The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 98: Uncovered, In Front of Him

Jessamyn grew increasingly confused and restless, her head and chest aching. She took a deep breath to calm herself and approached the window to get her bearings.

The building she was in was made of stone—larger than a villa but smaller than a mansion. The second floor, where she was, had only a few rooms, while the first floor was more expansive.

Surrounded by dense forest, the house seemed isolated. If they were near the outskirts of Elodia, Mount Lumina should have been visible, but the tall trees obscured the view.

Jerrick had always preferred the sight of greenery. In Roche, he was surrounded by forest. His unusual interest in plants and trees was apparent even back then, and his love for nature was reflected in his eyes.

His eyes are beautifully green like the forest he loves.

Looking outside, Jessamyn saw a horse tied to a tree and a man preparing it for a ride. She recognized him as Bernard by his distinctive hairstyle. She wondered where he was headed in the dark.

If Bernard was here, Isadora must have returned too. Jessamyn wanted to check on her; she knew Isadora would have much to share about her first time attending a royal ceremony.

Before leaving the room, Jessamyn checked her reflection. Her hair was down, and she appreciated the care Jerrick had taken to remove the many pins Isadora had used without waking her. Or had it been Isadora who did it?

She quickly pulled her hair into a loose bun and tried to put on the dress that lay on the floor, but it was tangled in a way she didn’t think was possible.

"Men!" she muttered in exasperation.

Seeing a dresser, she searched for another dress. Inside were only nightgowns and morning gowns, all new, but no dinner gowns.

Jessamyn wanted to have dinner but first needed to talk to Isadora. She picked a random gown to wear just as she heard the door open.

"You are getting dressed? I brought you dinner..." Jerrick smiled.

"I..." Jessamyn was lost for words. Here she was, in her undergarments, and there he was... a feast for the eyes with the body of a god!

He was wearing his loose shirt above his trousers. The flimsy shirt was left untied and sticking to his chest. In the flickering candlelight, she could see... everything on his chest.

So, were they now at a stage where they could see each other without properly dressed? She wondered. Why is he wet? And why am I turning hot?

There was something about him that drew her to him. From the moment she met him as a boy, there was a connection she felt toward him that she couldn’t sever, no matter how hard she tried. The tether in her heart only weakened when she stayed away from him, but in his presence, it grew stronger and more unbreakable.

Her perceived hatred and anger toward him only weakened the tether; never broke it. She hated to admit it but that was the truth.

Combined with the uncontrollable lust she felt toward him, it served as a deadly combination. She had blamed him for using her as a vessel to satiate his lust, but wasn’t she doing the same right now?

She could rationalize it, but she couldn’t control or stop that feeling. Giving in to that feeling was easy; fighting turned out to be tedious.

"Isadora..." she said, still unable to peel off her eyes from his chest. "She must be..." her voice trailed off as she watched him placing the tray on the table. Even his back was tempting as the wet shirt clung to his frame, outlining every defined muscle and sinew.

Water droplets clung to the tips of his hair, dripping on his powerful shoulders. The candlelight cast alluring contours on his skin and water droplets traced the deep ridges along his spine. The damp fabric, nearly translucent, accentuated his warrior’s physique, leaving little to the imagination causing a raw feeling to rise from her lower abdomen.

She inhaled sharply, pressing her hand on her abdomen. Her entire boy turned hot as if she had ingested an aphrodisiac, but she knew his figure in front of her was only the aphrodisiac she took.

Control yourself, Jessamyn... Jessamyn fanned herself, unsure what caused the sudden bothering feelings to rise in her. Cold air brushed her burning body through the loose fabric of her chemise, offering her some comfort. Her back felt exposed but she welcomed that coldness for she needed it.

Little did she know that the figure appearing casual in front of her, too was burning with desire the moment he laid eyes on her exposed collarbones and cleavage. His thoughts raced to think of the intimate moments they had shared in the past.

Control yourself, Jerrick! Jerrick had to focus himself to concentrate on the task at hand. He couldn’t control the rising hotness from his abdomen.

"Isadora is staying in the tavern for the night," he said, turning to look at her. She was struggling to dress herself, and Jerrick didn’t want to see her dressed.

"Why are you bothering to get dressed? There is no one else in the mansion," he said.

"Um..." Jessamyn’s hands trembled, not out of fear but out of some other feeling. Her throat went dry, once again, seeing his chiseled chest. "No one?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The simple task of putting on the dress had become tedious as he observed her. She turned to show him his back, mainly to control the racing of her heart. "I just saw Bernard outside..."

"Bernard?" Jerrick’s heart skipped a beat. What is he still doing here? Why hasn’t he left with Isadora yet? What if Jessamyn saw Isadora? She wouldn’t let her leave and then all my plans will be in vain...

"Wait..." Jessamyn quickly turned to face him, the dress she chose to wear hanging pathetically in her arms.

"Isadora is alone in the tavern? Will you please ask Bernard to bring her here?" she asked, her heart aching for Isadora. Isadora wouldn’t survive a night like this alone when she had a lot to say. Her head would burst if she didn’t share her experiences with someone.

Jerrick blinked biting his lower lips awkwardly. I am exactly trying to avoid that situation right now...

"You’re..." he pointed at her dress. "Are you sure you want to get dressed just for dinner? You’re going to undress immediately after, anyway" he said.

Jessamyn’s throat went dry and the dress she was holding in her hand slipped and pooled on the floor.

He said what? Why would I undress immediately after dinner?