Ch 18 - Found in the Sunlight
The frenzy continues for Elain and Lucien + a little bonding.
Thank you to the lovely @climbthemountain2020 for being my beta again this chapter.
Excerpt:
Elain stretched her legs out on the couch, a blanket tossed lightly over her as she flipped through the pages of a book. Sunshine flooded through all the windows, and the curtains fluttered with the ocean breeze. Next to her on the coffee table, she’d assembled a bowl of fruit and a glass of wine, enjoying the easy pace of her time in Summer.
Upstairs, she could hear Lucien hum to himself as he took a bath. They’d finally agreed to bathe separately after nearly flooding the cabin when they’d gotten carried away. She could admit he made for a pleasant travel companion. He seemed to always be in good spirits, though the amount of time she spent on her knees probably had something to do with it. Lucien always found ways to dote on her, cooking her meals and braiding her hair for her at night. He’d kept conversation going easily, curious about her and full of questions about her life in the human lands. When she tired of talking, he’d easily shift to tales about his travels, telling her bits of gossip or sharing surprisingly detailed information about the gardens of every court.
As she gazed dreamily out the window, the warm cinnamon and woodsy scent of him wafted into the room. Lucien stepped out into the main room, steam from the bath rolling in behind him. Already, her cheeks began to flush and her heart picked up speed as the bond thrummed in his presence. A towel was still slung low on his hips, highlighting the shape of the hard muscles of his lower abdomen. Little drops of water traced down his chest, causing his mouth to water. His wet hair was pulled over one shoulder, the golden rings lining his pointed ears on display. She hastily turned back to her book, resolving not to get distracted.
Lucien walked up to her with a cocky smirk, clearly determined to disrupt her reading. “I told you, you didn’t need to bring a book.”
