Chapter 11 

 

He wanted her. 

 

That thought rammed through Yunho's mind the moment he saw Yuri entered the ballroom. His heart began hammering in his chest and he actually felt his pulse rate spike drastically and if that wasn't bad enough, his body got hard as a rock. 

 

At that moment, he was grateful he was standing behind a waist-high plant that could shield the physical evidence of just how much he desire her. That, coupled with the knowledge of how much he loved her, was setting his loins on fire. 

 

The dress she was wearing was definitely a shocker he could summed up in two words, elegant and y. It fit her body to perfection, showing off all her curves and if the dress wasn't jaw-droppingly seductive enough, then there was the way she had her hair piled atop her head with a few swirling strands crowning her face. 

 

"Who are they?" Heechul leaned over and whispered, while raising an impressive eyebrow, "I don't know either them." He said, as if it was his god-given right to be acquainted with every beautiful woman in Seoul. 

 

Yunho studied his friend's narrow round face for a second and noted his gazed wasn't glued to Yuri as it was to Seo Joohyun. That was a good thing since it would have been a waste of Heechul's time to show any interests in Yuri. When it came to her, he could get downright territorial, "The one in the black dress is Kwon Yuri and she's mine." He said, deciding to state his claim here and now, "The woman in the red dress is her best friend, Seo Joohyun." 

 

"Seo? Where have I heard that name before?" Heechul asked. 

 

"I have no idea. She's part of the committee that put on tonight's event and coordinates events like these." 

 

"Really?" 

 

"Yeah." 

 

Heechul glanced over at Yunho after taking a sip from his wineglass, "You know her then?" 

 

"Yeah." 

 

Heechul's dark brown, almond-shaped eyes sparkled in the glow of the huge chandelier that hung over their heads, "Good. I want an introduction." He then glanced back over at the two women, "So, the one in the black is Yeonhee's boyfriend's mother?" 

 

At Yunho's nod, he said, "Um, definitely good-looking but she doesn't looked old enough to have a 14 year old son." 

 

"Well, she does." Yunho answered, with no intention of going into any details as to how that had happened. 

 

For a brief moment, Heechul didn't say anything and then he spoke, "It seems she had caught Kim Jonghyun's eye. He didn't waste any time going over there to talked to her. If I were you, I had go claim what's mine." 

 

Yunho had noticed the man's flight across to the room to get in Yuri's face. Kim Jonghyun, divorced, had a reputation as a skirt chaser and it seemed that he wasn't wasting any time making Yuri's acquaintance, "I think I will." 

 

"Aren't you going to introduced me to your friend Seohyun?" Jonghyun asked. 

 

"I will think about it." Seohyun responded noncommittally. 

 

Yuri raised an eyebrow. Seohyun was usually friendly with everyone. If she was giving this man the cold shoulder, there must be a good reason. 

 

"Since Seohyun won't cooperate, I guess I have to introduced myself." Jonghyun said, capturing Yuri's hand in his, "I'm Kim Jonghyun." 

 

"And I'm Kwon Yuri." Yuri said in an attempt to be polite. This guy seemed a bit too pushy in her opinion and Yuri didn't like that. 

 

He gave her a smile that showed perfect white teeth, "Yuri, it's a pleasure to meet you. You must be new here." 

 

Yep, Yuri decided she didn't like him anymore than Seohyun did. Probably because his gazed was focused more on her chest than her face, "I have been living here for 3 years now." 

 

"Really? I'm surprised I haven't run into you somewhere." 

 

"Well, this is a big city so it's possible." 

 

"What section of the city do you live in?" 

 

"Seoul." 

 

"Seoul?" 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Then I must definitely get to know you. We are practically neighbors." Jonghyun said, "Though again, I'm surprised I haven't run into you while out and about." 

 

Yuri was about to tell him that she was both, a full-time mother and a working woman who didn't have time to be 'out and about' when she felt a sudden quivered in her midsection. She knew without a doubt that Yunho was in close range. She didn't want to seem too obvious when she scanned the crowded room but knew from the way her heart began hammering that she didn't have to looked far. He stood on a raised dais, staring directly at her. The person standing by his side was a man and not a woman which gave her some relief. 

 

However, the intensity in Yunho's brown eyes was what were really drawing her attention and making her heart race even faster. She could almost drown in the looked she saw there. Male interests, male appreciation and male longing. Even a novice like her could recognized the 3. He was silently sending her a message, one her body fully understood. Her hormones were on ready, set, go but she knew there was something else involved here; something she hadn't counted on happening. It was also something she wasn't prepared for...emotional feelings of the deepest kind. 

