The Unlucky Bride Is Loved by the Fortunate Desert King - Chapter 9 – Bathing

“Eh—wait!” Carried over his shoulder, I called out, but Al didn’t care in the least.

“Don’t struggle.”

“B-but—!”

There’s nothing strange about two men being close, but what did Al mean by “I’ll wash you from top to bottom”?

“Relax. Even if I call it a private bath, it’s a large bathing hall that can hold dozens or even hundreds. It isn’t cramped.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about…!”

“Then what is it?”

Al’s looks were, somehow, too perfect. Standing beside his thick, rippling muscles, my own thin body felt almost laughable. His strong, heroic frame made me think of Apollo from myths. The way his muscles rose like a sculpture made me, even as a man, want to be hugged by him. Right now, Al was carrying me easily with one arm.

I wanted to see Al’s body, but I didn’t want him to see mine. While I hesitated, we reached the bath.

The white steam curling everywhere made me sigh with relief. The steam was so thick we couldn’t see each other unless we got very close.

“Al—. I’m dirty, so I want to wash my body first. I don’t want to make the water dirty.”

“I see. Understood. Want me to wash you?”

“N-no, I-I can do that myself!”

“Is that so?”

He set me down on the marble floor more smoothly than I expected, and I dashed for the nearest shower. The water was just the right temperature. When the slightly hot water poured over me, my frozen body warmed up. I poured water over my head and let out a long breath.

I pressed the built-in shampoo; a very classy scent rose up and I was sure, this is expensive stuff. It felt like silk. When I lathered it into my hair, my hair became amazingly soft. My hair had been badly damaged by sand and dust, but this shampoo beat that completely. The conditioner was the same. I wondered if I was allowed to use them, and my mind went to how much it must cost. It felt scary to think about.

The body soap seemed to be the same brand. My skin was well moisturized and the water that the desert had taken from me slowly came back.

Al had already washed and was soaking in the large bath. He looked like a picture, sitting in a rose-scented bath.

“Um, Al. Thank you for the shampoo and conditioner. My hair is so smooth now. I don’t know how to thank you.”

My luggage from Japan had gone missing when I was taken by slavers.

“That’s nothing. Don’t worry. I told you to use anything in this house.”

“But—I keep getting helped and I feel guilty.”

He had saved my life, given me water, and even a bath. I felt more and more useless.

Al laughed off my gloom in a big, hearty way.
“In that case, I order you to bathe with me. I’ve never bathed with someone else in this bath. It’s my pride. Be my company.”

“If that’s all you want…!”

That was an easy favor.

Still, something nagged at me.
(With a face like Al’s, women must come to him all the time. Yet he’s never shared this bath?)

Hearing I was the first made me oddly happy.
(No, no — this is just Al’s kindness, part of helping someone…)

Trying to convince myself of that left me a little sad.

“Ah—this feels so good… warm. I finally feel safe since leaving Japan.”

Floating in the tub, Al’s muscles up close were so fine I could hardly stop staring. His tanned chest was unbelievably thick.

“Al’s chest… you really train it a lot… so cool…”

Al grinned when I said that.
“Want to touch it?”

“R-really!?”

“Go ahead.”

He took my wrist and pressed my hand to his chest.
(Wow… so smooth… and softer than I thought…)

I could see why people whispered about big men’s chests being like male br3asts. The muscle rose in a way you wouldn’t see on a Japanese man, and his abs weren’t just a six-pack — they were at least eight. Below that — I deliberately didn’t look.

“Wow… amazing.”

All I could do was exclaim. The feel was strangely addictive.

“Satisfied?”

I kept patting and stroking in a daze when a laughing voice came from above.
“S-s-sorry! It just felt too nice to touch!”

Bodies like his were a whole new world to me. It was fun. But then Al licked his lips in a way that felt very sexy.
“It’s fine. Touch me whenever you like. If you do that, does that mean I can touch you, Yuzu?”

Oh — I’d dug myself a big hole.

I had been groping him, so I couldn’t say he couldn’t touch me.
“O-okay… but I don’t think I’m interesting to touch…”

My heart pounded like rough waves.

“I’ve never had someone tell me they were going to touch me and then actually do it.”
That thought made it even more embarrassing. And because we were in the bath, we were both naked.

(Al’s muscles were so soft…!) I had always thought muscles were hard. But when he relaxed, they had a springy, squishy give that was oddly addictive. I could see why some people loved big man-chests.

“Yuzu. Listen.” Even though I’d already enjoyed looking at my rescuer’s body, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him not to touch me. I bared my upper body in the water. “G-go ahead,” I stammered.

“Don’t be so nervous. I’m not going to eat you.” Al was easygoing by nature. His bright laugh loosened some of the tension in my shoulders.

Surely, for someone like Al, this was nothing. Thinking that made a strange, fluttering feeling cross my chest.

His long, tanned fingers touched my chest. The hand was warm from the water. “…nh…” Just the touch made a soft breath escape when the pads of his fingers stroked me.

“Does it hurt?” He asked gently, as if he were worried I’d been hurt. “I’m… fine…” I said.

I had scrapes here and there, but my chest was unharmed. Still, every time Al’s hand moved, it felt like a tiny shock ran through my body. (Somehow… this feels… different…!) Al didn’t seem to notice my held breath. He hummed and said,

“Such fine, white skin… like snow. It clings to my fingers.”

