CHAPTER 35: WARNING (+18) : SECOND DAY AS A HUSBAND AND WIFE

"Hm..." I mumbled, turning slightly as I tried to fight the drowsiness still clinging to me. The light poked stubbornly through my eyelids, forcing me to blink awake.

"Good morning, little birdie..."

The low voice brushed against my ear, followed by a warm breath that tickled the back of my neck. I froze instantly. My eyes snapped open, and I turned so fast that the blanket nearly tangled around me.

And there he was. That damn handsome dragon.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, somehow managing to sound calm even though my heart had just attempted an Olympic jump out of my chest. I didn’t remember him being here when I fell asleep. After our talk about that colorful glowing unicorn thing, he’d said he needed to finish something in his study. So how?

Wait.

Did he just... sleep here beside me the whole night?

Me, being the purest virgin on earth, immediately went into survival mode. My eyes widened, and without thinking twice, I peeked under the blanket... discreetly, of course, just to make sure everything was still in place.

Okay. Pants—still on. Shirt—still buttoned. Dignity—barely intact?

I released a silent sigh of relief.

Then I heard it... A soft, low chuckle.

Lucian was watching me with that infuriatingly calm expression, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You’re really something," he murmured, his lips curving into a faint smile that was far too gentle for my peace of mind.

Before I could react, he reached out and pulled me closer by the waist. My breath caught instantly. His usually neat hair fell slightly over his forehead, giving him a more unguarded, almost human kind of charm.

In an instant, I shut my eyes. Emergency. Code red. He was too handsome at this distance... I nearly forgot how to breathe.

"Are you... pretending to sleep?" His voice was soft, teasing, the warmth of his breath brushing against my cheek.

"No," I said too quickly, eyes still shut tight. "Just... recalibrating my life choices."

He chuckled again, low and deep this time. "Recalibrating? Should I give you a reason to open your eyes then?"

Oh no. That tone. That dangerous tone.

My eyes snapped open before my brain could stop me and instantly regretted it. His face was right there, impossibly close, his gaze steady but flirty.

And worse... he looked like he was actually considering it.

"W–wait!" I yelped, raising my palm just in time to block his lips from reaching mine. My hand landed squarely over his mouth, my fingers trembling. "Don’t you dare—!"

He froze for half a second, and then... laughed. A low, rumbling sound that I could feel against my palm. His eyes gleamed with pure mischief.

When I finally dared to pull my palm back, he tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You’re cute when you panic, you know that?" he murmured, voice smooth enough to freeze fire itself.

"Panic?" I sputtered. "I’m defending myself!"

"From what?" he asked, leaning just a fraction closer, his tone dripping with mock innocence. "I haven’t even done anything yet."

"Yet?" I squeaked, glaring up at him.

His lips curved. "Hmm... yet."

Before I could even blink, the distance between us vanished, his cool breath ghosted over my lips, sending every nerve in my body into chaos.

"Lucian—!" I gasped, but my protest dissolved the moment his mouth brushed mine, light, fleeting, and utterly disarming.

My breath hitched. He angled his head, deepening the kiss, and I felt a warmth spread through me. His hand moved to my waist, pulling me closer until my body was flush against his. The world narrowed to the feel of his mouth, the subtle scent of him, and the insistent pressure of his embrace.

I don’t know what I was doing at that moment, but my hands found their way to his hair, clutching softly as the world spun.

"Uh—" I gasped as he shifted, pressing me further into the mattress. His body, despite being cold, was warm against mine. The subtle scent of him filled my senses, and the insistent pressure of his embrace tightened, leaving no doubt of his desire.

As the kiss grew more fervent, his hand gently moved from my waist to under my arms. He slipped me up and put my head on the pillow. Our eyes locked and he was biting his lips, like he was holding himself from eating me.

"Seraphina..." His voice was barely more than a whisper as he leaned closer, lips grazing my jaw. "If I keep going..." His lips traced down toward my earlobe, soft and deliberate. "Will you throw me against the wall again?"

"Huh?" I blinked, dazed, caught somewhere between his kiss and the touch of his lips. I didn’t even fully hear his question, but I nodded absentmindedly. "Hmm..."

I could feel his breath brush against my neck as he chuckled under his breath. "Then... I’ll take that as a yes, hmm?" His hands moved to my shirt, carefully undoing the top button.

My breath caught the moment his fingers brushed against my skin, it was gentle but enough to send shivers down my spine.

"L-Lucian..." I managed to whisper, before he suddenly decided not to continue unbuttoning my shirt. Instead, he pulled it up over my body, leaving it bunched around my wrists.

"Lucian?" I asked, confused, as he tied the sleeves together so my hands couldn’t move.

"Hmm? I just want to devour you without your hands interfering," he said with a smile before suddenly resting his head against my chest.

"Uh–uh!" My body jolted upright... this was the first time my nipple had ever been touched by a man—wait! He’s a dragon.

But my mind couldn’t wander for more than a second before his lips trailed down from my chest to my belly button, stopping just above my hips. I almost forgot how to breathe when he began to pull my pants down.

"No—!" The moment I felt the cold touch of his tongue, I tried to push his head away with my tied hands, but he wouldn’t budge. "Ah—uh! Lucian!"