“Must you go today?”

 

 

 

       Dara didn’t want to go but she had commitments she needed to fulfill.

 

 

 

       “Yes.”

 

 

 

       He spooned her closer, wrapping his powerful arms around her tighter.

 

 

 

       “Stay.” He nuzzled her neck.

 

 

 

       They just made love and she could barely move from utter exhaustion and yet her nerve endings tingled in response. Jaejoong was a machine. If they kept with his appetite, she’d be losing weight from all the physical activities he’d subjected her body to. Not that she was complaining.

 

 

 

       And she could get pregnant. She closed her eyes tighter. That was one area where she’d totally lost control. Protection seemed to have become a non-issue for him after their little chat yesterday. She hadn’t exactly raised any firm objection either.

 

 

 

       “Can’t you cancel your TV appearance this afternoon?”

 

 

 

       “I’m afraid not. It’s live. Honey will kill me. She’s a dear friend.”

 

 

 

       “Will you be talking about us?”

 

 

 

       “Maybe.”

 

 

 

       “What will you say?”

 

 

 

       “I haven’t really discussed it with Bom yet. She sent a list of limitations to Honey’s staff. Things they can and can’t ask me.”

 

 

 

       “But JAEDARA has to crop up somewhere in the conversation, right?”

 

 

 

       “I guess…”

 

 

 

       “So, what will you say?”

 

 

 

       “I’ll think of something…”

 

 

 

       “I want to know.”

 

 

 

       His persistence on the subject was starting to bother her. “Why is it so important to you what I’d say? I’m sure Bom has a statement prepared for that.”

 

 

 

       “I want you to answer it with no script.”

 

 

 

       She moved to sit up, pulling the comforter to her chest. She turned to face him. “What are you driving at, Jaejoong?”

 

 

 

       He sat up, too. He looked serious. “Do we still need a script at this point, Dara?”

 

 

 

       “What are you trying to say?” she asked him softly.

 

 

 

       He saw the vulnerability in his eyes. A rare sight. “Us, Dara. Are we still pretending?”

 

 

 

       She swallowed. Moment of truth. He didn’t waste time. “Are you?”

 

 

 

       He shook his head. “I told you, I haven’t been pretending since we started doing this.”

 

 

 

       “Never?”

 

 

 

       “Couldn’t you see?”

 

 

 

       She was at a loss for words.

 

 

 

       He smiled and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

 

 

 

       “You know what I want?”

 

 

 

       “I’m not sure…”

 

 

 

       “I want the whole world to know that you’re mine. You’re my woman. And I’m your man. That we are real. JAEDARA is real. I’m bursting with it.” He put her hands on his chest, over his heart. “Feel.”

 

 

 

       Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, so overwhelmed she was by his admission.

 

 

 

       “I want that, too.”

 

 

 

       “So what will you say?”

 

 

 

       She smiled, her eyes going wet. “To the doubting people, haters gonna hate but JAEDARA is real and getting stronger. Watch us harder.”

 

 

 

       His smile widened, lighting up his face into breathtaking gorgeousness.