He wasn’t touching me in a lewd way. His long fingers and palm simply moved over my chest.

There was no other meaning to it, the same as when I had touched him. And yet my face must be bright red.

“Yuzu?” Al’s voice sounded puzzled. If I opened my mouth now, a bad sound might escape. I pressed my lips tight and squeezed my eyes shut.

“If you don’t like it, you can say so. Now open your eyes and look at me.” The rose scent in the air made my head swim. He stroked my jaw as if coaxing a kitten, lifting my chin up.

I couldn’t hold back and looked up. Al gave a mischievous, Cheshire-cat smile — water dripping from him, too seductive for words.

“Do you hate being touched by me?”

Al’s voice was light and carefree. But I didn’t want him to misunderstand, didn’t want him to think I hated it and hurt his feelings.

“N-no, I don’t hate it. Al-sama’s hand… it feels good, it’s just… embarrassing. But! If you keep touching me for a while, I think I’ll get used to it, so it’s fine!”

Al’s eyes widened. He blinked once, then suddenly broke into a smile.
“You’re amusing. So if I keep touching you, you’ll get used to it? I see.”
“M-maybe…!”
“Then I’ll take you at your word.”
“Eek—ah!?”

Al’s hand slid to the very peak of my chest, brushing across it.

I thought he’d been avoiding that spot on purpose, just as I had. I never imagined he’d actually touch—
“Ah—!”

“They’ve turned such a pretty red. Like delicious fruit. Did you know? I have a fondness for fruit. Especially nuts or fruit soaked in honey… those are the best.” Al’s breath teased my skin, his words falling like a whisper meant for my n1pple alone. His voice carried such raw sensuality that I nearly cried out.

“R-really…!?”
“Yes. Especially wild strawberries. The tartness mixing with honey’s sweetness—that is food from paradise. There’s a berry called bara-ichigo. It has the same tempting color as the adornment on your chest. Steeped not only in honey, but even in mead… exquisite.”

His lips were so close I could feel his breath against my chest.

“I thought you liked meat more, Al…!”
Considering how much energy his sword and bow training took, I’d assumed his meals had to be meat-heavy.

Al grinned, wicked and wolfish, then caught both my wrists in one hand and pushed me back against the edge of the bath.

My lower body remained in the hot water, but my upper body was laid out, and Al loomed over me.
“I do like meat as well. Especially a lively, bl00d-dripping steak.”
“A-Al-sama…?”

“You too look lively, and full of flavor.” His shadowed eyes gleamed with the sharp light of a beast, the unmistakable gaze of a lion king. Cold sweat poured down my back at the sudden turn of events.

“A-Al-sama…”
“Truly, it’s your fault. I had no such intent, but you kept touching me. Then you said if I touched you, you’d get used to it. You provoked me with those bold words.”

N-no way! That’s how he took it!? The misunderstanding was so far from what I meant that I felt my soul leave my body.

“It’s… it’s a misunderstanding…” I never meant to tease him. But my excuse vanished into the void, meaningless.

The desert king raised the corner of his mouth and cut me down with a single phrase.
“Too late.”

“You must be taught what happens when you tempt and provoke a man. And right before me… is a wild strawberry too tempting to ignore. I’ll have a taste.”

Because he’d pushed me down, my chest was thrust up, my cheeks burning red hot.

Al’s well-shaped lips closed over the red bud of my chest, sucking deeply.
“Ah—ahhh!”

This was nothing like when he touched me with his hand. The intense rush of pleasure made my hips arch shamelessly.

The thought of someone saying “I’ll touch you” and then doing it was new to me. That made it even more embarrassing. And because we were in the bath, we were both naked.

(Al’s muscles were so soft…!) I’d always thought muscles were hard. But when he wasn’t tensing them, they had a springy, squishy feel that was strangely addictive. I could see why some people loved a man’s chest.

“Yuzu. Listen.” Even though I’d already enjoyed looking at my rescuer’s body, I couldn’t tell him not to touch me. I exposed my upper body in the water.
“G-go ahead,” I said.

“Don’t be so tense. I’m not going to eat you.” Al was naturally easygoing. His lively smile relaxed me a little.

Surely this kind of thing meant nothing special to Al. Thinking that made a strange feeling pass through my chest.

His long, tanned fingers touched my chest. His hand felt hot from the water. “…nh…” Just the touch made a breath escape me when the pads of his fingers stroked me.

“Does it hurt?” Al asked gently, worried I might be hurt.
“I’m… okay…” I answered.

I had scrapes here and there, but my chest was fine. Still, every time Al’s hand moved, a tiny electric shock seemed to run through my body. (Somehow… this feels… strange…!) Al didn’t notice my held breath. He hummed and said,

“Such fine, white skin… like snow. It clings to my fingers.”

He wasn’t touching me in a lewd way. His long fingers and his palm simply moved over my chest.

There was no hidden meaning in it — the same as when I had touched him. And yet my face must be bright red.

“Yuzu?”
Al’s puzzled voice came. If I opened my mouth now, a bad sound might escape. I pressed my lips shut and squeezed my eyes tight.

“If you don’t like it, you can say so. Now open your eyes and look at me.” The scent of roses in the air made my head spin. He stroked my jaw, tilting my chin up like a kitten.

I couldn’t help it — I looked. Above me, Al wore a Cheshire-cat grin. He looked playful, water dripping from him, and unbearably sexy.

“Do you hate being touched by me?”