His brows knit together, and he’s chewing his bottom lip. ‘You mean—’ He squeezes his eyes shut. ‘Tian, ohTian. Of all the stupid things... P-please don’t tell Big Wang you slept with me.’
His horror is starting to seriously annoy me.
‘I’m not that awful, am I? Is that why you never kissed me last night?’
His hands drop to the bed, face stunned blank. ‘Wait... we didn’t—?’
I stare at him confused. ‘What are you talking about? No, we didn’t kiss. I fell asleep. I feel cheated. I slept with a man for the first time, but I’ve never been kissed.’
He exhales heavily, his cheeks puffing out like he’s just been given a last stay of execution. Anger flares in me. ‘Am I so disgusting?’
He blinks, doe eyes wide. ‘No, of course not.’
‘Then kiss me.’ I lean towards him, but he clutches the covers once more to his throat. He shuffles back, puts more space between us.
A little pang pierces me, deflating the warm bubble. Gigi was wrong.
‘Never mind,’ I say.
I turn, but he reaches for my arm, fingers hot against my skin.
‘Wait.’
I keep my gaze on the bed, unwilling to meet his eye. ‘I was only joking. Let me go.’
He doesn’t. Instead, he reaches for my chin, tips my face up so I’m forced to meet his gaze. His dark eyes shimmer with the same intensity from last night. ‘But I do. I do want to kiss you.’
I replay the conversation, thoroughly confused. He reacted with shock and horror and disgust when I tried to touch him. Does he really want to kiss me? Or is it pity? I’ve lost my ability to judge my opponent.
‘I don’t understand you,’ I finally say. ‘You don’t act like you want to kiss me. You act like I’m diseased, like you can’t get away fast enough.’
He shakes his head. ‘Trust me, I do want to kiss you. I just don’t want Yan Luo Wang to throw me off the Naihe Bridge for defiling his ward.’ His thumb strokes my bottom lip. ‘I want to get dressed first. We can’t kiss here.’
‘Why not? It’s comfortable, isn’t it?’ I pat the bed.
He chokes, clears his throat. ‘Because first kisses shouldn’t be on a bed. They should be done while sitting comfortably on a chair.’
I frown. ‘If this is some rotted dog-fart—’
‘If you don’t like it, then no kiss. Go ahead and tell Big Wang I slept with you.’ He raises his chin, his eyes glitter with resolve.
My kanhoo senses come rushing back. He’s bluffing. Part of me wants to grab him and plant my lips on his, but... I don’t want him to feel bad or uncomfortable. I play along, because this Mr Lee is infinitely preferable to surly Mr Lee – or indifferent Mr Lee.
‘Fine.’ I get up and dramatically stomp out of the room.
‘Close the door!’
I turn and he’s standing with the bed sheet wrapped around him, but revealing almost all of his legs and chest. ‘Like I said, I’ve already seen everything.’ I give him a wink and playfully kick the door shut.
I pace the room while I wait, nervous and excited and not quite knowing what to expect. Do we sit facing each other? Beside each other? I can’t picture what he means to do. And I’ll get to have my first ever kiss. My insides tingle.
When Mr Lee emerges, he is purposeful. He sets two chairs side by side like an imaginary rickshaw. He gestures for us to sit. I take my seat, feeling strangely formal in the dining chair.
‘This is how you want to kiss?’
He takes my hand in his and gazes at me so intently I squirm.
‘May I?’ he asks.
