Elara had one goal: leave before she said something stupid.
She’d already survived the tea fumble, the hydration meltdown, and the smile that nearly short-circuited her brain. But now, with Lucas freshly showered, fully dressed, and calmly sipping tea like nothing had happened, she was running out of excuses to stay—and out of dignity to protect.
She stood near the kitchen counter, pretending to check her phone while her heart did gymnastics.
Just say thank you. Say goodbye. Leave. Easy.
Lucas glanced at her over the rim of his mug.
“Did you sleep well?”
Elara blinked.
“I did! The guest room was… soft. And horizontal. And very bed-like.”
Lucas’s brow lifted, amused.
“That’s good. I wasn’t sure if you’d be comfortable.”
“I was. I mean—I wasn’t uncomfortable. I mean—I didn’t roll off the bed or anything.”
He chuckled.
There it was again. That smile.
Soft. Real.
The kind that used to live in her phone gallery.
She turned away, cheeks burning.
Abort mission. He’s too calm. Too composed. Too… Lucas.
Her phone buzzed again.
Mina:
So… you stayed the night?
Did you feed him soup? Did he say thank you? Did he SMILE?
Elara typed back quickly.
He smiled. I died. Send flowers to my ghost.
Lucas stepped closer, placing his mug in the sink.
“You don’t have to rush out.”
“Oh, I do. I have… things. Work things. Life things. Mina things.”
“Mina things?”
“She’s unpredictable. She might show up here with a camera and a conspiracy board.”
Lucas leaned against the counter, arms crossed.
“Would that be so bad?”
Elara stared at him.
“You don’t know Mina.”
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing in mock thought.
“She’s the one who called me a fever prince, right?”
Elara groaned.
“You saw that?”
“You showed me your phone.”
“I didn’t mean to!”
Lucas smiled again.
This time, slower.
Like he was enjoying her unraveling.
“You’re very expressive in the morning.”
“I’m not expressive. I’m just caffeinated. And cornered.”
He stepped aside, gesturing toward the door.
“You’re free to go. But you don’t have to.”
Elara hesitated.
She could leave.
She should leave.
But the seal was quiet.
And Lucas was smiling.
And something about the way he looked at her—like he wasn’t just amused, but curious—made her pause.
“I’ll go,” she said, grabbing her bag.
“Okay.”
“But not because I’m flustered.”
“Of course not.”
“And not because of your abs.”
Lucas raised a brow.
“My abs?”
“I mean—I didn’t see them. I mean—I did. But I didn’t look. I mean—I looked away. Oh my god.”
Lucas laughed.
Elara groaned again.
Abort mission. Mission failed. Dignity: zero.