Hot breath scattered across Adrienne’s skin. A shiver ran down her spine, and her heart began to race wildly.
No—more accurately, it felt like her heart had lost its mind and was about to leap right out of her chest.
[…]
“……”
By chance, her eyes met Lukas’s. In the moonlight, his gaze sparkled—but not with its usual coldness or cynicism.
That didn’t mean his eyes were warm, though.
His gaze was… how should she put it…
Terrifying, in a different way.
Yes, that was it. The way Lukas was looking at her now—it was the look of a predator staring down its prey.
…Hngh.
As his lips brushed against hers, Adrienne instinctively squeezed her eyes shut. But closing them only made everything feel ten, no—hundreds of times more intense.
Her senses gathered and burned in a single point, heat rising in waves.
Please…
Adrienne desperately wished this moment would pass quickly. She had heard about the private affairs between married couples from Denis, but that didn’t mean she understood the details.
“It hurts at first, but you don’t need to be scared. Everyone goes through it.”
Right before her wedding and departure to Crown Castle, Denis had sat her down to explain a few things about married life—most of which Adrienne had never even imagined. Among them, of course, were those intimate matters.
Right. There’s no need to be scared. It’ll pass soon…
She repeated it silently, over and over, trying to soothe her frantic heart.
“I’m not going to devour you.”
[…?]
Startled by the fingers tapping gently against her cheek, Adrienne opened the eyes she’d shut tight. Lukas’s lips, which had trailed down to her neck, curled into a faint, chilling smile.
“Adrienne Claudius.”
She didn’t understand at first, but now she realized—he was calling her name. Adrienne nodded eagerly in response.
“Don’t tremble. At least today, I won’t kill you.”
Bathed in moonlight, Lukas’s face was eerily beautiful—and this time, Adrienne clearly understood his words. Her emerald eyes widened in horror. That wasn’t a joke. His gaze was far too sharp to be joking.
…Hic.
A sudden hiccup escaped her lips, and Lukas’s brow furrowed.
“So even joking is something I must be careful of with you.”
Joking?
What kind of man made a face like that while joking—especially Lukas, and especially to her? Adrienne looked at him in utter disbelief.
Hic.
The hiccups wouldn’t stop. She clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to hold them back, but her gaze stayed fixed on Lukas.
More precisely, on his lips.
“Moonlight won’t be enough, I see.”
As Adrienne stared at his mouth, Lukas spoke evenly. Then he climbed down from the bed and lit a candle on the nearby stand.
“Is this better? Can I finally talk to you now?”
Adrienne nodded, adjusting her disheveled clothes. Her gaze dropped before she could stop it—right to his bare chest.
Oh no…
She was definitely blushing. She bit her lip and looked away quickly, avoiding Lukas’s eyes. Just then, he climbed back onto the bed, knelt with one knee, and gently lifted her chin with his index finger.
“If you keep lowering your head like that, you won’t understand what I’m saying.”
[…]
“Right now, I’m going to have you.”
Lukas brushed her lips as he grinned.
“You said it yourself. That you belong to me.”
[…]
“Or… did you change your mind?”
Suddenly, the hand caressing her lips grew firm, and Lukas’s eyes sharpened. Adrienne looked straight into his gaze and shook her head.
“Good.”
The pressure on her lips vanished, and the fierce light in his eyes softened. Adrienne silently echoed the sentiment—thank goodness.
But the tension didn’t leave her body. Her heart was still pounding out of control, and her breath came raggedly, her lips tingling from his fingers and his breath.
…!
The next moment, Lukas’s cold lips touched hers. Where their lips met—his thumb brushing over hers—the chill of his kiss was overwhelmed by his searing breath.
As her head tilted back, a large hand supported her neck, guiding her into the kiss. His lips captured hers completely, allowing not even a sliver of air to escape. Adrienne felt her mind go hazy, swept away in the intensity.