 

Now, she understood why she had been having all those vibrant and uncontrollable urges since meeting Yunho and why her body was so aware of him whether he was with her in person or talking to her on the phone. The thought that he easily ignited her fire had always bother her because she hadn't understood the why of it. Whenever he kissed her, she got caught up in his special skilled of tongue-play as if his tongue was made for her and hers for him. She hadn't wanted to get in the same fixed she had been in with Eunhyuk; something she now thought of as forbidden obsession. 

 

Yuri was old enough now to know better. She was at that age of maturity where she no longer took things at face value. She didn't trust easily and had a tendency to expect the worst but standing here, being absorbed in Yunho's heated gazed, she knew at that moment that it wasn't about obsession nor was it about lusts. It was about love. She had fallen head over heels in love with him. 

 

"And what do you do for a living Yuri?" 

 

She tore her gaze away from Yunho upon hearing Jonghyun's question, "I own a gift shop." 

 

"Oh. Where?" 

 

"Downtown Seoul." 

 

"That's impressive but if you ever want to move to another location, a friend of mine owns a couple of buildings that he's leasing downtown and..." 

 

"Good evening everyone." 

 

That deep, husky voice made the pounding of Yuri's heart increase. She glanced up and met Yunho's direct gaze, "Yunho Oppa, it's good to see you." Seohyun said, deliberately showing a lot more enthusiasm upon seeing him than she had Jonghyun. 

 

"Thanks Seohyun and its good seeing you as well." He then gazed back at Yuri and held out his hand, "Hi, I'm Jung Yunho and you are...?" 

 

Yuri wondered what game Yunho was playing but at the moment, decided to go along with him, "Kwon Yuri." "Well Yuri, it's nice meeting you and I had like to introduced you to my good friend, Kim Heechul." He then proceeded to introduced Heechul to both, her and Seohyun. It was only then that she noted that he had given Jonghyun no more than a cursory glance. Yuri immediately felt the tension that surrounded the 3 men and was bewildered by it. 

 

"Jonghyun." Yunho acknowledged. 

 

"Yunho. Heechul. Where is your brother Sangwoo, Yunho?" 

 

Yunho's smile didn't quite reached his eyes, "Sangwoo is around here somewhere. Why? Are you looking for him?" "No." Jonghyun then turned his attention to Yuri, "It was nice meeting you Yuri, but I'm being beckoned elsewhere." 

 

"And it was nice meeting you as well Jonghyun-ssi." The man quickly left. Once he was no longer in sight, Yuri turned to Yunho to inquired what that had been about but found her hand enveloped in the warmth of his when the orchestra began playing. 

 

She met his gaze and all thoughts of Jonghyun were forgotten as she was immediately swept away by the intensity in Yunho's brown eyes and the warmth of the smile that spread across his features, "Would you dance with me?" He asked quietly. 

 

She wondered if he could sense her inner turmoil. Did he know the emotions she was feeling were real and far exceeded the ones she had assumed she had felt for Eunhyuk all those years ago? What she had felt then was the passion of a young, naïve girl. What she was experiencing now was the passion of an adult woman who had discovered love for the first time and knew there was no place for her to run and no place for her to hide. There was nothing she could do but accept her fate. Love was staring her in the face in the formed of Jung Yunho. 

 

"Yes, I will dance with you." His hand on hers tightened gently and she felt the warm strength of his touched as he led her towards the dance floor. Once there, he pulled her into his arms, close to the solidness of his formed, the heat of his body. She wondered how long she could continued to stand and not melt at his feet with all the sensations overtaking her. Finding out at 29 that you had the ability to love again, was definitely a shocker. 

 

"You looked beautiful tonight Yuri." Yunho said, claiming her absolute attention, "Without a doubt, you are the most gorgeous woman here." 

 

Yuri lowered her gaze to study the bulova diamond accent stainless steel bracelet watch on his wrist, "Your date might have a problem with you thinking that." 

 

"I didn't bring a date." 

 

She raised surprised eyes to his, "You didn't?" 

 

"No. What made you think I did? Or even more importantly, what made you think I would?" 

 

"Seohyun mentioned that some woman on the committee's sister was coming to town and that you would be bringing her to the event." 

 

He shrugged, "Amber did called and try convincing me to her sister tonight but I refused." 

 

"Why?" She asked swiftly, then regretted doing so. It was really none of her business. 

 

"Because the only woman I want to be with tonight was going to be here, although she didn't asked me to be her date." 

 

Yuri couldn't helped but smile, elated he had come alone, "Oh, what a pity." She commented teasingly. 

 

"Yes, I thought so as well but now that she's here, right where I want her to be which is in my arms, I'm declaring myself her date for the rest of the night." 

 

Yuri didn't have a problem with that, "Are you?" 

 

"Yes. That's one sure way to protect you from the Jonghyun's of the world." 

