Unintended Consequences

Pop~

The sudden crackle of the fireplace broke through their lively conversation, making both Isabelle and Cassius glance toward the dancing flames. The sparks flared up briefly, as though the fire itself had grown impatient with being ignored.

Isabelle blinked, realising how long they'd been sitting there.

"It's already so late." Isabelle murmured, her voice tinged with surprise. She turned her attention back to Cassius, who was leaning comfortably back in his chair, a small, amused smile on his lips. "I didn't even notice the time. Young master, you...You really know a lot about cooking." She added, still surprised by their long discussion.

Cassius chuckled softly, resting his chin on his hand as he regarded her with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Why does that surprise you so much? Did you think I was only good for bossing people around?"

"Well..." Isabelle began hesitantly, though her smile betrayed her amusement. "...You do spend most of your time giving orders. But I didn't expect you to have such practical skills. It's really impressive, actually, especially in a time where many people consider cooking to be a lowly task."

"Impressive, huh?" Cassius's smirk widened. "So I've managed to surprise my charming maid...That's a rare feat. I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. I didn't think young masters like you even stepped foot in kitchens, let alone knew how to prepare dishes." Isabelle laughed softly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Cassius leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hasten as he said,

"Let's just say I've had my fair share of experiences...Life isn't always as predictable as it seems, Isabelle."

Before she could respond, another loud crackle from the fireplace reminded them of the hour.

Isabelle straightened, her cheeks flushing slightly as she averted her gaze and said,

"I suppose we should call it a night. It's getting late, and you've already spent so much time here."

Cassius tilted his head, studying her with a soft expression that momentarily betrayed his usual playful demeanour.

"Are you trying to send me away, Isabelle?" He teased, though his tone was unusually gentle.

"N-No, young master." Isabelle stammered, though she couldn't quite hide the shy smile that played on her lips. "I just don't want to take up too much of your time...You're probably needed elsewhere, after all."

"Perhaps. But right now, I think I'm exactly where I need to be."

Cassius let out a quiet laugh, his gaze never leaving hers as she looked away in a fluster. He then shifted slightly, the smirk tugging at the corner of his lips deepening as he added,

"Though I'd offer you a hand to get up so that we can leave, I'm afraid that's a bit difficult considering you're still sitting on my lap, Isabelle."

"Oh! I-" She stammered, her thoughts a whirlwind of panic.

The realisation hit Isabelle like a bolt of lightning, her face heating up in an instant. She hadn't even noticed how naturally she'd remained in such an intimate position, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Her heart gave a slight pang as she prepared to move, reluctant to part from the warmth that had enveloped her so completely while she sat on his lap.

It wasn't just the physical warmth that lingered; it was the feeling of safety, of being cocooned in an unspoken sense of closeness. His steady presence had been comforting, like the kind of gentle fire one could curl up beside during a winter storm.

But she couldn't stay. She knew she couldn't. What if her young master thought she was overly familiar? Or worse—clingy? The thought made her chest tighten, and with a burst of determination, she quickly pushed herself to her feet, her heart sinking further as the cold, empty air rushed to replace the warmth she had just left behind.

Even as she stood, Isabelle couldn't stop her mind from lingering on the contrast. For a fleeting moment, being so near him had made her feel like she was somewhere safe, somewhere she belonged. But she shook the thought away, forcing herself to refocus, even as a hollow ache settled in her chest.

But because her movements were so rushed that she miscalculated her space, she stumbled back slightly, and her hips accidentally bumped against the edge of the table.

Bang~

The force was enough to send a cup of grape juice teetering over the edge. She watched in slow-motion horror as the glass tipped and spilt its vibrant purple contents directly onto Cassius's lap, soaking his pants right at his crotch.

Cassius froze, his expression caught between shock and disbelief as the cold liquid seeped through the fabric. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the room filled only with the sound of the fireplace crackling behind them.

