Her lips were soft against his.

He longed for more. To feel her more. He deepened the kiss.

Lucien licked her lips tentatively. She parted her lips, allowing him to taste her more.

She let out a soft moan that made his heart beat faster.

Lucien broke the kiss. His breathing was ragged but so was hers. They were breathing hard. They forgot to breathe properly while kissing.

Euphemia smiled at Lucien.

Lucien grabbed her arm and hugged Euphemia, her face on his chest, and his hand against her back.

"I'm so happy," Lucien said.

"Really? Then why did we stop?" Euphemia teased.

"I . . . am finding it hard to control myself," Lucien said, stroking her hair.

"What do you mean?" Euphemia asked.

Lucien stood up from Euphemia's bed. He still had a dazed look in his eyes. He touched his lips slowly, still in disbelief that they had actually kissed just a few moments ago.

"Luci?" Euphemia asked.

"I will have to bid you good night, Euphee," Lucien said with a pained look.

"What?! Why? Oh no. Was my kissing that awful? I'm so sorry," Euphemia said, dismayed.

"No! It's perfect! You're perfect!" Lucien said, panicking because he gave her the wrong idea.

Euphemia smiled. "So, why are you leaving?"

"It's just that . . . I fear I might not be able to stop myself from . . .," Lucien trailed off.

His ears and cheeks were si red. Euphemia looked confused for a moment then realization dawned on her.

"Oh," Euphemia said

Lucien looked like he wanted to bury himself in the ground.

"I will excuse myself, Euphee," Lucien said, slowly backing away.

Euphemia nodded.

"Good night, Euphee," Lucien said.

Euphemia gave him an amused smile.

"Good night, Luci," Euphemia said.

Lucien went out of Euphemia's room and closed the door behind him.

He dropped down on the floor, clutching his chest, his face and ears red, and his breathing ragged.

*

*

*

He was still reeling from the night's events.

They kissed!

SHE KISSED HIM!

His hand flew to his lips, tracing his lips, remembering how her lips felt like on his.

He breathed out, relaxing a bit but still in a daze.

"Your Grace?"

Lucien looked up. It was Hansel.

Hansel looked alarmed at his state.

"Your Grace! Are you alright?! Are you sick?! Should I carry you?!" Hansel said, panicking.

Lucien frowned at him and stood up.

"I'm perfectly fine, Hans," Lucien said and began walking to his room.

Hansel followed behind him.

"But you were just sitting there on the floor! Were you feeling dizzy? Your face is red. You must have caught a fever. Should I call for a doctor? It's late already but I'm sure any doctor will come if I bring a bag of gold coins with me," Hansel said.

"Shush, I'm fine, Hans. Stop worrying," Lucien said, feeling embarrassed now for being seen.

"Truly? Then what were you doing there on the floor, Your Grace?" Hansel asked, still panicking.

"I was . . . I was with Euphee," Lucien said.

"Yes, I know that. So? Did something happen? Oh no . . . Did she get tired of you? Is she breaking up with you, Your Grace?" Hansel asked.

Lucien whirled around and faced Hansel.

"She's not! Argh! She has agreed to be my lover! That's what happened, Hans!" Lucien said.

Hansel raised an eyebrow, looking disappointed.

"Oh, is that all?" Hansel asked.

Lucien let out an exasperated sound.

"It's a big thing, Hans! Why is your reaction like that?" Lucien said.

"Well, aren't the two of you engaged already," Hansel said with a shrug.

"Yes, but that's different! That was because we agreed to do that and we even had a contract. This time, she actually agreed to be my lover!" Lucien said, a smile breaking out his face despite being frustrated at Hansel.

Hansel patted his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Your Grace," Hansel said in a monotone voice and deadpan face.

"Argh! Why aren't you impressed?!" Lucien asked.

Hansel snickered. "Pfft!"

"Your Grace, were you on the floor outside her room just because she agreed to be your lover?" Hansel asked.

Lucien reddened.

"N-no! That's not all! That is not the only reason!" Lucien said.

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "So, what else?"

"We . . ."

"Go on."

"We . . ."

"Breathe and speak, Your Grace."

"WE DID SOMETHING!" Lucien shouted with his eyes closed.

Hansel was quiet.

Lucien opened his eyes.

Hansel looked shock.

"Oh, I did not expect that," Hansel said, looking and sounding shocked.

Lucien grinned.

"Congratulations on losing your virginity, Your Grace," Hansel said.

Lucien's eyes widened.

"W-what?!"