 

The contempt she heard in his voice proved her earlier assumption had been correct. There was no love lost between Jonghyun, Yunho and Heechul, "You and Heechul-ssi don't like him." She said, stating what had been so obvious, "Why?" 

 

"Let's just say we don't exactly appreciate the way he's been known to treat women. That and the fact we knew him when we were younger and he and I clashed a lot." 

 

Not wanting to talked about Jonghyun any longer, Yunho brought Yuri's body closer to his. He drank in her softness, her nearness, her scent, everything that was woman about her. After 9 years of doing without a woman in his life, the woman he was holding in his arms made him feel complete. 

 

"Why did you pretend that the two of us hadn't met before?" 

 

Yuri's question invaded Yunho's thoughts. He gazed at her, thinking that her question was easy enough to answered, "Something you said a few weeks ago made me want to prove you wrong." 

 

She arched an eyebrow, "And what did I say?" 

 

"You said that we had only met because of our kids and chances were, if we had been at any function together that I wouldn't have given you a second looked. It was your opinion that you are not the type of woman I would have shown interests in." 

 

Yuri nodded, remembering she had said that, "And?" 

 

"And I have proven you wrong, Yuri." He drawled. 

 

She gave him a bemused looked, "How?" 

 

"By being here with you tonight, seeing you walked through that door for the first time. Tonight has nothing to do with our kids. It's a function where we are both in attendance and I did give you a second looked. You are definitely a woman I would be interested in and to go even further, you are a woman I'm interested in Yuri. The only one I'm interested in." 

 

His words touched her more than he would ever know and Yuri didn't think she could feel more desired and more wanted than at that very moment. The way he was looking at her made her feel hot and feverish. The intensity in his eyes made her pulse fluttered and a heat wave consumed her, sending blood thrumming through her veins. She felt her s puckering against his chest. What was passing between them was too arousing for a dance floor. 

 

The music ended and she felt him curl his fingers around her upper arm to lead her towards the exit doors, "Where are we going?" She asked breathlessly, trying to keep up with his long strides. 

 

"Outside to get some fresh air." 

 

She swallowed. She had a feeling that fresh air wasn't the only thing Yunho intended to get. 

 

When Yunho finally came to a stopped beneath a cascade of low-hanging branches, he turned Yuri and gently pulled her to him and when his lips creased into that y smile that could automatically turned her on, she didn't think twice about tilting her head back for his kissed. Her breath escaped in a shallow sigh the moment he slanted his mouth across hers, causing her already heated body to become a blazing flame and when the glide of his tongue across hers caused her stomach to clenched, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies closer. 

 

She felt his pressed so strongly against her, actually wedged between her thighs and moaned in his mouth at the same time her body instinctively rocked against him. A part of her didn't know what to make of her actions. She had never been this loose, this free with any man. The couple of times she and Eunhyuk had made out, she had been too busy worrying about whether they would get caught to fully enjoyed the experience. Now getting caught was the last thing on her mind. If an entire room discovered her and Yunho outside, kissing beneath a bunch of willow branches then so be it. Nothing and she meant nothing, could make her stopped being a participant in this. She had needed his mouth on hers, his seductive taste mingling with her own tongue more than she had known. She had been hungry and now he was feeding her with a skilled that only he possessed. He tasted, and tangled his way around , pleasuring her as only he could do and then she felt him smooth a hand up her clothed side and inched its way to her waist, causing her to moaned deeply within . The sensations his touched invoked overwhelmed her and instinctively, she arched closer to him. Slowly, he released , raised his head and met her gaze and she knew he saw the longing that was there in the dark depths of her eyes, mirroring what she saw in his. He reached up and skimmed a fingertip across her pink lips and she moaned against his finger. Heat shot down to the area between her legs. 

 

"I want to leave here and take you somewhere to be alone with you Yuri." 

 

She knew what he was asking. She knew what he saying. He might not love her but he wanted her and at that moment, it was all that mattered to her. What he had tried telling her all along suddenly made perfect senses. They were adults and they could do whatever they wanted to do within reason. Would it be so awful to take what he was offering? A chance for the two of them to be alone? She had lived the past 15 years without a man in her life. She didn't need promises of forever. 

 

Right now, the only thing she needed was him, the man she knew she love and for the first time in a very long time, she would be led by her heart and not her mind. Regrets, if there were any, could come later. 

 

"I want to be alone with you too, Oppa." 

 

"I'm glad to hear that." He whispered, smiling "I think we should go back inside, mingle, dance a couple more times and then leave. What do you think of that?" 

 

Yuri smiled up at him. The thought of being alone with him later made her heart beat in an erratic rhythm and the pure male desire shimmering in his eyes wasn't helping matters, "I think that's a wonderful idea." 

