The Demon’s Bride

The bathroom was filled with white haze coming from the hot water that had filled the white tub. The bathroom was undoubtedly luxurious with a few painting hanged on the wall and Elise took off her dress carefully before walking to enter the bathtub. The water shake and fell as her body went inside the water.

The warm water felt good on her skin which turned cold as she left White Mansion. It also ease her nerves that tensed when she thought that Ian was outside. But he promised not to do anything, and Elise wondered to what extent do anything meant.

It still felt surreal for Elise that she was inside Ian's room now. Despite the sorrow she felt, she found herself grateful that her misfortune was silver lined by Ian's love and kindness to her. There was only to a few things that one could say she was blessed with and it come in the form of Ian, but Elise treasured that one person God gave her. 

"Is the water warm enough?" came Ian's voice that had Elise to pull her knees to her chest. Her eyes quickly darted to the door, feeling her heart that calmed down to face again. 

"It's warm enough," Elise answered loud enough for Ian who she guessed was standing near the door to hear her voice.

"That reminds me, yesterday I remember that the last soap was used. Is there soap inside, Elise?" Ian questioned her, his voice was serene unlike how erratic Elise felt when his voice suddenly appeared in the middle of her bath.

She looked around her with her hand on her chest and when she looked at the vessel which seemed to be the place where the soap was placed empty, she knitted her brows, "There isn't," Elise replied.

"That's what I thought," whispered Ian, "Mind to open the door? The soap is with me."

"N-Now?" she asked, her voice had a little quiver as she questioned.

Elise can't tell Ian's expression through the door, but the man was grinning the entire time since he had reminded Elise of the soap, his smile etched on his lips. "You are choosing to wash yourself without the soap? How could I let my first ever visitor the bathroom of my room to walk out without washing herself well with the soap? The soap is lavender scented, I think you would like it."

But the matter wasn't the scent of the soap thought Elise. She looked at the towel, pulling it to wrap herself, she said, "I will be there," the last thing Elise think she could endure with her mind still sane was Ian coming inside the bathroom while she was naked in the bathtub with barely water to cover her.

"No need," the door clicked open before Elise could take the towel, she saw his leg entering the door, and feel her breath stopped regulating. "I can bring it to you myself."

In surprise, Elise who had stood up to take the towel sank down to the bathtub almost immediately. She pulled her hands trying to cover her breast. "Don't look," she told him, hoping that he would not but instead, Ian's gaze stayed sharp to her. 

"Are you asking me not to look when there is a very gorgeous view before my eyes?" Ian slide his thumb across his lower lips, his eyes turning redder, "That would be hard to do."

Elise pursed her lips, "You know the soap wasn't here." Elise was not slow and even without seeing Ian's eyes which was brimming of mischievousness, she could tell that he had planned to enter the bathroom with her in it since before he invited her here.

"Do I?" Ian tilted his head, pulling the oblivious card which they both know wouldn't work, "It just seem that I'm not that much of a good man who can't resist wanting to see my future's bride body while she is soaking in the bathtub."

Elise lips gape without a word she could voice, her heart was hammering against her chest and she whispered, "The soap please," after the soap, Ian would leave, thought Elise. That would spare her head from overheating.

Ian walked forward, his eyes settling in the water which wasn't clear enough for him to see Elise's body, "Here, milady," Ian place the soap to her hands and Elise quickly pulled her knees together again. She looked at him, finding that he didn't move but stood there, "Is the water cold? You are shivering."

"No, the water is warm," she was shivering from a different reason, thought Elise but she wasn't brave enough to say the words aloud. She saw Ian dipping his hand to the water from the edge of the bathtub as if checking the water temperature before humming. "I am going to take a bath," she said, reminding him in case he forgot.

It felt awkward to Elise. Ian had only stared at her, and she didn't know what she should do under his constant gaze which never left her even for a second. "Continue then, just think of me as another furniture inside the bathroom."

"You promised not to do anything," whispered Elise, the words should have Ian thinking and agreeing to leave but her words only had his smile to widened.

"Am I doing anything to you yet?" he pushed his hand which was inside the water, for the surface to ripple and so was the hazy shadow of her body which was beneath the water.

"You know I can't do that," Elise said with her brows slightly furrowed, "I can't think of you as another furniture."

"If not furniture then painting? I am often told that I look like one." Ian pushed himself to kneel beside the bathtub. His sleeve had been rolled to show his muscular forearm and Elise could see some of his skin which highlight his toned muscle. "Go on, the water will turn cold if you are not going to wash yourself now. I wonder how it will smell."

Elise's eyes blinked as if being defensive to Ian's handsome face which was twisted in a very arousing gaze that came from his eyes, "H-how it will smell?" she asked his words that was ambiguously alluring.

Ian pushed his hands to her arm which was covering her breast, brushing her skin. "Yes, your skin. I wonder how the lavender will smell on your skin," she watched his tongue sneaking out from his lips, "and how this soft skin would taste like."