Walking out of his room felt like walking towards his hanging. Everything was silent, leaving enough room for him to sink deeper into his thoughts. It was still early in the morning so he guessed everyone was still asleep. Of course, once he reached the kitchen, he learned that he wasn’t the only one widely awake. Talia was too. She was sipping her coffee, silently sitting on a chair, with her back to the door. She seemed oblivious to his presence, caught deep in thought. He didn’t need some kind of special power to guess what she was thinking about. He pursed his lips and wondered if this was when he was supposed to regret his actions. He’d acted rashly and had caused so much trouble for both of them. True as that fact was, he couldn’t bring himself to regret that kiss.
“Morning,” Hyung whispered as he took the first steps inside the kitchen. Talia jumped in her chair, her breath hitching before she turned to look at him, a tired smile resting on her lips.
“Morning.”
“Where is everyone?” he asked as he poured himself some coffee.
“They went to town.”
“I guess your mom didn’t finish her shopping yesterday?” Hyung chuckled as he slipped into the chair opposite to her.
“My mom never finishes shopping. Especially when dad’s home. She loves dragging him from store to store.” She smiled as she thought about it.
“My dad was always busy, and my mom too. They barely ever went shopping on their own. Our housekeeper did all the work.” Hyung’s eyes were distant as he reflected on his childhood. “They were great parents, though. They adopted a foreign child, invested in someone that didn’t share a drop of their own blood. They didn’t just invest financially, but emotionally too. I can’t ever thank them enough or that.”
“Every family lacks in some way. Your parents were busy, my parents struggled financially. But we are lucky we only had those problems. Others have it worse.” Talia sighed.
They’d once again opened up to one another, they’d shared yet another personal part of their lives without even blinking. After that, they both fell into silence. They sipped their coffees, once again aware of the tension that had settled between them. Talia traced the handle of her own mug, while Hyung subtly watched her. He wondered if he should say something, and although the answer to that was pretty clear, he still didn’t know what he should say. Eventually, he opened his mouth, he wasn’t sure what he was about to say. He never found out either. Talia interrupted him before any word could roll off his tongue.
“Listen, about last night...” Talia trailed off. She wasn’t looking at him, her hazel eyes avoided his gaze, much to his disappointment. “It was a mistake. We got carried away. You have a girlfriend and—”
“I don’t anymore.” Hyung’s answer came out of nowhere. He knew where she was going with it, and he didn’t want to hear any of it. She didn’t want Kristel to be an excuse, not anymore. Talia lifted her gaze as a she breathed out slowly. Her eyes were wide, shock and surprise flashing against their surface. “We broke up. You were right, I don’t need to put myself through it just because I want to date someone with the same background mine. That will never heal my fear of being an outcast.”
Saying it out loud was a also a confirmation for him. He needed to remind himself of that. Meanwhile, he waited for Talia to answer, although she seemed at a loss for words. Suddenly, the long and intense moment of silence was interrupted.
“We’re back!”
Chapter 8
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Talia’s dad said as they clicked their glasses together. “May we always be together on such an important day!” Everyone smiled and nodded, tears stained the girls’ visions.
“Thank you,” Hyung suddenly said after he’d set his glass down. “Thank you for having me over. I know how important it is for you to spend your holidays as a family. You have allowed a stranger to join such a private moment.” He took a step back from where he was standing and did a low bow. Once he was straight again, his gaze lingered on every one of them.
“You don’t have to thank us. You seem like a great guy, Hyung. Yes, we do spend holidays together, but Christmas isn’t just about family. It is about people in general. It’s supposed to bring people together, to make them share their love with people they aren’t obliged to love. You are one of those people, Hyung. You are now welcome here any time.” Mr. William’s words were deep and filled with wisdom and warmth. Hyung felt their sincerity, he knew deep in his heart that those words hadn’t just been spoken out of curtsy or politeness. That’s why Hyung was left speechless. He'd felt like an outcast his entire life. Being a foreigner had always been his insecurity, it kept him from feeling welcomed and at peace. He’d even felt like an alien in his own family, being the Asian kid of two pure Caucasians. However, Talia’s family had a weird way of erasing all those bugging thoughts. They’d made him feel welcome and part of the family. He wouldn’t even bother to go into the way Talia made him feel. She alone did wonders when it came to those insecurities.
