Married To The Dragon Prince Against My Will-Chapter 225: THE LOVELY MORNING 2

"You are way too good for me. So don’t ever say that again... and don’t ever think I would leave you for anyone," Ashen whispered as Lumin breathed into his chest.

Ashen felt how tightly she clung to him, fingers digging slightly into his skin, her cheek pressed against his heartbeat like she wanted to merge her soul with his.

He wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

Then slowly, with no warning, he slid one arm beneath her thighs and lifted her. Her breath hitched instantly. Her bare body pressed fully into him, legs curling up instinctively as she clung to his shoulders.

"Ashen!" she gasped, covering her chest with one arm while the other remained wrapped around his neck.

He only smirked.

"Let’s take our bath," he murmured against her ear, voice warm enough to melt her bones.

Her face immediately disappeared into the curve of his neck. She only clung tighter, shivering at the realization of how exposed she was while he carried her like she weighed absolutely nothing.

He stepped into the spring bath chamber, and the soft sound of water echoed gently, her grip on him tightened even more.

Just as he began to lower her, her lips brushed his collarbone so faintly, and she mumbled something so quietly he almost thought he imagined it.

"I love you..." Ashen froze mid-step.

Well, he couldn’t describe how his heart was beating, his heart didn’t skip but slammed.

"What did you say?" he asked gently, lowering his head toward her.

But Lumina jerked back slightly, refusing to repeat herself. Her cheeks burned even blind, he could feel the embarrassment radiating off her.

He changed his hold on her slightly, arms secure beneath her thighs and back, and she buried herself into him like she wanted to disappear.

Ashen’s lips curled in amusement.

He wasn’t going to force the words out of her after all, her actions already screamed louder than anything she could say. But oh, he was definitely going to tease her.

Especially when she timidly peeked toward the spring, his wife might have gone through some trauma but she was spoiled. He noticed Stella always prepared warm water for her... because Lumina hated cold water and if Stella wasn’t chanced someone else would do so.

Ashen leaned in, breath brushing her ear. "Well, my lovely wife... your handmaiden didn’t come today... so the water is still cold."

Her entire body stiffened, arms shot around his shoulders and her legs tightened around his waist.

"Ashen... no... don’t you dare drop me in there!" she screamed, clinging so desperately to him that he could barely breathe.

His chest shook with laughter, how much he loved this woman.

"Repeat what you said, and I wouldn’t do that," he whispered lazily.

"Ashen... please..." she whimpered, voice cracking, face rubbing into his skin like she was trying to hide inside him.

"Don’t call me that." Ashen cut her off.

"Then... what should I call you?" she asked, voice tiny, trembling with embarrassment and fear.

"A name made only for me," he murmured, lips brushing her temple.

"Something beautiful and repeat the second thing you said."

"I didn’t say anything," she lied quickly.

He pretended to adjust his hold and just enough for her to feel his hands slip.

Her entire body spasmed.

"No... no... don’t throw me in there!"

"Then say it."

"Please... give me hours... I will think of a name... a beautiful one." she whispered frantically.

He nodded, satisfied with the first answer but not the second.

"So now," he murmured, tightening his grip on her waist, "repeat the other thing..."

"I... I... I... I don’t know..."

"So then enjoy your bath!"

"I LOVE YOU!" she screamed, voice echoing around the walls, this made Ashen pause.

She continued desperately, "Please don’t throw me in there! I am serious!"

"I can’t hear you..." Ashen said again.

"I SAID I LOVE YOU!" she yelled again, gripping him tighter like her life depended on it.

Ashen smiled... then stepped into the water. Lumina shrieked again, lifting her body like she was trying to climb him.

"Ashen! Please! Don’t put me in! I’ve said it... I have said everything!"

"One more time..." Her fingers dragged across his back, frantic.

"I LOVE YOU ASHEN!! PLEASE!!" Then he dropped her.

"Ha!!!" she screamed as she splashed into the water, arms flailing.

She resurfaced instantly, hair plastered to her face, glaring at him with her blind eyes widened like she wanted to strangle him.

"You... ! You... ! Betrayer!" she shouted, storming toward him like a furious little kitten.

He caught both her wrists before she even reached him, holding her gently.

"Relax... It’s warm," he soothed and then she paused.

Then cautiously dipped one hand deeper... and her shoulders slowly relaxed as she felt the heat wrap around her.

"I am fire," he said softly, pulling her closer. "Do you really think anything around me could be cold?" Her lips parted in awe. She looked down at her hand in the water.

Her expression slowly changed, something flickered on her face.

She lifted her hand out of the water then stared. Really stared, her breath wavered, soft and unsteady, like she was suddenly hearing her heart in her ears.

Water dripped from her fingertips.

She raised it higher... higher... as though following something she shouldn’t be able to follow.

Ashen’s brows pulled together.

"My love?" he called gently. "Lumina? What is... " Her tears dropped before her words did.

He stepped forward immediately, hands gripping her upper arms.

"Lumina?"

His tone was serious now. "Tell me what’s wrong." Her lips quivered as a breath shuddered through her chest.

"I... I can see light..." she whispered so softly he barely caught it.

Ashen’s entire body went still, he didn’t even shift an inch as he watched her.

Lumina’s lashes fluttered violently, her fingers trembling harder with each second. She lifted her hand again and looked at it truly. Shapes began forming.

"Lumina..." Ashen’s voice cracked, the first break he had allowed in years.

"Ashen..." Her voice trembled like the words themselves hurt her throat. "I... I..."

Her hands lifted, shaking uncontrollably as she reached toward his face. Her fingertips found his jaw, and this time she wasn’t feeling blindly.

She followed something her eyes were struggling to understand. Slowly, painfully slow, she traced the shape of his face. Her breath hitched, a broken sob escaping before she could stop it.

"I... I can see..." she cried, voice collapsing in on itself.