 

The moment they stepped back into the ballroom, a woman called out to Yunho, claiming his attention. They turned and watched 2 beautiful and gorgeously dressed women heading their way. Yunho's hand on Yuri's arm tightened and when she glanced up at him, she could detect a frowned that he was trying to hide behind a forced smile. 

 

"Oppa, I have been looking for you." 

 

"Hello Amber. I had like you to meet a friend of mine, Kwon Yuri." 

 

Amber barely spared Yuri a glance until she noticed Yunho's hand possessively on her arm. Then after a swift appraisal, she extended her hand, "Oh, hello. Have we met before?" 

 

"I don't think so." Yuri said, noticing the woman's immediate dislike of her. The feeling was reciprocal. 

 

Amber then turned her attention back to Yunho and to the woman at her side, "This is my sister, Jackie, the one I told you about who's visiting from Los Angeles." 

 

"Hello, Jackie." Yunho said politely. He then turned to Yuri, "And Jackie, I had like you to meet Kwon Yuri, a good friend." 

 

After introductions were made, Amber didn't waste time, "Oppa, I think you and Jackie should spend time together while she's in town." She said, disregarding Yuri and Yunho's hold on her arm. 

 

"Really? And why would you think that?" 

 

"Because our father is Senator, Mengyao." 

 

Yunho's expression became barely tolerant. It appeared he didn't appreciate Amber's lacked of manners, "Sorry but is that supposed to mean something to me?" 

 

Amber tilted her head back to looked at him. The glint in her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes said she was annoyed, "Well, I thought it would since you are a businessman interested in working with other businesses and trades and he owns the biggest chain companies in the country." 

 

"Well, that's all rather nice." Yunho said, irritation evident in his tone, "But I don't think I need you or Jackie to arranged a meeting with your father if I ever need to discussed business with him. If I want to talked to him, I can just have myself or my assistant schedule a meeting with him, right?" 

 

Amber's dark brown eyes narrowed, "Right." 

 

"Ok then." In an attempt to save face, Yunho changed the subject, "The committee did a wonderful job with the event tonight, Amber. Yuri and I were heading over to the buffet table." 

 

"Well, enjoy." Amber said, clearly not happy that she hadn't gotten Yunho to bend her way. 

 

Yunho gave Jackie a smile, "It was nice meeting you." Tightening his hold on Yuri's arm, they walked away. 

 

When they reached the buffet table, Yunho let out a long sigh, "That woman had a lot of nerve to suggests that I date her sister while you were standing there. She was willing to uses their father's connection to set her up on a date. I have never seen anything so tacky. I'm sorry about that." 

 

Yuri chuckled as she picked up a plate, "Don't be. I learned a long time ago that usually it's people with money who lacked real manners." 

 

"I hope you are not grouping everyone with money in that category." 

 

She smiled up at him, "No, only some of them." 

 

They remained at the event for an additional hour or so, long enough to mingle and for Yuri to meet Yunho's older brother Sangwoo whom she thought was as handsome as Yunho. 

 

"We have hung around long enough." Yunho whispered into her ear, "Ready to leave?" 

 

She looked up at him, her smoldering eyes telling him she had been anxiously counting the minutes, "Yes, I'm ready." 

 

They left the event then waited as a valet brought Yunho's car to them. It was then he asked, "Did you need to find Seohyun and let her know you have left with me?" 

 

Yuri shook her head, "I think she will have an idea what happened when she doesn't see me anymore tonight." 

 

He opened the passenger door on his car when it came, "Will her knowing bother you?" 

 

"No." 

 

"Alright then." He closed the door when she slid onto a smooth leather seat. 

 

When he got inside the vehicle and slid beneath the steering wheel, she said, "Nice car." 

 

He grinned, "Thanks. I decided to leave the other car home and bring my toy." 

 

She chuckled. A Ferrari sports car was some toy, "Where are we going?" 

 

He glanced over at her, "Where do you want to go?" 

 

They could either go to her place or his since there weren't any kids at home. That thought made a girlish giggle escape her lips. He glanced over at her when he pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the interstate, "Are you ok?" 

 

She grinned, "Yes. I was just thinking that with the kids away, the parents will play. I feel like being naughty tonight Oppa." 

 

He surprised her when he braked and veered off to the shoulder of the road. 

 

"Why are we stopping?" 

 

"I feel like being naughty tonight, too. Starting now." He replied simply, before leaning over and connecting with his again. Her lips parted without hesitation and his aggressive tongue mingled diligently with hers. He tasted of the wine he had consumed earlier and it only raised her body's temperature. Yuri returned his intensity with her own and as their tongues mingled, her insides turned to molten liquid. 

 

When he pulled back, they were both breathless. He captured her gaze and held it, "So, will it be my place or yours?" 

 

She reached out and placed her palm against his cheek, "Mine. I want you in my bed, Oppa."