The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 116: Tasty Bunnies

Bernard agreed, looking into Isadora’s big green eyes. She looked so serious, as if it were a deciding factor. "True, we cannot waste a perfectly good apple. It’s already time for lunch, but..."

He wriggled his brows.

"But?" Isadora raised her brows in anticipation. It appeared that Bernard had a plan.

"But I have a big belly," he said, bending down and swallowing the entire apple in one bite.

"Wow!" Isadora’s eyes widened, seeing Bernard’s cheeks puffed up as he chewed. "How big is your mouth?"

Bernard swallowed the apple and interrupted Isadora, who was concentrating on cutting the "bunny apple" she had mentioned.

"Want to explore how big my mouth is again... with your tongue?" he asked.

Isadora ended up swallowing wrong when she heard the booming voice of the man who made her heart skip a beat just by existing, and she was thrown into a coughing fit. "Bernard..." she pouted. "Why are you so..." She hit his arm as he looked at her, trying to control his laughter.

"I am coughing here and you’re laughing!" Isadora stood up, patting her chest. It wasn’t serious, but she was so embarrassed that she needed a reason to stay away from him.

She knew what he would try to do next. Last night, because of him, she had struggled to keep her clothes on. She didn’t want that feeling to return while the sun was still high in the sky. Even when it went down, she didn’t want to do it either. She just hoped her lady would return soon. But she also wanted to stay with Bernard and talk to him.

She didn’t know what she wanted. She was so confused.

"Come on, sit. I won’t bother you anymore," Bernard said, pulling her to sit beside him.

"If you bother me once more, I will get up and walk far away from here..." Isadora pouted.

"Yes," Bernard nodded like a good boy, even folding his arms over his chest subserviently.

Isadora suppressed the smile forming on her lips and sat beside him. At times, he would act like a perverted old man but most of the time he was like a cute little baby.

"Here..." Isadora offered him the apples.

"Ah... so, these are bunny apples?" Bernard looked keenly at the slices on Isadora’s delicate hand.

"See... these are the ears... You don’t see a bunny?" Isadora asked, pretty disappointed that she didn’t impress Bernard.

"I see it... But why is it so... cute?" He asked.

"Aren’t bunnies cute?"

"Cute? Maybe..." Bernard was not sure why the dinner he preferred when he went on long journeys was cute. They sure were delicious when he cooked them on fire. But maybe they were cute.

He looked at the slices and then at Isadora. "You’re cuter..." He wanted to swallow up Isadora too but it was different to the way he thought about a bunny.

"You’re..." Isadora was lost for words.

"I am...what?" Bernard asked, tilting his head.

Isadora wetted her lips not knowing what to say. He looked handsome. She wanted to kiss him again.

Last night, when he scooped her up onto the horse with just one arm, she yelped. Impressed by his strength, as the breeze caressed her face while they traversed through the isolated road, she couldn’t help but plant a kiss on his lips.

That was it. Maybe he took offense that she initiated the kiss twice, but Bernard didn’t stop kissing her. She had lost count of their kisses by now. They probably kissed a hundred times.

Not really. She did not lose count. They kissed exactly nine times including the kisses she initiated.

Bernard swooped in and got all the slices in her hand. His wet lips made contact with her hands and Isadora quickly retreated her hand.

But Bernard held her wrist. Isadora took in a sharp inhale and watched Bernard chewing the slices. His eyes looked hungry as if he would devour her if she stayed there. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

She wanted to leave but she didn’t at the same time. Again, whenever she was with Bernard, her feelings got all mushy and scattered. She couldn’t figure out anything.

Bernard swallowed. "The bunnies were tasty..." he said and kissed her hand. "You are tastier..." His kisses trailed along her hand and then he peppered kisses on her forearm, reaching to her arm.

Although he was kissing over her clothes, Isadora felt warm all over. Before she knew it, she leaned to his embrace as his lips landed on hers. She was like a newborn baby who knew how to find his mother’s breasts. Even when she closed her eyes, she could find his lips.

And, he knew how to kiss.

Nestled in his strong arms, she allowed herself to soar into the sky. When he left her lips, she placed her hand on his cheeks as she gathered her breath. She tried to find words to describe the way she was feeling but she couldn’t.

"I love you, Bernard," she said, as that was the only word she could say.

He crashed his lips on hers, pushing her on the bed. As they were trained for this, his hands reached for her skirt to pull it up.

Isadora lost in his fiery embrace, still had the rationality to stop him. She remembered what her lady said not to give up her virtue before the wedding. And she perfectly understood why her lady said it would be a struggle.

Because right now, she wanted to become submissive and let Bernard take control of her and bring her to another plane of pleasure.

Bernard didn’t push through after the first sign of her protest. Pressing his forehead on hers, he nuzzled his nose on hers and gently kissed the tip of her nose. "I love you, Isadora," he said, his face blooming into a smile.

Isadora kissed his chin and hugged him around his bulging shoulders. "My Bernard..."

"Hmm... What?" Bernard’s booming voice reverberated in her ears and she giggled.

"Shall we play chess?" she asked.

"Chess?" Bernard raised his brows. "Yes!"

He was excited to learn one more game from her.