"But you were."

Cain's voice carried a soft chuckle, mingling with amusement. His hand, which had been caressing her cheek, delicately descended to the nape of her neck, gliding along the pronounced collarbone before coming to a gradual halt.

"You're tense here," he remarked.

"…!"

At the very moment Cain uttered those words, her fluttering heart ceased in its tracks. A peculiar ripple spread from the spot his fingertips had imprinted. Though she knew she should push him away, her tongue seemed immobilized, unable to form any words.

Cain's hand extended, trailing along her neckline, before pausing upon her rounded shoulder. Tracing a circle, he gently swept his touch, then grasped her upper arm just above the elbow.

"And here too."

Cain's touch persisted, continuing its path. Gliding down her arm, his hand came to rest upon her trembling backhand. Firmly, he clasped her hand, gently slipping his fingers between hers.

"Laila."

"Yes," Laila managed to whisper, her lips barely parting.

"Have you ever experienced love?"

Cain's voice scattered above her head, causing a heated flush to rise upon the contact of his breath against her forehead. Laila, unable to meet his gaze, responded in a hushed tone.

"No."

Never once had she experienced it. Life had kept her occupied, devoid of any suitors she wished to pursue. The men in that place were mostly sordid and unclean, occupying undesirable professions. Laila herself lacked any remarkable qualities, yet she had no desire to associate with such individuals. Perhaps due to those men who jeered at her, casting sinister glances, she had unknowingly shut herself off from recognizing a genuinely kind-hearted man.

Why, then, did Cain pose such a question?

"Then you've never been kissed either," he continued, releasing her hand and grasping her spine as he ascended. Thud. Each segment of his touch sent an exhilarating shiver coursing through her being. When his hand enveloped the small of her back, it felt as though her entire being would succumb to the searing heat.

"I wonder when you'll experience a kiss?"

A contemptuous voice, teasing her, continued relentlessly.

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"Should you know about that?"

Her feeble rebellion barely surfaced.

"Of course, you should know. It's important."

His voice became deep, as if oscillating between jest and earnestness. The atmosphere he created seemed to stir up a whirlpool, subtly drawing her into its depths without her even realizing it.

Unable to contain herself, Laila tightened her grip on his shirt. In her desperate search for support, she inadvertently let her mind wander to his exposed bare chest, further unsettling her senses.

During their time together, Cain had never acted in this manner towards her. He had never posed such sticky questions. He had only been faithful to the present moment, as though he knew everything about her or as if he had no interest at all. Had he suppressed his desires deep within all this time, or was he simply intoxicated by the current atmosphere?

Perhaps the contagion had spread to her as well. Laila asked shyly, her voice barely audible.

"When... should we?"

"When could it be?"

Cain lifted Laila's chin, and the intense heat in his eyes was palpable from such close proximity. As his shadow finally cast over her face, she became aware of the clear answer.

Now!

Cain firmly pressed his lips against Laila's. She remained frozen, neither pushing him away nor fully accepting the gesture. The situation didn't feel real. She couldn't discern whether the sensation of their first kiss was good or bad, as it remained unfamiliar. The only thing she was certain of was that she didn't want to push him away.

Cain's tongue gently slipped into Laila's mouth. It traced along the cr*vices, gliding from side to side before returning to its place. His tongue teased the inner fl*sh while Laila's lips slowly parted.

As if beckoning, Cain's lips lightly brushed against her lower lip. He delicately captured it and released it, repeating the motion.

Although it was a union of lips, her mind was tingling with sensations.

Finally, his wandering tongue found its way inside. As if proclaiming its presence, the f*rvent man's tongue delicately brushed against her palate. It explored the inner fl*sh of her cheek and caressed the roof of her mouth, sending a thrill that reverberated through her very core.

For a moment, the frigid sensation of the unfamiliar melted away as he thoroughly traversed her cavity. With a gentle s*ction, he embraced her shy tongue, drawing it deep within. The soft inhalation engulfed and consumed her being. It swirled and twirled, alternating between rapid release and lingering suction.

"Mmm, yes."

Their melded lips gave rise to her instinctual m*ans of pleasure.

Cain's movements were graceful and skilled, allowing her to gradually surrender. She had witnessed couples exchanging kisses through the open doorway of Red Moon on occasion when they went in to buy fish. It had been an unsightly and sordid spectacle, but this was different now.

It was hot and sweet. She never knew a kiss could ignite her very soul so abruptly.

The slippery mingling of m*ist fl*sh, the sensual sound of saIiva mingling and creating a tantalizing symphony, his lingering touch that trailed down her throat and caressed her collarbone—Laila was nearly beside herself with sensation.

As Cain slowly withdrew from her mouth, Laila blinked and gazed at him with dazed eyes.

"I don't want you to protect me."

In the darkness, his eyes, revealed, exuded a profound intensity.

"Yet, would you still protect me?"