CHAPTER 118: TO MY PRIVATE PLACE

Leia stood outside a boutique store, her gaze drawn to a stunning black one-piece dress displayed on a mannequin.

The fabric shimmered subtly under the lights, and it was accentuated by a daring thigh-high slit. It was the kind of dress that belonged at a glamorous evening party, something she hadn’t attended in a long time.

Life here was quiet, far from the bustle and invitations of the city she used to live in.

Besides, she didn’t want to spend extra money on Lucien.

Just then, she heard the familiar sound of his footsteps approaching. Snapping out of her thoughts, she quickly stepped away from the window, masking her emotions.

Turning to face him, she asked, "Was it an important call?"

Lucien shook his head. "No. It was Kieran. He was trying to reach you, but your network showed busy."

Without asking, he took the two shopping bags from her hands. "Do you want to look around more?"

Leia gave a soft smile. "No, I don’t need anything else. You could get something for yourself... or your brothers, maybe."

"We’re fine," Lucien said. But his eyes wandered to the display window behind her, where the black dress was on display. He’d clearly noticed what she had been admiring.

Before he could say anything more, Leia spoke. "Let’s go to that place you mentioned earlier. The one you wanted to show me."

She was already walking toward the escalator, and Lucien followed her without a word.

Once outside the mall, he brought the car around from the parking lot and opened the door for her. After she settled in, he slid into the driver’s seat.

"Should we eat first?" he asked as he started the engine. "It’ll take about an hour to get there, and I don’t want you to be hungry during the drive."

Leia looked at him thoughtfully. "Whatever you think is best."

"In that case, we’ll have lunch later," he decided, giving her a brief glance and a faint smile.

With that, Lucien turned the car onto the highway.

"Lucien, this is the first time you’ve taken a day off too, isn’t it?" Leia asked, her voice soft as she looked at him with a faint smile. "In the past one and a half months, I haven’t seen you step out like this, not for yourself."

Lucien glanced at her briefly before returning his eyes to the road. "That’s true. I wasn’t really making time for myself... but thanks to you, I finally did."

Leia let out a light hum. "Maybe we should’ve asked Ronan and Kieran to come along."

"I thought about it," Lucien admitted. "But I wanted to spend some time alone with you."

Leia turned her head, studying him with curiosity. He didn’t seem flustered by his own words. If anything, he said it with calm certainty.

"You’re acting like a boyfriend now," she said teasingly, her lips curving into a smirk.

Lucien arched a brow and gave her a quick glance, his tone casually confident. "Aren’t I? We are mates, Leia. I’ve not marked you yet, but that doesn’t mean the connection isn’t between us. It’s just I’ve to wait for your permission."

"We’re in the dating era, Leia," Lucien said, his tone matter-of-fact but with a subtle warmth.

"Dating?" she echoed, letting the word linger on her tongue like it was foreign. It felt odd, something she had never pictured for herself.

’I’m not just seeing one man... but three. It still sounds surreal.’

Lucien cast her a brief sideways glance, his voice calm yet perceptive. "I can sense your hesitation about accepting that you have three mates."

Leia gave a small nod. "Kind of."

She turned her face toward the window and saw a glimpse of the ocean.

"Is the place we’re heading to the ocean?" Leia asked, glancing at him again.

"Yes," Lucien replied with a small nod. "But it seems we might miss the sunset. The sky’s already full of clouds."

Leia looked up, watching the gray blanket overhead. "It feels like it could rain any moment."

"Don’t worry," he said. "I own a private property nearby. We’ll be fine."

Leia let out a short breath. "You’re rich."

Lucien gave a wry smile. "Let’s just say I was born lucky, thanks to my family’s wealth."

"It’s been months since I last saw the ocean," Leia murmured, her eyes lighting up with anticipation.

After the long, hour-long drive, they finally arrived at the coastline. The sound of crashing waves reached her ears before she even opened the door.

As soon as Lucien parked and locked the car, Leia was already hurrying toward the shoreline, her wedges sinking slightly into the warm sand. With a smile tugging at her lips, she kicked them off and let her bare feet sink into the sand.

Running toward the water, she laughed softly when the first wave lapped over her toes. The wind tousled her hair as she turned back to face Lucien.

"Come on!" she called out, grinning brightly, motioning for him to join her.

Lucien chuckled under his breath as he folded the cuffs of his sleeves up to his elbows. Slipping off his shoes and socks, he set them neatly aside.

Without another word, he dashed toward Leia, the sea breeze brushing through his hair.

With a mischievous grin, he kicked up a splash of seawater toward her.

"Hey! Don’t!" Leia shrieked, laughing and taking a step back. "My clothes will get drenched!"

"Too bad, Leia!" Lucien called out playfully, launching another wave at her with a sweep of his hand.

She yelped, shielding her face with her hands. "Don’t! Don’t, I’m serious!"

But the smile on her lips betrayed her protest, and Lucien could see the glint of excitement sparkling in her eyes.

Leia retaliated with a splash of her own, hitting Lucien square in the chest. Laughing, they chased each other through the shallow water, until suddenly, with no warning, Lucien scooped her up into his arms.

"Lucien, no!" she shrieked, laughing uncontrollably.

Just then, a small wave crashed into them, soaking them completely from head to toe. Leia instinctively clung to him, her arms wrapping around his neck, her laughter echoing over the water.

"You are such a baddie!" she exclaimed, breathless. "I kept telling you not to do that."

Lucien’s chest rose and fell as he caught his breath, his arms still wrapped around her. Droplets of water glistened on her face and slid down the curve of her neck.

"That’s how you have fun," he murmured. "Weren’t you missing all of this?"

His gaze dropped to her lips, glistening with water, before lifting to meet her hazel eyes. For a moment, everything else fell away, and it was just the two of them.

Lucien leaned in, brushing his lips lightly against hers, testing if she would respond. To his surprise, Leia didn’t pull away. Instead, she responded, her lips gently pressing against his as their eyes met for a fleeting second.

That small spark ignited something deeper. Lucien captured her lips more firmly this time, drawing her in. Leia’s breath caught in her throat, her hands instinctively tightening around his neck as she melted into the kiss, matching his intensity.

Their lips moved in sync, slow at first, then deeper and more urgent. The sound of the waves faded into the background as their kiss consumed the moment, leaving them breathless and flushed.

When they finally parted, both of them panting softly, Lucien brought his hand to her face. His thumb gently traced the arch of her brow, resting there.

"You’re beautiful," he whispered.

Leia’s heart skipped a beat. That simple compliment was unexpected. She remembered a time when Lucien had barely spoken a kind word, let alone something this gentle.

And yet now, here he was, looking at her as if she was his world.

Leia wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder. She didn’t say anything. The warmth of his arms and the silence between them said enough.

Lucien held her just as close before he turned back toward the shore, carrying her effortlessly.

Once they reached the beach, he gently set her down. Leia glanced at herself, realizing her soaked dress clung tightly to her frame. A faint flush crept up her cheeks as she quickly turned around, crossing her arms over her chest for modesty.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucien slipping on his shoes, her wedges now in his hand. .

"I think we should stay here for a bit," Leia suggested softly, still facing away from him. "Let our clothes dry."

But Lucien stepped closer, his voice firm yet affectionate. "No. We’ll go to my private place."

Before she could respond, he bent down and scooped her into his arms again.

"Lucien! What about the car and all our stuff?"

"I’ll come back for it later," he replied without hesitation, already walking westward with steady strides.

Leia nestled against his chest, her heart quietly thudding, from how safe she felt in his arms.