CHAPTER 80: KISS ME DAILY

The next day, the four of them arrived at the Darkmoor Pack.

"We should rest for a while," Lucien said.

They all agreed and headed to their respective rooms. Leia entered hers and gently closed the door behind her. With a soft sigh, she dropped her bag and walked toward the bed. She lay down on her stomach, sinking into the mattress, letting the tension ease from her limbs.

Her thoughts wandered, and she suddenly remembered the small gift Avery had handed her earlier that morning before they left.

’Let’s see what she gave me,’ she thought, sitting up and pulling the wrapped parcel from inside the bag.

As she opened it, and found out it was a short dress. Leia’s cheeks burned red, thinking about how she would even wear it. However, she wanted to try it once.

Without wasting another moment, Leia slipped out of her clothes, her heart fluttering as she reached for the dress. The fabric slid over her skin like water, clinging to her curves in all the right places. The lace brushed her thighs lightly as she adjusted the straps, and when she glanced at her reflection, she hardly recognized herself.

"Gosh! This dress looks nice..." she told herself when she heard a knock on the door. Before she knew, the door was pushed open, and Kieran walked in.

"Leia, this is another of your bags," Kieran said and stopped blinking the moment he saw Leia in that dress.

"Avery gifted me this," Leia said, trying to find something to cover herself.

"You look dangerously... Tempting in that dress," Kieran replied.

Leia looked at him in bewilderment. "The dress is of that kind. Maybe that’s why," she whispered when a loose hair strand fell in front of her face.

"No. It looks good on you," Kieran said, walking to her. "You can wear it on a private date," he muttered.

Leia met his gaze and found him right in front of her. He tucked the loose hair strand behind her ear. "See you in the evening," he whispered and walked away.

As the door closed, Leia brought her hand to her chest, feeling the loud beats of her heart. "Why am I feeling strange around him as well?" she murmured, bringing her hand to her head. She shook her head and locked the door from inside first. Then, she changed into a comfy pair of clothes before sliding under the blanket to take a nap.

~~~~~

Lucien was standing on the balcony of his room, looking at the evening sky, when the phone in his pocket buzzed. He checked the screen and saw it was his aunt calling him again. Lowering the cigarette in his left hand, he answered the call finally and brought the phone to his ear.

"Good evening, Aunt Fleur," Lucien greeted her first. "If you have called about Grandma, then I am not interested in it," he clarified.

"I didn’t call for that," Fleur replied calmly. "I just wanted to know how you, Ronan, and Kieran are doing."

"We’re doing pretty well," he said, a hint of warmth returning to his voice.

Fleur continued, "Travis and Inara have been asking to visit you. Inara especially wouldn’t stop pestering me about it. I held them off for a while, but... I thought I should check with you first."

Lucien leaned his elbow on the railing, letting the cigarette dangle between his fingers. "Sure," he said after a moment. "They can come whenever they like. Just let me know in advance."

Fleur almost brought up her mother again, but stopped herself. She knew it would only agitate Lucien. Swallowing the urge, she simply said, "I’ll hang up then. Take care."

Lucien slid the phone back into the pocket of his trousers and brought the cigarette back to his lips. He took a long, quiet drag, exhaling slowly into the dusky air.

Just then, a voice called out from inside.

"Lucien, your door was open, so I came in!" Leia’s voice echoed through the room.

"I’m on the balcony," he replied, the cigarette still between his fingers as he let out another soft puff of smoke.

Leia walked closer and stopped at the threshold of the balcony. She caught sight of him exhaling another plume and immediately wrinkled her nose, raising a hand to cover it.

"What pleasure do you even find in that?" she asked, visibly annoyed. "You do realize it can ruin your lungs, right?"

Lucien turned slightly, his lips curving into a faint smirk as he looked at her.

"I am not praising you," Leia said and lowered her hand. She marched to him and snatched the cigarette from him, throwing it on the floor and pressing her slipper over it. "If you smoke ever again..." she paused, "then..." Leia couldn’t come up with something better.

"Hmm? What will you do?" Lucien took a step toward her.

"I—I... I—" she stuttered, taking a step back, feeling nervous. Before she could run away, his arm wrapped around her lower back, and he drew her close.

"You smell like smoke," Leia muttered, pressing her hands firmly on his chest.

"Kiss me daily, and I’ll never touch a cigarette again," Lucien said in a teasing voice.

Leia shot him a sharp glare. "Then don’t quit."

Lucien chuckled, one brow arching. "Why? You hate it, Leia. Can’t you help me break the habit?"

"No," she said, trying to push against his chest. "Now let me go."

Instead of releasing her, Lucien’s eyes gleamed as he subtly released a wave of his pheromones. Leia froze the moment it hit her senses. It was warm, heady, and dangerously inviting. Her breath hitched, and she quickly covered her nose.

"Don’t do that!" she snapped, nearly yelling as she stumbled back a step.

Lucien blinked, confused by her reaction. His hand slipped away from her waist as he frowned. "What’s wrong?"

Leia didn’t answer immediately. Her heart was thudding too fast while her mind was spinning.

"You shouldn’t come close to me...," she muttered, retreating another step while trying to steady her breathing.

Lucien ran a hand through his hair, his frown deepening. "Maybe you shouldn’t come near me at all, then," he murmured in irritation.

Leia walked out of his sight, feeling infuriated suddenly.