"But Your Grace, I don't think the lady would be pleased to awake without you by her side. Go back to her bed and strip down again," Hansel said.

"N-no!" Lucien said.

Hansel gave him a disapproving look.

"You spent a night with the lady and you don't want to spend the morning with her? I did not know you would be so shameless, Your Grace! I should educate you in proper bed manners," Hansel said.

"We didn't do that!" Lucien shouted, still red as a tomato.

Hansel frowned at him. "So what the bloody hell did the two of you do, Your Grace?"

"WE KISSED!" Lucien shouted.

Hansel sighed.

"Stop yelling, Your Grace. Everyone in our street is going to hear of your inexperience," Hansel said, looking tired.

"We kissed! That's what we did!" Lucien said.

"I see. Keep walking, Your Grace. It's late already and you should get proper sleep," Hansel said and turned Lucien around and forced him to keep walking.

"But Hansel, I don't understand why you're not even happy for me," Lucien said while walking and being pushed by Hansel from behind.

Hansel sighed, feeling old.

"Your Grace, where exactly did you kiss?" Hansel asked.

"That's improper to discuss!" Lucien protested.

"I need to know so I may give you the proper reaction," Hansel said.

"On the . . ."

"Yes? Go on. We're both men here."

"On the . . . lips."

Hansel narrowed his eyes at him.

"I see. Good for you," Hansel said.

"What?! Should I be kissing her anywhere else?!" Lucien asked, confused.

Hansel covered his face with his hand.

"Your Grace, I have this bad feeling that I need to give you a certain kind of education," Hansel said.

"I do not understand. I am not lacking in education, Hans," Lucien said

"Your Grace, it's not that kind of education that you receive from professors. Kindly invite me in your room," Hansel said with a sigh.

Lucien looked horrified and blocked the door to his room.

"I don't want to. Not with you."

Hansel gave him a disgusted look.

"I'm going to educate you, Your Grace," Hansel said.

Lucien shook his head. "I don't need your help!"

"So, you already know what foreplay is?" Hansel asked.

Lucien had a blank expression.

"How to tease a woman? How to get a woman to moan and call out your name?" Hansel asked.

Lucien looked confused.

"Do you even know how to consummate, Your Grace?!" Hansel asked, looking very frustrated.

"Yes, I've read about how reproduction works, Hans. I'm not dumb," Lucien huffed.

Hansel was starting to feel a headache coming.

"So you know how to kiss on the lips and only there. You know how to consummate but you don't know foreplay. Oh ghad," Hansel said rubbing his temples.

"You're worrying too much, Hans. I'm not in the mood to play anything. Now, go away. I'm going to sleep now," Lucien said.

Hansel narrowed his eyed at Lucien.

"Let me in and educate you or else you'll be divorced right after your wedding night," Hansel said.

Lucien wanted to protest but Hansel was glaring at him so intensely, he started to worry that Hansel might be right about him not knowing important things.

"Fine, but make it quick," Lucien said and the two of them entered his room.

There was a small receiving area with chairs in his bedroom and the two men sat across each other with a table between them.

"Your Grace, have you ever looked at erotic picture books before?" Hansel asked.

Lucien frowned, looking disturbed.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then. What about erotic novels?" Hansel asked.

"No, never. That is not what a proper gentleman does," Lucien said.

Hansel gave him a tired look.

"So you have no idea how making love to a woman works," Hansel said, rubbing his temples.

His head was killing him. No, it was Lucien's annoying innocence that was killing him.

"Your Grace, you can't just kiss a woman then consummate immediately afterwards. Well, you actually can but that's only if you don't wish for that woman to stay with you for longer than a night," Hansel said.

"So, what should I do?" Lucien asked.

"Tell me, when you see Lady Euphemia, where do you wish to kiss her?" Hansel asked.

Lucien reddened.

"Well?"

"The back of her hand and her lips," Lucien said, blushing at the memory of their kiss.

"Those are correct but you can actually kiss at more spots," Hansel said.

Lucien's eyes widened.

"Her ears, her neck, her collarbone, her shoulders, and then you go down . . .," Hansel said.

"How do you know so much of this?! I never knew of this!" Lucien exclaimed, cutting him off.

Hansel grinned.

"And the lady will be pleased?" Lucien asked.

"Well, mine was," Hansel said proudly.

Lucien's jaw dropped.

"We have much to discuss, Your Grace. Now, for the next part, this is one of the most important ones. You will need not only your mouth but also your hands . . ."