I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Chapter 636 636 Wedding night (2)

Alina came out of the bathroom. She was wearing a crimson red dress, deep and rich, the color of blood and roses and the wine Dante had been drinking all night. The fabric clung to her shoulders, flowed down her body, and stopped just above her knees. It looked simple, elegant, and devastating.

Her hair was wet. Dark strands clung to her cheeks and neck, dripping onto the crimson silk. Her face was bare of makeup now, soft and flushed from the warmth of the shower.

She looked shy.

Her eyes darted to him, then away. Then back again. She tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear.

Dante's breath caught and he couldn't look away.

His crimson eyes traced every curve of the dress, every droplet of water on her skin, every small movement she made. He set down his wine glass. Then he stood.

Alina stepped back.

Her bare feet pressed against the stone floor. Her hands clutched the edge of the doorframe.

"Dante—"

He walked toward her. She stepped back again.

He reached out and took her hands.

They were cold. Shaking slightly. He didn't let go.

He led her to the mirror—the large, ornate mirror that hung on the wall, framed in dark wood and silver vines. He sat her down on the small cushioned stool in front of it.

She looked at their reflection. Him standing behind her. Her sitting, small and shy.

He picked up a soft cloth from the table and began drying her hair gently without saying a word.

He gathered the wet strands in his hands, squeezed the water out, wrapped them in cloth. His fingers brushed against her neck, her ears, her temples.

Alina's heart pounded.

"I..." she started.

Her voice came out small and uncertain.

She tried again.

"I..."

Nothing.

She looked at him through the mirror.

His crimson eyes were gentle with patience.

"Don't be nervous," he said.

His voice was low and warm. It wrapped around her like the cloth in his hands.

She swallowed.

"Easy for you to say," she whispered.

His lips curved. He continued drying her hair.

The room was quiet. The candles flickered. The black flowers swayed gently in some unseen breeze.

Alina watched him in the mirror.

He watched her back, and slowly, her nervousness began to fade.

"If you're nervous or scared, you can tell me," Dante said softly. He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering there for a moment. "I respect any decision you make."

Alina lowered her eyes.

Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it. Her hands trembled at her sides. Her cheeks burned.

But she wasn't scared. Not of him. Not of this.

She was nervous. Yes. Excited. Yes. Overwhelmed. Yes.

But scared? No.

She stood up.

The stool scraped softly against the stone floor. She turned to face him. He was taller than her. So much taller. She had to tilt her head back just to see his eyes.

She stepped closer, the crimson dress rustling softly around her knees. Her wet hair had left dark spots on the fabric, but she didn't care. She couldn't think about anything except him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

His skin was warm. She could feel his pulse beneath her fingers, fast and strong, and something about that made her feel braver. He was nervous too. Maybe not in the same way she was, but he was waiting. Holding himself back. Letting her decide.

She looked at his lips. They were slightly parted, still soft from the kiss he had pressed to the top of her head moments ago. She looked at his eyes. They were dark now, heavy-lidded, the crimson almost swallowed by the shadows in the room.

She kissed him.

It was soft at first—just the lightest press of her lips against his, almost questioning, almost asking if this was really happening. She felt him exhale through his nose, a warm puff of air against her cheek, and then his hands found her waist.

His fingers curled around the fabric of her dress, pulling her closer.

She kissed him again, and this time she let herself sink into it. Her lips parted. His tongue brushed against hers. She tasted wine, sweet and deep, and something else—something that was just him.

His hands slid from her waist to her back, pulling her flush against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat now, strong and fast, matching her own.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing hard. Alina's forehead rested against his chest, her fingers still tangled in the fabric of his wedding attire. She could feel his chin resting on the top of her head, his breath warm against her hair.

"I'm not scared," she whispered into his chest.

She felt him smile. She couldn't see it, but she felt it—the way his lips curved against her hair, the way his arms tightened around her.

"Good," he said.

She smiled too, her cheeks pressing against the soft fabric of his wedding attire.

He bent down and slid one arm beneath her knees, the other still wrapped around her back. She gasped as he lifted her off the ground, her wet hair swinging against her shoulders, her arms instinctively tightening around his neck.

"Dante—"

He carried her across the room. She watched the candles pass by in a blur of golden light. The black flowers on the headboard grew closer as he laid her down gently, carefully, like she was something precious.

He straightened up and looked at her.

She looked back at him, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.

He was beautiful. The candlelight caught the edges of his horns, the sharp line of his jaw, the curve of his lips. His crimson eyes were soft now, softer than she had ever seen them, and they were fixed on her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

"Do you want this?" he asked.

His voice was low. Rough. Unsure.

Alina reached up and touched his face. Her fingers traced his cheekbone, his jaw, the small scar near his ear that she had never noticed before.

"Yes," she said. "I want this. I want you."

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if her words had undone something in him. When he opened them again, the softness was still there, but something else had joined it. His darkness.

He lowered himself onto the bed beside her, his body curving around hers, his lips finding her neck, her collarbone, the spot just below her ear that made her shiver.

She gasped. He smiled against her skin.

The candle burned low, and the room was soaked in darkness... and somewhere in the quiet, two souls found each other in the endless night.