Chapter 110: Scarf
Lucian joined Ashley right away to bid Shyaan and the others farewell. However, it wasn’t that easy, as people had too much to say before letting them leave. By the time they finally managed to extricate themselves from Shyaan and her guests, Ashley and Lucian didn’t head straight for the exit.
Instead, they took the route that led to the garden, waiting there until their ride was ready.
"Hah..." she breathed out, walking beside him. "Goodness. I thought they wouldn’t let us leave."
Silence settled between them as they walked carefully along the pathway.
From there, the path still led to the exit of the premises. By the time they reached the entrance, their car would be ready. So, a short walk in the garden—just the two of them—before heading home felt... better.
"Tonight... it’s not that bad, huh?" she hummed, looking ahead before shivering slightly. Thanks to her scarf, the chill wasn’t as biting. "The weather these days is so unpredictable. It’s not even winter yet, but the nights are already a little cold."
She kept talking to fill the silence that was threatening to swallow them whole. Silence only made her more aware of the tension between them, so Ashley continued speaking—anything, really.
As for Lucian, he remained quiet, and she didn’t question it. He was always like that, as if he reserved his voice only for things that truly mattered.
Little did she know, while she spoke aimlessly, Lucian was quietly battling the drug coursing through his system. He had trained his body to withstand all sorts of toxins; it was a necessity in his world. If not for that, this drug would have already consumed him.
Even so, he could tell this one was potent.
Something like this wasn’t easy to obtain.
Someone infiltrated Dominion’s territory without me noticing, he thought, his mind fixated on that alone. I doubt Gustav will return with a satisfying answer. Not good.
"Did I drink more than I should have?" Ashley murmured to herself, arms crossed, her hand brushing her neck.
Lucian’s thoughts halted at her remark. His eyes snapped toward her, catching the faint tremor of her exposed shoulders. He had been ignoring her presence—ignoring the growing desire he had been suppressing all night—but with the drug in his system, that was becoming increasingly difficult.
He didn’t want to hurt her.
He didn’t want to force anything before their relationship had time to... settle.
He didn’t want to ruin this because of a drug.
But it was getting harder to ignore her. Harder to ignore what she might need.
"By the way, Lu, about the land—" Ashley trailed off as her brows lifted in surprise when warmth suddenly covered her shoulders.
She stopped walking, looking down at the oversized blazer draped over her. Ashley blinked, feeling his lingering warmth clinging to the fabric now wrapped around her. Even his scent overpowered her own.
"..."
She turned and looked up at him, now standing in just his dress shirt, his bow still fastened at his collar.
The shirt clung to his body, outlining the form beneath the thin white fabric.
"Cold," he said simply, averting his gaze. "Keep it."
Ashley gathered the lapels of his blazer around herself, staring at him with genuine wonder. Her brows knit together as she noticed the faint redness on his cheeks, the tips of his ears, and even his nose. Since his expression remained unreadable, she focused on these small details instead.
And those told her he was cold too.
Her lips pressed into a slight frown. "Lucian, how could you give this to me when you’re cold yourself?" she clicked her tongue, stepping in front of him.
But instead of taking the blazer off, she loosened her arms and pulled off her scarf.
"Before you worry about others, you should worry about yourself first!" she nagged, standing on her toes to wrap the scarf around his neck. "You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. Haven’t you heard that? Honestly, if you know it’s cold, how could you just give your blazer to me? What about you, huh? Did you even think about that?"
As she scolded him, she adjusted the scarf around his neck and tugged lightly at his shirt, as if to shield him from the cold.
Little did she know, the moment she began fussing over him, Lucian had frozen in place.
He could only stare at her, listening to her nag, watching her hands carefully wrap the scarf around him with such quiet care.
It reminded him of that time...
That night, during the harshest time of winter, when he thought he would freeze to death.
And then, that little girl appeared, taking off everything she could to cover him.
That memory... that warmth... that smile... even after ten lifetimes, he would never forget it.
"What I’m saying is, this habit of yours—" Ashley trailed off when his hands suddenly cupped her cheeks, stilling her mid-sentence.
She blinked, looking up at him. Half of his face was cast in shadow, but his eyes glinted sharply in the dark.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze around them as a soft gust of wind brushed past, rustling the leaves. Her heart thudded, the thoughts in her head fading as she gazed into his eyes.
"Lu... cian?"
The moment his name slipped past her lips, Lucian lowered his head and captured her mouth. His fingers slid from her cheeks to her jaw, then to the back of her neck, holding her in place.
Ashley stiffened, instinctively gripping his chest.
He stole her breath, his lips moving against hers as his tongue slipped past her parted lips. The faint taste of wine lingered between them, intoxicating both of them further.
Her grip on him gradually loosened, her body softening as she let him guide her.
When he finally pulled away—reluctantly—Ashley was left breathless.
He remained close, only a palm’s distance away, watching her reaction. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing uneven, her lipstick slightly smudged at the corner of her lips. Her eyes trembled, a thin sheen of tears making them glisten.
When she finally steadied her breathing, her lashes fluttered open. Then, their gazes met.
"Hah..." she let out a soft laugh, smiling even after the kiss.
A faint smile tugged at Lucian’s lips, his eyes softening as he reached for the scarf. He gently wrapped the other end around her, pulling her closer. Then she pulled the blazer around them, drawing him into it with her.
With the scarf loosely binding them together and his blazer draped around her, Lucian lowered his head once more, claiming her lips again.
Ashley tilted her head back, eyes closing as she welcomed him.
And this time, the kiss only deepened with every beat of their racing hearts.