Lucian feigned being drunk to avoid the estate's etiquette and all the introductory talks and formalities. Funny how one day with Celine left his reputation in the gutter.
He was supposed to be a gentleman, and now he was pretending to be a drunkard who was dragged back from the inn by his future wife, after being caught in an affair with a prostitute.
'All that to hurt your ex's pride and ego. What a great example of a failure of a man, Lucian.' His thoughts mocked him as the guards supported him inside the estate.
"What do you mean, sleep in separate rooms?" Celine asked the head Butler when they led Lucian into another room, furthest from hers. "Why not just let him sleep in the stables while you're at it?"
The Butler cleared his throat, "We can't let him sleep with the animals. His Lordship, the Duke of Rochefort, has instructed us to accommodate Lord Arclight properly."
"Hmm, you are right. I wouldn't want our horses to catch his whore's disease," she said and waved her hand, no longer following them, "Very well. Show the esteemed Lord to his room and don't let him wander off alone. I wouldn't want to dispose of any of our servants if he were to get handsy again."
Lucian's mouth twitched as the guards dropped him on the bed like a disease-infested animal. They quickly scurried away and slammed the door shut. He could hear the lock click from the outside.
The guest room was spacious. It had an attached bathroom and a working fireplace that warmed the entire room. A change of clothes was neatly folded and stacked upon each other on a chair, and a fresh pair of slippers was waiting for him at the foot of the bed.
The bath was already filled with warm water and scented oils. A towel was hanging on a rack, and a fresh bar of soap waited for him in a bowl. He already took a shower in the inn, but this one looked too inviting to ignore.
He stripped and sank into the tub, covering his face with a wet cloth. 'Already missing her? Seriously?' he thought, and a part of his body reacted accordingly with a hard twitch. He licked the inside of his lips, feeling the phantom of her kiss lingering on them, 'Should I go with the flow and give in a bit?'
A quiet click made him jerk and turn his head towards the source. A secret door opened, and her figure emerged from behind it. She tiptoed inside, looking around like a thief in a jewelry shop.
"..." She spotted him, her eyes growing wide, "I...I didn't think you'd be awake at this hour," she said and covered her eyes, "You were supposed to be out cold and snoring."
"...and?" he asked, quickly recollecting himself, "What were you planning to do while I was asleep?"
Her long-sleeved nightgown went down to her ankles, and he found it a bit unfair that he was the only naked one, albeit submerged in the water.
"You are my fiance, you are supposed to sleep with me, not with the furniture," she whispered and limped inside the guest room. He heard the bed creaking under her weight, and then, the rustling of the bed covers. "I'll warm the bed while I wait for you."
Lucian bit his lower lip. His body was not in the right state to resist her, but his mind somehow found the strength. 'Seduce her, have her begging for more, then leave her high and dry, making her even more desperate.'
Taking advantage of his body's natural reaction, he rose from the tub. He then grabbed a towel and dried himself roughly, as if the friction could remove the need from his body. He tied the towel around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom.
Celine was lying on her side, her arms and legs seizing all the covers as if saying: 'you can't hide your shame under a blanket and you also have to sleep next to me in all of your naked glory,' because his clothes were nowhere in sight.
"..." Lucian slid into the bed. He was staring at her face when she opened her eyes. They were close enough to kiss, but neither was willing to initiate it. "What were you planning to do while I was asleep?" he repeated his question.
Her face flushed a bright red, and she looked down, only to find his erection outlined by the towel. "Nothing weird. You worry too much," she said, looking back up with a wide smile, "I was just going to watch you sleep."
"You were going to molest me in my sleep, admit it." Lucian said, and her jaw dropped in shock at the accusation.
"I'm not the one who has a hard on, My Lord," she said in an attempt to get him flustered, but his smile only grew, "What? What's so funny?"
"Are you not happy that you have this effect on me?" he asked, "Or are you upset because you want to touch it, but can't?"
Her nose scrunched at that, and she turned around to give him a cold shoulder, taking her covers with her and using them as her hug pillow, "Sleep, or I'll have to drug you. And don't even think about touching yourself. If I can't do it, neither can you," she grumbled, "It's not fair if you are the only one who gets relief."
"I'm cold," Lucian complained and tugged at the end of the blanket, "Share the bed covers. I don't want to catch a cold and die. My corpse would be a terrible company."
She pulled the covers tighter, and he tugged on it again, and she yanked it even harder. In the end, he gave up and pressed his body against hers. She immediately stiffened, biting onto the blanket. His hand circled her waist and pulled her backside closer.
He placed his chin on her shoulder, his hot breath tickling her ear, and he heard her sharp intake of breath. Her chest moved fast, and he could feel the pounding of her heart through her ribcage, and it was calling for him, wanting his hand to feel it on her breasts.
Celine's self-control, as much as it didn't look like she had any, was very strict. They never went all the way, but they could talk about it. And talk they did. In great detail.
"How is she doing?" Lucian asked, and Celine's eyes bulged when his hands traced lower, "It's been a while since I saw her last. Is she still the same, or has she changed? Would you mind a quick examination?" his fingers slipped between her legs, "Just to see how she's faring?"
Celine shook her head and pressed her thighs together, trapping his hand in between them, "Not as neglected and lonely as before," she answered, her breathing becoming slightly ragged, "And no, you can't touch her. You'll start something, and then leave me hanging, again. I'm not falling for it."
Lucian's hand tried to escape, and she kept her thighs locked. "And what is the meaning of this?"
"Holding your hand hostage," she said and closed her eyes with a satisfied hum.