Page 159 of Scarbound

Fear.

Duri released him at once. “No.” His voice softened immediately. “Forget I said that.”

Noeul remained still.

Duri cursed himself silently. Of all the things he could have said, why that?

“I would never hurt you.”

Noeul searched his face.

“I mean it, hyung.” Duri’s voice was quieter now. “No one hurts what they consider precious.”

The fear slowly faded, replaced by something softer.

“So…” He leaned closer to Duri’s ear, his voice almost a whisper. “I’m precious to you?”

Duri’s breath caught.

Noeul didn’t wait for an answer. He pressed his lips softly against Duri’s neck.

Duri froze.

Another kiss followed, warmer this time, lingering against his skin.

“Hyung…”

Noeul kissed him again.

Duri closed his eyes, a quiet sound escaping him before he could stop it. Every instinct told him to turn his head, catch Noeul’s mouth with his own, and finally take what he had wanted for so long.

But the thought returned.

He’s drunk.

Duri kept his hands to himself.

“Don’t you already know?” he murmured. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

A faint, husky “Yes” slipped from Noeul’s lips.

He lifted his head. Their faces were only inches apart.

Duri stared at him. Noeul was smiling, but there was something vulnerable beneath it now, something almost frightened, as though Duri’s answer mattered far more than he wanted to admit.

It took real effort for Duri to keep control. Noeul was proving to be temptation itself, and he found himself drawn to this unfamiliar side of him. But his thoughts kept circling back to the other man in Noeul’s life. He didn’t want to be a fleeting passion. If Noeul was only looking for a night to forget, then Duri wasn’t the one to play that role.

“Do you love Chung-Hee?”

The question made Noeul pause.

“Do I love him?” He looked down, thinking. “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

“It matters to me.”

Noeul let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

“Gong loved me and betrayed me. I loved Haneul and I betrayed him. Maybe it’s better not to taste love at all.” His gaze dropped to their joined hands. “It’s poison.”