CHAPTER 42: HONEYMOON PHASE

"Good morning..."

It was the second time I’d heard his voice greet my morning. I smiled without meaning to. Honestly, who wouldn’t? Waking up to a husband whose voice sounded that gentle was enough to make anyone’s day start softer.

I opened my eyes slowly and turned my head. Lucian was lying beside me, one arm resting behind his head, the other loosely draped across the sheets. His blue eyes met mine, calm and steady, the faintest hint of amusement tugging at his lips.

"When did you come back last night?" I asked quietly.

He reached over, brushing his fingers through my hair, his touch cool as always. "Late," he said. "You were asleep already."

"You didn’t wake me."

Lucian smiled faintly. "It’s already too late. I didn’t want to disturb your sleep."

"Then..." I paused, my voice still soft with sleep. "Did you get enough rest?"

He turned his head slightly on the pillow, his blue eyes meeting mine. For a moment, he didn’t answer, just studied me, as if the question itself amused him.

"Hmm, just enough..." he said finally, his tone calm and unhurried. "To recover."

I couldn’t tell if that meant he actually slept or not. His voice gave nothing away, and his expression was unreadable, somewhere between truth and something he wanted me to believe.

Still, the way he looked at me made it hard to ask again, so I didn’t.

"Where do you want to go today? Since we’re still in our honeymoon phase..." he asked with that dangerously charming smile, the kind that could make anyone forget how to say no.

I groaned softly, turning my face toward the pillow to hide the heat creeping up my neck. "Do you always have to say things like that first thing in the morning?"

"Then," he murmured, his voice low and teasing, "should I do something else first in the morning?"

His hand moved lazily across the sheets until it rested at my waist, his touch warm and deliberate. We were lying face to face, close enough that I could feel the steady rhythm of his breath against my skin.

"Stop it..." I whispered, catching his hand before he could slip it under my pajamas. "It still hurts," I added quickly, trying to glare at him despite the heat flooding my cheeks. "So, dragon husband, let my precious thing rest for at least today?"

"Still hurts?" He suddenly straightened up beside me, the teasing gone from his face, replaced by genuine concern. "Let me see," he said, gently pulling me a little closer as his brows furrowed. "Should I call a doctor?"

"No—no!" I yelped, instantly clutching the waistband of my pajama pants like my life depended on it. "I’m fine!"

Lucian blinked, caught between confusion and restraint. "Seraphina, pain after—"

"I said I’m fine!" I interrupted, burying half my face in the pillow, wishing it would just swallow me whole. "I’m a good Lucian, see? Perfectly healthy, no doctors needed!"

He blinked once, then twice before a quiet chuckle escaped him.

"Oh?" His voice softened, the corners of his mouth curving up again. "Good Lucian?"

I peeked up from the pillow, realizing what I’d just said. "Wait—no, that’s not what I meant—"

He leaned down, his smile returning, faintly smug and far too amused for his own good. "Well, if you’re the good one," he murmured, eyes gleaming, "then what does that make me?"

I groaned, burying my face completely this time. "A menace," I muttered. "An absolutely charming menace."

He laughed quietly, the sound warm against my ear. "At least I’m charming," he whispered.

Before I could come up with a proper comeback, he added casually, "Then again... should we just have our honeymoon in our room for the whole week?"

I froze, my head snapping up so fast our noses almost brushed. "Excuse me—what?"

Lucian’s expression was perfectly calm, but that teasing glint in his eyes betrayed him. "I mean," he continued smoothly, "we have everything we need right here. Privacy, comfort, a bed..." His gaze flicked briefly down between us, then back up with that dangerously innocent smile. "Why waste time going out?"

"Lucian!" I shoved at his chest, though my face was burning so much it probably looked like I was about to combust. "You—you can’t just say things like that so casually!"

"Why not?" he asked, catching my wrist before I could push him again. "We’re married."

I glared at him, my teeth gritted. "I just told you it still hurts..."

"I didn’t say we’d do that for the whole week," he replied smoothly. Then, before I could react, he leaned closer, his breath brushing against my lips. "What..." his voice dropped lower, teasing, "were you hoping for it?"

My entire brain short-circuited. "W–what?! No!" I stammered, trying to pull back, but his hand was still wrapped around my wrist.

Lucian’s smile deepened, the kind that made my stomach twist in ways I refused to acknowledge. "You’re blushing awfully hard for someone who’s not hoping for it," he murmured.

"Shut up!" I tried to turn away, hiding my face behind the blanket, but his quiet laugh followed, soft and amused.

"Fine," he said at last, lying back beside me again, though that grin didn’t fade. "We’ll rest for today. But..."

I peeked out from the blanket warily. "But what?"

Lucian’s eyes glinted with mischief. "If you keep looking at me like that tomorrow, I can’t promise anything."

"Then... should I look at you like this?" I asked, widening my eyes dramatically and rolling them upward in the most exaggerated way possible.

He burst out laughing, the sound deep and genuine, echoing through the quiet room. It was my first time to see him laugh like that—unrestrained, almost free. For a moment, it disarmed me completely.

"God, Seraphina," he managed between laughs, clutching his stomach. "You look ridiculous."

"Good!" I huffed, crossing my arms and turning away from him. "I’ll maintain this look for at least two days to keep myself safe."

Lucian chuckled, his laughter finally softening into a warm hum. "Two days?" he repeated, amusement still lacing his tone. "You think that’ll be enough to keep me away?"

"Well—"

But I didn’t even get the chance to finish before the mattress shifted and he suddenly slipped under the blanket.

"Lucian! No—Lucian! I said—!"

My protest dissolved into a startled gasp, the sound of his low laughter muffled beneath the covers.

And just like that, the peaceful morning turned into complete chaos, exactly the kind of chaos only a dragon husband could cause.