Ontae #34 “If you keep looking at me like that we won’t make it to a bed.” 

“Excuse me.  Are you Lee Taemin?”  

Taemin looked up from his phone to the woman standing in front of him.  Had he been prepared he could’ve stopped his jaw from dropping.  She was gorgeous, long dark brown hair, a warm smile, stunning figure, curves hugged by a classic little black dress, with just a hint of retro style, the hem coming to just above her knees, black and white heels…

She cleared .  

“I’m sorry.  Y-yes.  I’m Lee Taemin.”  He stood up, buttoning the jacket of his tuxedo. 

She breathed a sigh of relief.  “Good.  Because by your reaction, I thought maybe I had approached the wrong gentleman.  You called for an this evening?”

Her gentle demeanor and soft voice threw him off, not to mention her classy outer appearance wasn’t what he was expecting at all.  Of course he had called for a specific type of girl for a specific type of evening but this was still above and beyond anything he could have put together.  

“Yes.  That’s right.”  

“I’m Lee Eunsook.  It’s nice to meet you.”  She extended her manicured hand and Taemin was surprised even by the softness of her skin.  He bowed slightly.  “I hope I’m dressed appropriately and to your liking.  I was told it would be a black tie affair.”  

“Forgive me, it’s just I didn’t expect…”  He tried to compose himself after his guard was clearly taken down, he was a professional, she was a professional (just of a different variety)  He smiled.  “…you look perfect.  Thank you for meeting me here.”  

“Of course.  Our services aren’t exactly known very well outside of the…obvious.”  She winked at him.  “So what is the occasion?”

“It’s a dinner and an auction that I put together to raise funds to help endangered species.  My company is very environmentally proactive and each year we hold this event.  This year it’s for the red panda.”  

“Cute and a heart of gold.”  

Taemin could feel himself blush as he offered her his arm.  “Shall we.”  

Eunsook smiled and nodded, taking it.

~

The ride to the auction was about an hour, the event being hosted in a lodge at a mountain resort.  This gave them time to discuss a small back story in case any questions arose about their relationship.  Taemin’s life was kept very private, so it wasn’t really surprising nobody had known or heard about a special lady in his life.  

“So you’re young and obviously successful.  Why would you need a date to a business event like this?  You’re the owner of the company.”

“The owner’s son.”  He clarified.  “But my father has taken a backseat to most public affairs these days.  It’s the first year I’m speaking and the board thought I would look less like a playboy if I were to have a nice girl on my arm for the evening.  As old fashioned as it sounds…”

“I understand.”

They were quiet for a while before Taemin spoke up again, despite her first impression he still had some reservations about the arrangement.  “They said you’d be good in this type of setting?”

“I’m good in any setting Mr. Lee.”  Taemin’s eyes widened for a moment and she chuckled.  “Don’t worry about me.  You just worry about getting as much money as you can for those cute little red pandas.”  

~

They walked into the banquet hall of the lodge arm in arm.  Taemin took on a different persona, shedding the shy young man Eunsook had met in the hotel lobby and taking on the form of young CEO.  Despite the age difference between himself and most of the people there he carried himself with an air that demanded respect and it was easy for her to play off of that aura.  Eunsook politely smiled to everyone in which she was introduced, laughed at every bad joke, spoke briefly of her family that lived in Taiwan and regretfully at how little time she got to spend with Taemin given his increasing responsibilities at the company and her commitments to furthering her education abroad.  

So many people demanded their attention it was easy for her to get by with being vague and smiling apologetically as they moved on to the next person.  Taemin watched her from the corner of his eye, not that he was worried or concerned by her actions and words any longer but out of increased amazement.  She was smart, classy, respectful, and he chastised himself for thinking she’d be anything but that, despite if he was paying her to do so.  Somethings you just couldn’t fake and how natural she fit in here with him was one of those things.  

When Taemin spoke Eunsook gave her undivided attention, lightly touching his arm or shoulder, a familiarity that could only be gotten over time.  And when it was time for Taemin to give his speech and toast at the end of the evening the look in her eyes even fooled him, she looked proud.  It was hard for him to focus at anyone in the audience except her.  

~

Taemin called for the limousine to come around a gifted bottle of champagne in his hand and a beautiful bouquet of peonies in hers as parting gifts; they waved at the last few guests as they got in.  

Eunsook smiled as the car pulled off, holding the flowers by her face to smell them.  

“You were incredible.  Better than the real thing.”  Taemin put his hand on her thigh.  

Eunsook eyed the hand only for a moment before the young CEO pulled it away, a blush that couldn’t even be hidden in the dim lighting on his face.  She chuckled and took his hand putting it back on her leg.  “You were pretty amazing yourself Mr. Lee.”

“Taemin.  Please call me Taemin.”

“Of course.”

“Well Eunsook since we have a pretty long ride back to the hotel, how about we celebrate?”  Taemin held up the bottle of wine and smiled at her, his cheeks round, eyes sparkling.  He suddenly looked less like the CEO of a large company but more the shy young man she first saw in the hotel lobby.  Both sides of him were equally y and adorable.  

He poured them each a glass, careful to not spill any.

“So why not the real thing?”

Taemin raised his eyebrows in question.  “What do you mean?”

“You said better than the real thing.  Why don’t you have a girlfriend?  Mr….”  Eunsook stopped herself.  “Taemin.”

“Someone in my position doesn’t really have time to meet women.”

“Don’t you get lonely?”

Taemin swallowed roughly, the situation suddenly becoming all to real.  He was on his third glass of wine that evening, in a car, with a very gorgeous woman, a very paid for woman.  As much of a gentleman as he was he couldn’t stop his eyes from traveling down her body.  That little black dress that left just enough to the imagination.  Indeed he was lonely.  Very lonely, at this moment unbearably lonely. 

“Yes I do.”  His voice came out in just above a whisper and he watched Eunsook take a deep breath and lean back against the seat.  Her curves and body line even more visible now.  

“That’s unfortunate.  A great guy like you.”  

Taemin snorted despite the tension growing in the air, he relaxed in the seat turning towards her.  Unable to keep his wandering eyes in check.  

“Mr.  Lee.  If you keep looking at me like that we won’t make it to a bed.”  She bit her lip playfully.

He had almost forgotten he had paid for her until morning, unsure when the fundraiser would actually end, the direction that things were headed were not his first intentions.  She took their glasses and set them on the bar across from them.  

“That’s not why-”

He was cut off as she climbed in his lap, the snug fitting dress riding high on her thighs straddling him.  

Eunsook smiled as his hands all but flew to her bare skin gripping the flesh there firmly.  “Consider it a bonus then?  For me.”  He was speechless as she bent down to kiss him.