep shade of red, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

One thought hit her mind. It’s not as easy as they talk about in books. It’s utterly embarrassing to be watched like this, and at the same time, nerve-wracking and overwhelming. I can’t seem to even breathe properly.