“You could, but having sex in the car in front of my workplace is frowned upon.”
I laugh, releasing her wrist. “Not what I was suggesting, but now I can’t get that image out of my head. My windows are tinted enough to at least get a blow job.”
“I thought you were convincing me.” She laughs. “I’ll be at your place at seven.”
“I’ll be counting the minutes,” I tell her, meaning every word. I can’t tear my eyes away as she walks back toward the building. The pencil skirt looks amazing on her. Only after she vanishes behind the revolving glass door do I signal and pull into traffic.
Minji makesit to my apartment fifteen minutes to nine. The food is no longer hot, and the candles have melted down to stubs. I opened the door to find her looking flustered and apologetic. I couldn’t bring myself to be disappointed. She’s here now, and that’s all that matters.
“I’m so sorry,” she says, stepping inside. Her hair is slightly disheveled, like she’s been running her fingers through it in frustration. “A meeting ran long, and then William cornered me about the Seoul position again, and?—”
I cut her off mid-sentence with my lips on hers, drawing her body against mine while nudging the door shut with my heel. She surrenders immediately, her designer tote hitting the hardwood with a heavy thump as she reaches up to lock her fingers behind my neck.
“God, I’ve been thinking about you all day,” I murmur when we come up for air.
“We saw each other this afternoon,” she counters, but her voice has gone husky.
“Feels like forever ago.” I rest my brow against hers, breathing her in.
A soft laugh escapes her before her gaze drifts to the dining setup. Candles burned to puddles, steam no longer rising from the food. “You did all this…”
“Nothing a microwave can’t fix,” I assure her, gesturing toward the kitchen.
“Later,” her eyes darkening. “I’ve had the day from hell. I need… distraction.”
Her expression shifts to a rawness I haven’t seen before, at least not recently. This isn’t just Minji wanting sex; this is Minji needing to disappear into sensation. Something that happens to be my specialty when it comes to her.
“After you,” I offer, yielding to whatever she needs tonight.
She takes my wrist, tugging me down the hallway with unmistakable intent. There’s something almost frantic in how she moves, backing me toward the mattress with surprising force, climbing astride me in one fluid motion. Her kiss turns fierce, demanding, as her fingers work impatiently at my buttons.
“Slow down,” I whisper against her lips.
“When one needs to blow off steam, you don’t slow down,” she breathes. “Now hush and fuck me.”
CHAPTER 24
MINJI
It’s only beena week since Aaron left, and I already feel the space he’s carved into my life—quiet, persistent, a new ache beneath the surface. I’d never admit it out loud, but I miss him with a kind of ferocity that startles me. The sound of his laugh echoing in my apartment, the way he could turn my worst day around with a single crooked grin, the late-night texts that made me feel seen instead of simply observed.
I tell myself it’s absurd how quickly he became a habit. It’s so easy when I close my eyes to imagine him reaching for my hand across the table, or catching my gaze with that steady, patient warmth.
But wanting him—wanting more—carries a risk I’m not sure I’m brave enough to take. Aaron is the one person I can’t seem to categorize, and that terrifies me. If I let myself fall, there’s no guarantee of a safe landing. And yet, as I stare at my phone, willing his name to light up the screen, I wonder if maybe—just this once—I want to leap anyway.
“You’re checking that phone again,” Eliza says, appearing in my doorway with a stack of paper and a huge smile on her face. “Must be some boyfriend.”
“It’s no one,” I reply too quickly, setting my phone face down on my desk. “What brings you by?”
“Catherine wants to see the revised brief for Hui-Wang by the end of the day.”
“Already finished. I’ll email it to her now.”
Eliza clears her throat. “Can I speak freely?”
“Depends.” I let out a chuckle.
“It’s all good. I wanted to let you know, you’ve been different lately. In a good way. Less…”
