Hmm...I stretch awake and open my eyes to see Yixing sitting by my side, looking down tenderly at me.

"Morning beautiful" he greets me with his precious dimpled smile.

"Morning" I return his greeting and he bends down and we kiss.

While my parents are out of town, I sneaked Yixing into my home for a late night rendezvous. After an exhausting night of marathon , we collapsed in bed and just woke up.

Yixing lies back down next to me and scoots under the blanket and hugs me, snuggling his face to mine. 

"Hmm... Let's stay like this for a while? This is nice." I suggest while I let Yixing hug me from behind in a spooning position. 

"Sure, Bo." Yixing replies and plants a kiss on my bare shoulder. 

I close my eyes to return back to dreamland again when Yixing says, "You know if we go public, we can stop sneaking around and stay over more often and cuddle like this more often."

My eyes snap open at his suggestion and I quickly turn around to face him, surprised. 

"Bo, it's been 3 months since you called off your engagement. I believe to outsiders, it'll seem like a fair time for you to have moved on? It's safe to let everyone know about us now?"

"Us? As in..." I start motioning silently to Yixing and I.

"Yeah, us. You and me, Bo." Yixing laughs and kisses me.

I sit up immediately and reflectively pull away from Yixing, distancing myself, "What do you mean "us", Yixing? There is no "us". We are not in a relationship! You are not my boyfriend, Yixing!"

Yixing sits up with a stiff expression and he speaks in a strained voice, "After all this time we spent together Bo... do you mean to say that you feel nothing for me? Am I... Am I just a buddy to you?"

"I...I... don't know what to say Yixing. I mean, I thought all we are doing is having . Great but the way. But nothing more. We are not in a relationship. We can't be!"

"Do you not enjoy my company? Do I not make you laugh? Do we not bond over other interests outside of ? Do I not make your heart palpitate? Do you not lov...not like me?" Yixing asks, his voice almost breaking.

"Do you?" I ask alarmed.

"I do! I'm so madly in love with you, Bo! I can't stop thinking about you! Why do you think I can make love to you everyday? You're more than just a object to me! If you were, I won't still be around. Can you not see I've changed my ways for you? I'm a one-woman man now. I'm committed to you. I'm no longer sleeping around. Other girls don't interest me anymore! And it's not for a lack of temptation. Officially I'm supposedly single, so girls still continue to throw themselves at me. But I've not strayed even once ever since I've been with you! Why? That's because I'm committed to you! I respect you and I want to see you exclusively. You're someone I actually envision a future with. I want to see you and continue seeing you for a very long time. I've never felt this way about anyone before. You're the first girl to make me feel this way. You're the only one for me now. I love you Bo!"

I'm speechless. Yixing is in love with me? That's a revelation!

"I...I don't know what to say." I reply softly.

"Say you feel the same way about me, Bo. I need to know how you feel about me."

"I... I... need to think about it."

"Alright, I'll give you time to sort out your thoughts." Yixing gets up and starts dressing quickly.

"Where are you going?" I whine.

"Giving you time and space to sort out your thoughts. And untill you do, I don't think we should be having anymore." My jaw drops.

"Zhang Yixing, are you withholding from me?!" I huff incredulous.

"I'm withholding from both of us! It's an even greater torture for me! You have no idea how much I lust for you everyday! Me! A healthy, virile, hot-blooded male! But I'm willing to suffer blue balls, if you can use this space to think clearly and carefully. I'm more than just a good . I'm the one for you, Bo! Please see it!"

"And how am I supposed to assess that if you disappear from me!" I reason with Yixing.

"We'll still hang out. Do everything else. Except have . That way you'll see we can have a conventional relationship outside of . Enjoy a normal courtship like all couples do."

"Ok, let's hang out. Since you're here already. But why do I get the feeling you're trying to run away from me this very instance?"

"You do realise you're talking to me stark , right? I need to get away from you right now so I can stop myself from ing your brains out!" Oh!

I quickly pull the remaining sheets off me and expose my entire body to Yixing. I lie back and spread my legs open in his full view while I grab at my s and coo coquettishly, "Then my brains out. me, Yixing!"

Yixing's jaw drops and he stares at me lasciviously for a moment, then he quickly shakes his head and shouts at me exasperatedly, "Arrgh! you, Bo!" and runs out of my bedroom, "I'll call you later, get dressed!" His voice trails behind his retreating back.

Curses! That didn't work. Is he really serious about his ultimatum then?

***

next chapter: Temptation