The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-154

Calhoun continued to hold her in his arms in the water, letting her skin cool down from the heat, she had been trying to get rid of. Some drops of water had splashed on his face. He took another step further, where the level of water was higher than where he had been standing earlier.

After a few minutes, Madeline finally started to feel cold, and without looking at him, she said, "I think I am okay now." She found it hard to look at him. For heaven sake, he had kissed her on her lips. On the mouth with his tongue...in her..mouth, she gulped at the thought. A cold shiver ran down her body, raising goosebumps on her skin, "Please," she added.

"If I drop you here, the chances of you drowning are high," he said in a serious tone.

Madeline pursed her lips. Maybe he was right, "Will you take me back?" she asked him. Her eyes were still dilated, and her speech was slower compared to what she used.

Calhoun wondered if Madeline knew how she looked right now. The way she pleaded with that doe-like eyes with the whisper in her words, he only felt right to have her stolen away from the world to bring her here to where he was.

"I am feeling hot now," Calhoun said looking down at her before looking at the surface of the water that was moving back and forth.

Madeline didn't understand what he meant, but when he started to move further and deeper into the water bath, her eyes widened in time, for him to dip down in the water with her.

Before, the upper part from her chest was dry. But with Calhoun who dipped both of them, she had to take a deep breath when they resurfaced from the water. Had he decided to torture her? Her hands were slipping from his neck, and she noticed how water dripped down from Calhoun's head, trailing down on his face.

"What are you doing?!" asked Madeline while water dripped down from her own face.

"Getting off some heat as it is not possible in the bed," came his direct answer.

Turning around, Calhoun finally walked back out of the water, up the stairs before putting Madeline down. Not in the water anymore, she shivered due to the cold. She saw Calhoun walk towards the platform to pick up two towels. Using one to rub his head as he strolled towards her.

Madeline looked down at the ground and then at the water. The King had a grand bath that was filled with water until the very brim. Because of them being in there, some parts at the edges had been splashed with water outside.

Calhoun's hair which was previously combed back earlier with only a few strands that had come to fall on his forehead, now had his wet hair completely dishevelled. His red eyes stood out, staring at her as he made his way to her. Before he had picked up the towels, he had discarded the coat he had been wearing.

He handed over the towel to her, and when she was going to take it from him, he pulled the towel so that she would stumble, to come to where he stood, "I don't know why I am being punished when you were the one who drank the liquor."

"You kissed me," she said, not happy that he stole her first kiss.

"Don't look upset. I am not satisfied with just one. There are so many more to come," the wicked smile appeared back on his face. Her body still sluggish, she quietly took the towel from him, which he finally decided to let go, chuckling as he turned his back against her, walking while wiping his wet hair.

Madeline stared at Calhoun's wet shirt that was sticking to his back before she looked down at herself. Her hair stuck to her face and neck. Her clothes wet along with her. She looked like a cat which had been thrown into the water. Starting to wipe her wet hair which would take a lot of time to dry, she wondered how she was going to get out of this room to get back into her room.

That was right. Her room, she sighed.

She was using both her hands, drying the ends.

"Milord!"

Madeline jumped from where she was, hearing the maid's voice that came from behind. It was the head maid, Nicola who had entered the bath, "Get Lady Madeline's clothes here."

Here? "I will be okay. I will go back to the room and change," responded Madeline.

The maid turned her eyes to look at Madeline and then at the King who didn't appear to change his order, and she bowed her head.

"W-why bring my clothes here? I can change my clothes there," Madeline fretted. She didn't know she could stand anymore in the presence of Calhoun as much as she had today. She needed some space, and without waiting for him, when he had turned around, Madeline bolted out of the bathroom holding the front of her dress, her wet clothes leaving a trail of water drops on the floor.

Calhoun turned around in time to see Madeline who had run straight to the door, and he stared at the drops of water on the ground, "Seriously, this girl."

The cold air touched her wet clothes, making her shiver more. Making her way quickly to the room, she saw Nicola who was looking through the clothes to pick out a dress of hers. Hearing the footsteps, of Madeline, the maid turned around with a furrowed expression.

"I will be changing here. You can excuse yourself," Madeline said, catching breath. The maid bowed her head, keeping the dress back which she had picked up to place it in the cupboard and walked out of the room.

Madeline closed the door turning the lock, while knowing a simple lock as this would not help when it came to Calhoun. She felt herself swaying and accidentally hit her head against the door which she didn't realise she had been standing close to. Touching her head, she walked in to the room to change her clothes.