Chapter 88: Shirt, Scandal And Shameless Brothers
She gasped, blushing like a thousand suns and quickly pulled her hand back to her chest, like she had just touched something burning hot. Flustered, she tried to sit up, but his arm tightened around her waist like a vice, pulling her off balance and sending her tumbling on top of him.
Ivan turned towards her and murmured in his sexy, sleepy voice, "Don’t be afraid of it, it won’t bite," as he drew her even closer against him.
"Dear gods! You really have no shame!" she squealed as she wriggled in his arms, trying to push him away.
He slowly opened his molten red eyes and said, "Shame? But princess, if I recall correctly, it wasn’t me who was feeling someone up not too long ago."
Eve caught the clear teasing glint in his eyes, and she retorted, "I was asleep, I didn’t know what I was doing." She said it in a matter-of-fact tone, even though her face burned crimson.
"Hm, I remember the kind of dreams you have, so it’s no surprise you were doing this in your sleep." Her eyes widened at the reminder of the dream she had confessed to him back in the lighthouse. She was about to protest when the sly wolf continued, "But I’ll allow it if it’s you. You can touch me wherever you want," he added with a devastating smile that made her heart tremble.
"Y-you really are such a rogue, you know that, right?" she stammered while shaking her head as she gave him an incredulous look.
"Hm," he admitted with no hint of shame. His dark red eyes took in her lively blue orbs and her flushed face, a dramatic shade of red that seemed to call on him. Slowly, he leaned in over her lips, just inches away from him, when a sharp knock froze him in his tracks.
He scowled at the disturbance, but ignored it. Just as he leaned in again, Eve promptly pressed her fingers on his lips and whispered, "Someone’s at the door!"
"I know," he said, completely unbothered.
He curled his fingers around hers, teasingly trying to pull her hand away. Her eyes widened, and she whispered, "It must be something important!"
"It can wait," he murmured, prying her hand away and hovering over her lips when another impatient knock rattled the door, reverberating through the room.
The sound finally grated on Ivan’s nerves. He inhaled sharply, trying to control his rising irritation, and rose from the bed. He padded his steps like a dangerous predator on a hunt. Swinging the door open, he fixed the intruder with a piercing glare and hissed, "Seems like someone has a death wish."
Evelyn wondered who dared to disturb the crown prince with such persistent knocking, and she didn’t have to think long when a familiar voice rang out.
"Good morning, brother," Damien’s playful voice echoed through the door. He paused, as his sharp, dark red eyes immediately slid to Ivan’s exposed chest, where most of his shirt buttons were suspiciously missing. He let out a long, exaggerated whistle and mused, "Well, well, well...or should I say it’s still nighttime for you?" His brows shot up as a wicked grin spread across his face as he continued, "Tell me, Ivan, do your shirts always wave the white flag so early, or was this one just especially weak-willed?"
Eve’s face burned hot as fire listening to him, and she covered her face in her hands and desperately wished the floor would open and swallow her whole.
Ivan scowled and spoke in a low voice, "And what are you doing here this early in the morning?"
Damien placed a dramatic hand over his chest, "What do you mean early? The sun has been up forever, brother! The academy is unbearably boring without you two, so I thought, why not pay a visit? Check if my dear brother is doing well," he grinned wider and added, "But judging by the shirt, I’d say you’ve been thriving."
By now, Eve slumped on the mattress with her face buried on the pillow, mortified. "Oh, gods..." she mumbled under her breath.
Ivan arched a brow, his tone flat as ice. "Thank you, Damien. Your concern for my wardrobe is touching. Now, if you could state your purpose?"
Damien noticed an edge of impatience in his brother’s eyes and chuckled, "I got your message last night and have a few things to discuss."
Ivan gave him a slight nod and said, "Alright, give me some time, I’ll meet you in my study."
"Study? How boring! Damien drawled. "I’ll be having breakfast with you two instead," he declared and began to walk away, and muttered over his shoulder, "Call me when you’re dressed!"
As he walked, a pair of maids halted mid-step at the sight of Damien. They bowed quickly in greeting, but when they lifted their heads, he shot them a playful wink. Both girls went scarlet on the spot, one so flustered that she dropped the bundle of flowers she was carrying.
"Oh dear, careful there," Damien commented, and though he said that, he did absolutely nothing to help. His grin widened, clearly enjoying himself, before he sauntered off towards the waiting lounge.
Ivan, who had watched the entire scene unfold, rolled his eyes at his brother’s antics and shut the door. When he turned around, he found Eve, with her face buried in the mattress as if trying to disappear. He could only sigh at his brother’s habit of finding joy in other people’s misery.
When she heard Ivan step close to her side of the bed, her muffled voice came through, "I think I’ll just stay here. No brother, no witnesses."
Ivan’s lips curled up at her dramatics and sat at the edge of the bed, "You think burying your face in the mattress will make you invisible?" He reached out, tugging gently at her arm until she peeked at him with one mortified blue eye, and she murmured softly, "What do you mean?"
"I mean," he said, "he’ll be having breakfast in this room, since you cannot step out yet to let your presence be known."
She frowned and asked, "Don’t they already know I’m in this palace?"
He pressed his lips together before answering, "They know I brought a woman with me, but they didn’t get to see your face or know your identity. Only my most trusted men know who you really are."
"Oh," she uttered softly, lifting her face from her arms. He leaned in, his voice dropping low and sinuous, "But if you’d rather stay here in bed all day..." His crimson eyes intensely fixed on her, "...I don’t mind accompanying you."
Her heart fluttered at his sudden proximity, and she cleared her throat, "Maybe...I’ll have that breakfast." In a jiffy, she rolled to the other side of the bed and darted into the bathroom, shutting the door louder than she intended. Once inside, she pressed a hand to her racing heart and let out a soft sigh, thinking inwardly, ’Is he trying to woo me or kill me?’
With that thought, she followed her morning routine, taking a bath to make herself presentable for breakfast. After some time, she stepped out of the bathroom and moved towards the dressing room, now dressed in a blush-pink gown provided by Arthur. To her surprise, Ivan was already there, impeccably dressed. With his hair still slightly damp, she assumed he had used another room’s bathroom.
He adjusted the cufflinks of his crisp white shirt before turning to look at her. She looked fresh and radiant, carrying the delicate scent of her bath. His eyes raked over her appearance in a blush pink gown that hugged her body in all the right places. Without a word, he walked towards her, lifting a lock of her damp hair between his fingers, and asked in a low, velvety voice, "Need help?"
She tilted her face in confusion as if silently asking him what he meant. He found her little action so adorable that he felt like he could devour her whole for breakfast.
So he bent his head close to her face. Eve was once again captured by his gaze and his sudden proximity, convinced he was about to kiss her. He was so gorgeous that she felt as though she had never seen anyone so beautiful in her life. His thick lashes, sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and those sinful lips, everything about him invited her to completely surrender.
As he inched closer, she instinctively closed her eyes in anticipation. When she felt his warm breath ghost over her lips, she swallowed hard as she waited. Seconds passed by, but nothing happened, when she heard him whisper near her ear.
"I meant...if you needed help in drying your hair."
Her eyes snapped open, and she saw how he was clearly teasing her. Suddenly, annoyance flared in her at the thought of being toyed with. She stepped back from him and said curtly, "No, thank you, I can manage."
With that, she turned toward the dressing table. But before she could take another step, Ivan caught her wrist, halting her.
