The Crown's Seduction

Chapter 48: Her Own Cooking

Chapter 48: Her Own Cooking

Nikolai didn't know what to think. While he might be outwardly acting cool and calm, deep inside, he was already on the verge of exploding. Their earlier kiss already took all that he had just so that he could keep himself in control.

It wasn't the best decision he made that day, but seeing her stunned was worth it in the end. He just had to get some distance away from her to allow himself to cool down and-

"I'm going with you."

He almost froze on the spot. Sweat ran down his back as he did his best not to look at his wife like she had just put him in a corner, which was already the case as he felt her irresistible allure affecting him.

What was she thinking?! She was already doing his best to keep himself reigned in when Mineah moved to kiss him, and yet here she was insisting on wanting to be with him!?

It would've been amazing if he wasn't already on the verge of wanting to pounce on her and taking her all for himself.

'Focus,' he inwardly chanted. 'This is the perfect opportunity to get her to let her guard down. I just have to keep her at arm's length somehow.'

Still, did he really want to risk her being around him while he was like this?

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" he asked her, hoping that she'd back down. "And you did just say that you're going to be cooking for the both of us."

"I can do that just fine even outdoors," Mineah insisted, her voice slowly gaining more confidence with each word. "Besides, I don't think I'll be able to rest if you're out there instead of being by my side."

Nikolai did his best not to let her words affect him as he kept his cool. Seriously, did she have any idea what she was doing to him?!

"You'll just slow me down," he reasoned despite knowing that it was a flimsy excuse. "The wildlife here isn't what you're used to."

"I can hold my own if need be," she insisted. "I'm not helpless, you know."

Against his better judgment, Nikolai turned to look at her, only to wilt as he saw the determined look on her face. Despite the mad blush coloring her cheeks, the determination in her eyes was impossible to miss.

'The things I do for this woman,' he inwardly sighed before he spoke. "Fine. But stay close. I don't want you getting lost around here."

Surrendering to her demands, Nikolai couldn't help but smile as he saw the look of triumph on her face. It almost looked like she had just won a great prize, and there was a certain charm to her that he just couldn't place. Something that drew him near to her in ways that he was far from comfortable with just yet.

Letting Mineah take the lead, Nikolai kept quiet as he watched her work. There was a certain air of knowledge around her as she moved that he couldn't help but notice. It was almost as if she knew what she was doing...

Which was surprising since he was pretty sure that their food was starting to burn.

"Oh- Wait... No... But..."

Despite this, he kept quiet as he watched her slowly unravel. She was muttering to herself even as she did her best to salvage their food, acting as if she had just lost herself in her own experiments while it blew up in her face.

"A-Alright... It's done."

Eventually, however, she presented their food to him. It was exactly what he expected... And by that, he meant that he could barely hold his laughter as he held onto what was practically charcoal on a stick.

"Uhh... Mine?"

"I-I know..." she wilted. "But it's still edible, I'm sure."

Raising an eyebrow, Nikolai went ahead and took a bite. Immediately, he felt like he was biting into stone with how hard the meat had gotten. It also tasted a bit like ash, but still...

Seeing her looking at him with hope in her eyes... He just couldn't help but be nice.

"You're right," he lied through his teeth. "It's still pretty good."

Nikolai did his best not to laugh, but Mineah's radiant smile made it easy as she eagerly watched him eat. Likewise, he ate with gusto, even snatching up the other skewers so that she wouldn't get to taste her own cooking.

"Hey!"

"They're that good," he insisted.

They weren't, but if it meant that he saw her smiling all proud to him, then it was all worth it.