"I-I'm so sorry, young master!" Isabelle blurted out, her hands flying to her mouth as her eyes darted frantically from the table to his now-ruined pants. "I didn't mean to—oh no, oh no—what do I do?!"

Cassius let out a soft chuckle as he saw the stain spreading below.

"It's fine, really...Though, I must say, perhaps it's your fault for having a butt so big that it knocks into tables." He teased with a smirk as he stared at her massive ass swaying around in panic.

Isabelle's face turned scarlet at his comment, her hands immediately flying to her hips as if to defend herself.

"Young master!" She exclaimed, her tone flustered and indignant.

Yet, despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at her lips.

Determined to fix her mistake, Isabelle grabbed a hand towel from the table.

"Let me clean it up." She said firmly, kneeling down beside him as she began dabbing at the grape juice stain on his pants.

'This girl-...Does she know what she's doing?' Cassius's smirk wavered slightly as he stiffened in his chair, the situation quickly escalating beyond his control.

"Isabelle." He said, his tone calm but edged with tension. "There's no need for you to do that. Really, I can take care of it myself."

But Isabelle shook her head ignorantly, her brows furrowed in guilt.

"No, it's my fault. I should have been more careful." She insisted, her voice resolute.

She then continued to rub the damp spot with the towel, her movements focused and oblivious to the strain building on her young master's face because of her innocent actions.

'Ahhh...Does this girl really not know where she's rubbing me? Or is this her attempt at trying to seduce me?' Cassius wondered as he witnessed his maid focus on his crotch so much.

"Isabelle." Cassius repeated, this time his voice sounding slightly strained, his hand gripping the edge of the chair. "Stop it. Seriously...I don't think you understand what you're doing right now."

"I'm almost done!" She replied, still intent on her task.

But as she pressed the towel against the stained area, she suddenly froze, her hand halting mid-motion.

Her cheeks flamed anew as an odd sensation registered under her fingertips—a firmness that had absolutely nothing to do with grape juice.

Her wide eyes darted up to Cassius, who was now staring down at her with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Now do you understand why I told you to stop?"

He asked dryly, though there was a slight curve to his lips that betrayed his amusement despite the awkwardness of the moment.

Isabelle's face burnt brighter than the flames in the nearby fireplace. She quickly pulled her hand away as though she'd been scorched, clutching the towel to her chest.

"I—I didn't mean to!" She stammered, her voice barely above a squeak.

Her wide eyes darted anywhere but at him, yet her mind betrayed her as it raced to process what had just happened.

She couldn't help but think about it—her young master, always composed and in control, had reacted to her...The realisation made her heart pound even faster.

'Did I really just bring about such a reaction?'

The thought both mortified and fascinated her, a whirlwind of embarrassment and an unfamiliar sense of pride swirling in her chest.

"I swear, young master." Isabelle managed to say, her voice trembling as she scrambled to her feet, "I wasn't trying to— I mean, I didn't mean for that to happen!"

Cassius, for his part, seemed far less frazzled. Though his face held a faint flush, his usual smirk had returned in full force.

"Isabelle." He said, leaning back in his chair with an air of deliberate nonchalance. "I believe you. But it seems that your 'helpfulness' often leads to...unintended consequences."

His teasing tone only made Isabelle's embarrassment worse. She wanted to crawl under the table and disappear, but she couldn't help stealing a glance at him.

Her eyes drifted downward, drawn to the subtle tenting of his pants like a moth to a flame. She had never seen a man's clothing bulge like that before, let alone her young master's.

It was so large that it strained against the fabric of his pants, making her wonder if it was even possible for a man's...thing to be that big.

Her heart raced faster than a galloping horse, and her breath felt shallow in her chest. The sight both terrified and captivated her; she had never seen anything so substantial, so masculine.

The way it pressed against his pants, so prominent...It made her simultaneously want to run away and study it closer.

The sheer size of it made her wonder if it would even fit. The thought of her small hand wrapping around such a thick, hard thing made her fingers twitch. She felt a strange, empty ache between her legs, a longing she couldn't comprehend...