Skin touching skin.

There were no explosions, no butterflies in her stomach, no weakened knees… Just soft lips on hers. Yet it felt like her heart was caught in . She was aware of the throng of people who might be looking at them, but it was the faint pleasant scent of his left cheek against her nose that she was mostly registering. She pressed a little closer and strangely enough, he wasn’t pulling back. There was no time to think about how ordinary it was when she saw the person she was hiding from walk towards her direction.

Her eyes widened a fraction before she wrapped her arms around the man’s shoulders and tilted her head to the other side—away from the other person’s sight. A beat passed and she felt a hand snake behind her head as he pulled her even closer. His mouth opened—pressing more firmly against hers and that was when her heartbeat started picking up. The numbness she felt was instantly replaced with an unfamiliar heat—shooting through her veins so rapidly that she quivered. had gone dry and she opened only for him to deepen the kiss.

Surprised at the sensations building inside her, her mind went on a standstill for a moment and all thoughts of escape disappeared. She didn’t even realize she had closed her eyes and was responding with such fervor until she felt warm tongue touch hers. Her logic had shut down and her body was commanding her to press herself closer until it was hard to breathe.

As the heat consumed every fiber of her body, she let herself enjoy the feeling of being thoroughly kissed. She was astonished at how she was able to respond without looking like a fish out of water. Long eyelashes fluttered against her cheek and a breathless sigh escaped his mouth. She squirmed when his other hand touched the bare skin of her waist—sending sparks straight to her belly.

Her awareness instantly surfaced as she pulled back and covered with the back of her hand. She couldn’t dare to meet his eyes as she looked around only to find that Ram was not in sight and that the bartender was eyeing them amusedly. She then noticed the glass of Martini on the counter.

“Is this yours?” She asked Chaerin’s friend whom she did not just make out with.

She could see him nod in her peripheral vision and that was all it took for her to grab the drink and down it in one go. Her lips were tingling and she absolutely had no idea what to do next. Should she apologize for suddenly attacking him with her… mouth? Should she just play it cool and leave?

“I should go.”

Without taking a second glance, she walked away while inwardly facepalming herself. She could still feel her face buzzing as she took out her phone to text Sorn only to find a message from her.

Thank you, Lalice. But Ram saw me and I’m about to talk to him. Go home first and take care.

Lisa was terribly annoyed. She went to great lengths to kick the guy in the nuts as per her request! But her friend needed closure and she hoped Sorn would find that.

Take care, too. I’m leaving now. She replied back.

As soon as she exited the club and into the five-star hotel’s lobby, she felt a hand firmly grip her forearm. In a split second, her wide shocked eyes met his—only he looked like he was about to unleash fury with his sharp gaze and clenched jaw. But the stark red lipstick smudged around his lips only made him look quite funny. She imagined she looked the same and she pursed her lips in embarrassment—discretely wiping the edges of with her fingers.

“Did you use me?”

His accusation went straight to her conscience and she couldn’t find the proper response. The blonde wig she discarded was in his left hand. She reached for it but he placed it behind him—that seeping anger still evident on his face.

“No one can use me like that.” His deep voice speaking in English sounded so different now that they were outside the noisy club. There were security and other people mingling around but no one paid attention to the furious-looking man.

She wanted to leave yet her body remained rooted to her spot.

“I didn’t use you.” There was no way in hell she would admit to him that she really did.

His response was quick—still accusatory.

“Then why did you kiss me?”

There was no other explanation she could think of at that moment. As she stared at his red-stained lips and remembered how he had so thoroughly kissed her—making her stomach tingle uncontrollably, she cleared and briefly glanced at his eyes. And the words just slipped right out of .

“I think you’re hot.”

Kill me now.

She could’ve said handsome, attractive… but why did she say hot out of all adjectives? She sounded like a real playgirl.

But his expression softened—the anger and confusion were then replaced with embarrassment. That was when she noticed that his ears were tinged red and it was his turn to look away. At that moment, she suddenly found him quite adorable… at the obvious shyness because she said he was hot. A man like him would most likely smile and take everything in as she fed his ego. But this man right in front of her looked like a shy high school boy who had just been noticed by his crush for the very first time.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry.” She apologized sincerely then. Maybe it was because her heart softened at the reaction he had just shown.

He glanced at her for a moment before looking away.

“No, it’s good.” He paused and she could almost see his brain turning. “Good… I mean it’s okay. Kiss is good, too. But…”

His face scrunched before he whispered something in Korean, “I’m a ing idiot.”

A smile quirked at the corners of her lips and she stifled the giggle that would surely come out. When he looked back at her, he seemed puzzled at her amusement and she just shrugged. Pretending not to understand Korean was actually very fun.

He handed her the blonde wig and she slowly took it—unconsciously prolonging the moment as she said a quiet, “Thank you.”

The conversation had ended yet neither of them seemed to want to walk away first.

She took that moment to survey his appearance more. He went to a club dressed in a white dress shirt, black slacks, and expensive-looking black leather shoes—as if he came straight from a business meeting sans the suit jacket. His black hair was cut short at the sides and the middle was styled in a quiff. And even though there were a few faint blemishes on his skin and seemed like he needed proper sleep, he looked incredibly handsome.

He shifted from one leg to another as he looked down at the floor.

“Do you want to drink?”

Only one question and she didn’t even hesitate to answer.

“Sure.”

The sound of the door automatically locking seemed too loud. They had both quietly drank in the hotel bar for half an hour before she found herself making her way to his