Haa… haa, haa…
“Breathe through your nose, Addy.
When his lips finally pulled away, Adrienne opened her eyes, stunned. Lukas looked half-amused as he spoke. She bit her lip, her face flushed red.
“Don’t do that.”
He scolded her sternly, rubbing her bitten lower lip with his thumb. But instead of stopping, he leaned in again and claimed her lips once more.
They were cold… yet soft and warm.
Still unsure what to do, Adrienne clenched the bed sheets tightly beneath her. Then, cautiously, she wrapped her arms around his back. Her hands hovered nervously at first, brushing against his broad shoulders—then finally, they embraced him.
The kiss, which had begun tenderly, suddenly grew fierce.
Their shared heat intensified.
Endlessly. And then, even more.
Her golden lashes, glowing faintly in the candlelight, trembled as if they couldn’t withstand the overwhelming emotion.
____________𔒝 ࿆ ꫂ ၴႅၴ __________
The morning sun poured through the window, bright and white. Only then did Adrienne’s tightly shut eyelids begin to stir.
Ah…
The space beside her was empty, as if the night before had been a dream.
She sat up and looked down at the sunken pillow. Slowly, she traced her hand over it.
It wasn’t a dream.
Not when her entire body ached as if struck by fever. There was no doubt about it—Lukas had been with her here last night.
“You’re awake?”
At some point, Yuria had peeked her head into the room.
“His Grace said to let you sleep as long as you needed, but… you weren’t waking up, so I got worried.”
Lukas said that?
“He’s more romantic than you’d think, isn’t he?”
Yuria added with a teasing sparkle in her eyes.
“Shall I prepare your bath?”
[What?]
“A warm soak should help. That would be best right now.”
Unaware of the details, Yuria giggled as she spoke. But her words sent color rushing to Adrienne’s face.
“I’ll arrange breakfast for after your bath.”
As Adrienne hesitated, unsure what to say, Yuria left the room in a blur.
Ah—
When Adrienne took a step, the soreness doubled.
Especially…
Though no one could read her thoughts, she clamped her hand over her mouth and shook her head, flustered.
“Addy… damn it.”
The mental image of Lukas, growling as he pulled away from her tightly-bound body, flashed so vividly in her mind that she could hardly bear it.
Her cheeks flamed.
Tap, tap, tap.
Adrienne patted her cheeks, now burning red again, and sighed deeply.
Knock knock.
Just then, Yuria reentered and tapped Adrienne on the shoulder. Adrienne turned, startled, just in time to see the maids bringing in a steaming white bath.
“I asked the healer to prepare herbs that are good for recovery. Smells nice, doesn’t it?”
When the two maids left, Yuria stirred the water and looked up at Adrienne from beside the tub.
The fragrance had lingered since they brought the bath in. It was unfamiliar, but subtly floral—like wildflowers. Adrienne nodded as she glanced at Yuria.
“Let’s get you undressed, Your Grace.”
Yuria helped her remove her nightgown. A slight chill ran over her skin, but as soon as her feet sank into the warm water, the cold melted away.
Splash…
“Feels nice, doesn’t it?”
As Adrienne settled into the tub, Yuria poured warm water over her gently. The heat seeped through her body, making her feel drowsy. Adrienne gave a faint, content smile.
“You might even be with child now. Don’t you think?”
[What are you talking about?]
“Well, you did share a night with His Grace. A baby would be the natural result.”
[But it was only twice…]
“Twice?”
Yuria’s eyes widened in shock, reacting as if she’d heard Adrienne speak aloud.
[…]
“Even if His Grace is quite… healthy, surely the battle left him exhausted.”
[That’s not the point…]
“Still, if he had that much energy in one night, you might really be pregnant soon.”
[Yuria…]
“Aren’t you excited? Isn’t that what happens when a husband and wife share their love?”
Splash!
Yuria giggled as she splashed bathwater onto Adrienne’s face.