“Why are you guys like this?” Talia’s mom suddenly said as she gently slapped her husband across the arm. “You’re making me cry.”
Everyone burst into laughter, their lips curled in warm smiles.
Hyung wasn’t sure how late it was, but he knew it was somewhere around ten. They’d finished Christmas Eve’s dinner not too long ago and had now moved their mini party to the living room where they’d decided to share some more wine. The light of the warm fire and the twinkling tree lights were dim under the bright artificial light that cascaded over the room. They were all sitting around, sharing stories and laughing. Talia’s parents made sure to share some embarrassing details about her childhood.
“I tell you, she was so clumsy, that whenever I heard something fall anywhere in the house, I immediately knew Talia was there,” her father confessed between laughs as his daughter sank deeper into the armchair. Her eyes were narrow, trying to silently warn her father about saying too much.
“She still is.” Hyung chuckled. “She shattered almost every coffee mug I had at the office.”
“You only had two!” Talia exclaimed in frustration.
“What about the other two you bought me. I haven’t seen those in a while.” Hyung rose a brow. Talia’s lips remained parted.
“Just shush it. You can always buy more,” she finally said as she crossed her arms over her chest, frustrated for being left speechless. Hyung took a sip from his glass of wine in an attempt to hide the wider smile spreading across his face.
Silence slowly settled in, their laughs soon faded into mere smiles. Sleep was creeping from around the corner, at least that’s what the yawns around him suggested. Hyung wasn’t sleepy nor tired. He was, however, excited. He was planning to do something, so the anxiety was keeping him widely awake. He was waiting for the right moment, and that moment came, sooner rather than later.
“Come on, honey. We should sleep. We’ll have to wake up early and open the gifts!”
“We could have opened them tonight!” her father complained as he stood up.
“God, and you say I’m the curious cat!” Her mother chuckled as Talia and he bid them good night.
They remained silent for a while. Her parent’s footsteps soon vanished behind the closed door of their bedroom, leaving the cracking sound of the fire as their only companion. Talia had abandoned her glass of wine, her gaze somewhere distant. Hyung bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair. His mind was on the box back in his room. Suddenly, Talia stood up, her lips pursed as her eyes diverted to him.
“I think I’ll go to my room, too.” He wondered if she was afraid to be alone with him again. Talia turned on her heel and was about to walk out the door when he said,
“I want to give you something.” His voice had been a bit edgy and hesitant, giving away the emotions rushing through him.
Talia frowned, unsure of what he meant. “Come on, it’s in my bag.”
Talia slowly followed him upstairs, her heart already skipping a few beat
s. She bit her lip and contemplated whether or not she should go retrieve her own gift from the box in which she’d placed it. After a few good seconds of thinking she finally decided to just hand it to him. That was why she’d bought it, after all.
“I’ll be right back,” she said all of a sudden. She then rushed to her room, leaving Hyung in front of his own door, confused by what she was doing.
Talia didn’t take too long. She was back within a couple of minutes, with the wrapped present in hand. Hyung was standing in the middle of the room, his back to her. The light in there was dim, the only source of illumination being the small lamp on the nightstand. The atmosphere was cozy, with the shadows playing against the walls and the warm mahogany tone of the furniture capturing the warmness of the light. Hyung was immediately aware of her presence, even before she closed the door behind her. Her eyes traveled from her brown eyes to the black box she held in hand. It was small and square with a red ribbon wrapped around it.
“Great minds think alike, huh?” he joked as he gestured towards the gifts. It was Christmas, buying a gift for the people with whom you were celebrating was only natural. However, Talia couldn’t help but feel as if the moment was so special and private. She could tell by his gaze that the gift came from the heart, that it wasn’t some careless gesture done simply for the occasion. Just like hers.
“Merry Christmas,” Talia said as she handed him the gift. “Just don’t tell my mom I gave it to you. She’ll freak if she knows we didn’t wait until morning.”
“Only if you don’t tell her about mine.” He chuckled as he handed her the box.
