Define The Relationship Novel - Chapter 67

“I, don’t, have, the, confidence, to, uh, hmph, call, you, that.”

Embarrassingly, moans kept escaping. Karlyle raised one hand and covered his mouth with the back of it. Ash looked up at Karlyle with a languid expression. He tilted his head slightly, then, leaving the hand on his waist, extended his other hand. Ash interlaced his fingers with Karlyle’s hand, which was covering his mouth, and smiled.

“You don’t dislike it, do you?”

“…No.”

His hand simultaneously moved downwards. The hand, which had moved forward at some unknown point, unbuckled his belt. The belt was undone in an instant with a click. Karlyle flinched at the sound and looked down. Ash smiled nonchalantly.

“Then…”

In a voice even lower than before, Ash asked another question. The back of his hand brushed against Karlyle’s slightly exposed boxers. The back of his hand gently caressed the tip of his firmly erect penis, making Karlyle squeeze his eyes shut. A hot breath escaped.

“What are you thinking right now?”

Karlyle almost crumbled at the low, tempting whisper. He almost confessed that he wanted to do that with Ash, then shook his head.

There was something he wanted to do the moment he saw Ash today. That was the main purpose of his visit. And Karlyle was a very responsible person who, once he set a goal, would definitely see it through.

Ash Jones didn’t know that yet.

“Just, your hand, Ash… Ash.”

Karlyle exerted immense self-control and pulled away from Ash. Gasping for breath, Karlyle slowly straightened his clothes. He wondered how Ash could unbuckle his belt so quickly.

Karlyle adjusted his pants, then straightened his dress shirt for now. Ash smiled silently, with a somewhat dangerous look in his eyes. Only his mouth was smiling. He seemed to be holding something back.

“Why?”

His voice also sounded somewhat husky.

“Today… I came here… because I had something I wanted to give you.”

That was the important business. He wanted to give Ash the painting he had wanted to give him for a long time. Kyle had given the painting back to Karlyle after the engagement party.

Karlyle had brought the carefully preserved painting with him on his visit to Ash today. Although his original intention of giving it as a confession gift had been thwarted, he thought it was good in its own way to give it as a gift to celebrate their new relationship.

“You did?”

“I don’t know if you’ll like it, but…”

“Anything Lyle gives me, even chewed gum, is fine.”

Even in this situation, Karlyle thought his lover was quite funny with his jokes. He had no idea that Ash was actually being completely serious.

Ash stood up. He was like a nimble beast. Ash quickly rose from the sofa without a sound and approached him. Karlyle tried to calm his trembling insides as he picked up the framed picture that had been leaning against the staircase wall on the second floor.

Ash lowered his long eyelashes. His gaze fell on Karlyle’s hand. Then, a gentle smile slowly bloomed on Ash’s face.

“Is that it?”

“…Yes.”

Karlyle slowly removed the seal. A rustling sound was heard. His pale hands carefully and neatly removed the wrapping from the frame. After placing the wrapping materials on the floor as if tidying them, Karlyle held the frame in his arms. His breath caught.

“Before… when I heard you liked Philip Whitewood’s paintings… I really wanted to give it to you.”

Even though they were dating, he still wondered if it was too much. However, Karlyle had so many things he wanted to give Ash in the future. He had never found much interest in spending money. But if he spent it for Ash, he felt he would be very, very happy.

“I don’t know if you know this, but the Marquis Gordon owned this painting. According to what you told me last time… you said your mother was a friend of the Marquis.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ash said, looking down at Karlyle kindly. His lowered gaze fell on Karlyle’s hands and the frame. Ash slowly placed his hands over Karlyle’s.

“I don’t know what the connection is, but… I somehow feel it’s fate. That the painting Ash likes was owned by him, and that… I happened to come across it.”

Karlyle dared to use the word “fate” to link himself and Ash. Karlyle was now uttering words that he had once thought overly romantic.

“I hope… this gift will make you happy.”

Hoping for that, I found the painting.

Karlyle looked at Ash with earnest eyes and spoke. His heart pounded wildly. He was nervous, even though he thought Ash wouldn’t dislike it. What if he said it was presumptuous? What if he said it was too much?

“Lyle.”

Ash’s hand, touching the back of his hand, gently laid the frame down. Supporting it with his arm, Karlyle showed him the painting. Ash gazed at it for a long time, his face lost in thought.

“Thank you, truly…”

His lips quietly parted. Karlyle held his breath, waiting for Ash’s reaction.

“It’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my life. Truly…”

Ash smiled. With eyes that were somewhat sad, yet a smile filled with joy that overshadowed any sadness. Ash lowered his head. His lips touched Karlyle’s cheek.

“Shall I tell you a secret?”

Blood slowly began to circulate in Karlyle’s body in response to Ash’s reaction. Karlyle, now suppressing his rapidly beating heart with elation unlike before, nodded.

“Actually, Philip painted this picture.”

“…What?”

“There’s a complicated story behind it, as I told you then.”

Ash straightened up. His tender hand caressed the frame. Karlyle remembered Ash’s promise to tell him later. He wanted to know what the story was. Karlyle’s lips parted slightly, and he gazed at Ash. Their eyes met.

“You promised to tell me what’s on your mind, Lyle? You can ask anything you’re curious about.”

He felt Ash’s gaze on his lips. Karlyle nodded again. After a brief hesitation, Karlyle opened his mouth.

“If it’s okay… could you tell me what happened?”

“Of course.”

Ash pulled Karlyle’s shoulder. Ash’s hand overlapped Karlyle’s hand, which was holding the painting.

“Then, today, I’ll start with my story.”

Ash slowly walked towards the stairs. Karlyle stood beside Ash and followed him.

“And then, you tell me about your past. How about that?”

“…I’d like that.”

“Good. Let’s do that today.”

Before going up the stairs, Karlyle suddenly remembered something. Ash’s image, asking what Karlyle was thinking on the sofa, caught his eye. What had Ash been thinking then? Why had he asked that?

“Ash.”

“Yes, Lyle.”

“Earlier… on the sofa, what were you thinking, Ash?”

It was a truly innocent intention. Karlyle asked Ash seriously. Ash tilted his head slightly and smiled silently. “Hmm,” a troubled smile caught his eye. Ash thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll tell you tonight. If I tell you now, given the situation, I’ll sound like trash.”

The word “trash” startled Karlyle.

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“Ash, that word isn’t good. You’re not…”

“I’m sorry. Then I’ll correct it to ‘shameless’.”

“…That too…”

“Lyle probably doesn’t know yet how much of ‘that’ I am.”

Ash smiled languidly. With a somewhat dangerous look, as before, Ash lowered his head slightly. Then he whispered into Karlyle’s ear.

‘You’ll find out as we date.’

In bed. Hmm, or… somewhere else. Karlyle stopped dead in his tracks at the content of the mischievous voice. Ash, who had let out a small laugh, led Karlyle forward. His hesitant legs slowly followed Ash up the stairs.

Soon, two sounds of laughter disappeared to the second floor.