Kiyoka Kudou knew he had lost his mind the moment he met Minako Saimori, but now he was getting dangerously close to losing control.

Body burning, he followed the young woman down the narrow hallway to her room, his gaze riveted to the very feminine sway of her hips and the round, firm curve of her backside. Watching her, however, was sweet torture, his member growing harder by the second, his shaft already so erect that it hurt to walk.

He wanted her more than he had ever wanted a woman, and yet he would not take her. He had never made a business out of deflowering virgins—especially since that seemed to be Haru, his younger brother's, specialty—and with Minako's reputation as a Lady at stake, Kiyoka was determined to do everything right.

At the screen door to her room, Kiyoka gave her a gentle shove inside. "You'd better close it fast," he instructed, his voice now hoarse.

Instead she reached out for him, catching the sleeve of his kimono in her hand and tugging him toward her.

Minako knew she was playing with fire, knew she just might get more than she had bargained for, but right now she welcomed the heat, especially if it would answer whatever it was burning her up on the inside.

"Five minutes," she whispered, feeling like a devil, feeling bad, but also knowing that he could leave at a moment's notice.

"I won't make love to you," he said, even as she pulled him into her room.

"Fine. Just kiss me some more," she answered, closing the door behind them.

"You're only going to drive us crazy."

"We're already on the way there," she whispered unsteadily, her legs shaking as she approached Kiyoka one nervous step at a time.

"We are going to be married," he said, arms folded over his chest, his expression enigmatic. "It's not a choice. It's something we both must do."

"Can we forget marriage—?"

"No."

She felt nearly feverish as she peer up at him from beneath her lashes. "Let's just forget wedding talk for five minutes."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Minako took the final step toward him, closing the distance between them, her thighs against his thighs, her breasts to his chest, her hands on his waist to hold her steady. "You want to kiss me," she whispered, her voice low and wanton.

"I want to kiss you so badly that my body hurts," he answered, his jaw flexing.

"So do it."

Kiyoka sat down on a nearby stool and pulled her between his knees so that she stood before him. Watching her face, he slowly undone her obi and tossed it to the floor, allowing her kimono to drape open.

Watching her face closely, he pushed away the fabric of the nagajuban, and then kissed her flat stomach and leisurely took his time, kissing his way higher. Minako gasped at the warmth of his mouth on her bare skin, and the tingling sensation of his lips on her ribcage, and then the sensitive spot just beneath her right breast.

She gasped again when his mouth closed on her taut, aching nipple. His mouth felt wet, hot, and as he sucked, her lower belly clenched, and clenched again. She gritted her teeth, burning her hands in his platinum hair as he sucked and caressed her nipple until she felt as though she were as wet and hot between her thighs.

His hands slid from her waist down to her hips, his thumbs stroking her hipbones through the thin fabric of her nagajuban. She was making little whimpering noises now. She knew it but couldn't bring herself to stop. She craved his touch, craved release, craved satisfaction.

But then Kiyoka's mouth lifted and, holding her firmly by the hips, he pushed her back a little and then a little more until there was an appropriate distance between them.

"Lord Kudou—" she began to protest, reaching for him.

"No, Minako," he answered roughly as he stood and moved swiftly away.

"You're beautiful," he added, his jaw set, his cheekbones flushed with deep color, "but I will not take anything that isn't mine."

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A/N: I binge watched My Happy Marriage this weekend and just fell in love with Kiyoka Kudou. I hope I do him justice in this story! :)