We spend an hour getting her ready. Her hair was beautiful already and I told her as much. I just found a pin to restrain it elegantly behind her ear. She wore a Christian Dior dress of gold silk that fit her curves like second skin. Her shoes were Jimmy Chu stiletto strappy contraptions that brought her almost eye level with me. I think I could lose my heart to a woman who looks like her.

We arrived at the ball when it was in full swing. Heads turned as everyone tried to figure out who the mystery beauty was on my arm. The rich and entitled can be very rude. I can hear them asking if she was a model and commenting on how it was bad taste for me to bring a foreigner as my date. I ignore them all and most of my business associates. All I was interested in was showing this lovely lady a good time.

“Would you like some champagne?” I whisper in her ear to be heard over the music. She smiles at me and the smile reaches those beautiful eyes of hers. I could stare at them forever. I wonder how long she will be in Korea. “I would love some thank you” she replies. She has excellent manners when she isn’t cussing like a bar wench. I am a er for a well-mannered woman.

I give her a champagne flute and take one for myself from a passing waiter. “I really enjoy your company. How long will you be staying in Korea? I would love to be your tour guide.” I tell her oozing as much charm and charisma as I can to get the answer I want. “I will only be here a week but I would love to have you show me around.” She replies to me. Yes, this is a good night after all. “Dance with me Shinay.” I tell her pulling her onto the dance floor when a slow number begins to play.

I hold her in my arms and realize my error in judgment. She feels like heaven and smells like vanilla and something heavenly that I cannot describe. Now that she is this close to me, I can’t help but want more. Our heartbeats are in sync. I have never felt this accustomed to someone who is essentially a total stranger. What is going on here? I am not a romantic by any means. Some can even call me cynical, but if I believed it could exist I would call this love at first sight.

Her head rests on my shoulder and I can feel her breath on my neck. I embrace her tighter and she sighs. I can feel her eyelashes flutter telling me she closed her eyes. I am not the only one who feels this connection between us. This overwhelming feeling of delight comes over me. It is nothing compared to how I feel upon hearing what she has to say.

“Would you like to get out of here? Honestly TOP, I appreciate you bringing me here. The food is delicious and I love dancing with you but this is not my scene. You are the only interesting person in the building. Would you think I was rude if I called the women here insipid?” She says looking me in the eye. “I would never think you are rude. I am in total agreement with you. To be frank, the only reason I even came here after the accident was because you agreed to accompany me. I would much rather spend the rest of the evening getting to know you away from the prying eyes of the gossip committee.” I reply.

We walk hand in hand on the beach carrying our shoes. We talk about our mutual love for American hip hop music. We argue over stock market exchange rates. I have never met a woman as beautiful as she is who can hold their own in business conversation and still be a joy to talk to about personal matters. Maybe I am not cynical. I have just been around the wrong women my entire life. If my friends could see me now!

The moonlight is playing in her hair and sparkling in her eyes. I would give my life to kiss her right now. Nothing beats a failure but a try. I have never been a coward and I won’t start now. I place my hand behind her head and tilt her face up towards mine. She looks startled at my sudden closeness but is making no moves to back away. Looking into the dazzling depths of her eyes, I brush my lips across hers.

There is fire in my blood and beating in my brain. The world is unsteady and the only thing that is keeping me grounded is the feeling of her lips on mine. Electric shockwaves are running rampant through my system. I have kissed many women in my life. Nothing has ever felt like this. She whimpers against my lips and I take the opportunity to delve into the wet and warm cavern of .

She tastes of the champagne we sipped earlier and a lingering hint of ripe peaches. I could kiss her all night. I tighten my hold on her lifting her almost completely off the ground so she is flush against me. Breathing takes a backseat to my desire to explore further. I run my tongue across her teeth counting each one before returning to joust with her own eager one. She is just as passionate in returning the kiss as I am in giving it.

I am getting carried away. that. My ship has already sailed into the deepest of waters. Someone clears their throat. There are not words for how reluctant I am to release her but I must. We have been caught. “Well, this is a sight I never thought I would see. Choi Seunghyun lost in a passionate embrace on a beach no less.” Annoying little bastard. It’s just my best friend Kwon Jiyong and his lovely wife Renata. She is just smiling like the Cheshire cat while he goads me. I like her all the time. I like him most days. If he wasn’t my best friend I would kill him right now.

“If you want to goad me into an argument you are walking in the right direction. If you want to scold me about controlling my urges, you should remember I know you. You have 5 children and are working on the 6^th because you can’t keep your hands off your wife for 5 seconds. You have only been married 6 years.” I tell him which makes both women laugh. “It’s a good thing you are rich or your would put you in the poor house!” I continue which makes Jiyong laugh with me.

“I have always been this way. You however are the one who never breaks a rule and always does things properly. It makes me proud to see you lose that self-control. Whoever you are miss, I commend and thank you.” Jiyong says bowing to Shinay in introduction. Being the adorable creature she is, she gives a full curtsey like she is greeting royalty. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Kwon” She says to them.

“Oh my God girl Mrs. Kwon is my mother in law. Call me Re-Re or Renata if you must be formal.” Renata says hugging Shinay. They look cute together hugging like long lost friends. Renata is American too. “We are not stuffy like those people in the ball back there. I wouldn’t have married this man if he behaved that way.” Renata says squeezing Shinay around the beginning of her 6^th pregnancy bump.

“No one calls me Mr. Kwon. My employees call me Jiyong and my friends call me Ji. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance dear” Ji says kissing her hand. I could punch him in his pretty boy face. Friends don’t kiss other friend’s girls.  They won’t go away until we promise to have lunch with them tomorrow. I will be tackled like a quarterback by 5 screaming toddlers tomorrow. I love my godchildren. They just love me a little too hard in return.