Excitement bloomed inside her. It was like bubbles inside her. Impatiently, she tugged at the red ribbon. She felt his gaze on her, his deep chocolate eyes were watching her every move, waiting anxiously for her reaction. Inside lay the most beautiful necklace she'd ever seen. The silver chain was thin and simple, and from it hung a tear-shaped sapphire. The rock seemed to capture any ray of light, it glistened and shone even in the dimness of the room. Talia was speechless, she looked at Hyung then back at the necklace, her words caught in her throat.
“Let me help you,” he whispered as he came to stand behind her, the chain dangling from his hand.
Talia felt his fingers across the bare skin of her neck. The necklace was cold, unlike his burning touch, creating a contrast that made Talia’s heart skip a beat.
She gulped subconsciously as she managed to whisper, “It’s beautiful.”
Her hand went to touch it, to feel the perfectly cut edges of the medallion beneath her fingertips.
“It reminded me of your eyes. When you’re in the sun, your eyes hold small shreds of this color.” His voice was low, his breath a gentle breeze against her skin. She turned around and smiled, unsure of what words were worth what he’d just said. “My turn,” he finally said. Neither of them took a step back, they stayed exactly like that, close, barely even apart.
Hyung slowly opened the present as Talia bit on her lower lip. She watched as his expression gradually changed, different emotions flashing across his face as he realized what it was. He flipped the diary over and then he ruffled through the pages, as if checking if what he was seeing was true.
“Talia, I—” He breathed out. “Thank you.”
The diary hadn’t been much, not even half as expensive as the necklace he’d bought her. But he’d liked it, and he’d appreciated her gesture, and Talia couldn’t have been more satisfied about it.
“I was planning to go get this when I returned,” he confessed as he flipped through the pages one more time. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me for a Christmas present,” she said in a low voice.
Talia made the mistake of looking into his eyes. It had been a fatal move on her side. She was now caught in a trance again, inexplicably pulled in by the pool of deep brown. Hyung gently placed the diary on the dresser to his right. He didn’t break their stare as he moved. He kept his eyes steady on her, his pupils dilating even under the constant light.
“Talia, I like you.” The words had left his mouth so suddenly, they’d rolled off his lips so abruptly, impacting with her very heart. Talia felt her heart stop, it didn’t just skip a beat. Her breath hitched and everything around her seemed to freeze. She shivered under the effect of a chill running up her spine. “It took me a while to admit it to myself but it’s the truth. I’m not saying it just because we kissed. I’ve liked you since Korea, you made my heart flutter, and by God, that had never happened to me before. But, I suppressed those feelings for a while. I was still under the illusion that I needed a Korean girl to make me feel like I belong. I didn’t think my perception of fitting in would change. Not until I met you.” Hyung took in a deep breath then continued. “You understand my view of the world, you don’t question why I keep going back to my traditions even though I’m practically American now. I could go on and on about the reasons I like you. But I won’t. I just like you. And I should have said this months ago.”
Talia wasn’t even sure if she was dreaming anymore. Everything was so surreal. His hand reached for hers, his fingers curled around hers, his thumb slowly brushing over her knuckles.
“You don’t have to say anything. I just needed you to know,” Hyung whispered as he let go of her hand. He curled his lips in a tired smile. Talia shook her head.
“I like you, too.” She wasn’t sure where she got the strength to say that. Hyung sucked in a deep breath.
Talia didn’t hesitate anymore. She gathered enough courage to do something she was dying to do. Suddenly, she reached for his collar and rose on her tiptoes. Her lips lingered above his for a second, his breath a constant breeze on her face. Hyung didn’t move. He waited for her to make the move this time. She knew why. He wanted to make sure this was what she wanted, that she wasn’t doing anything because she was influenced by his previous speech.
When Talia finally got the courage to press her lips to his, a fire ignited between the two. It started as a spark, a sudden flare that combusted into brilliant flames. Hyung had waited for her to take the first shot, but he didn’t hesitate when it came to taking over. Their lips molded over one another, melting into an exotic dance. His arms didn’t hesitate to wrap around her, to pull her closer against his chest. She felt his heartbeat, matching her own. Their breaths were shallow, but she barely gave it any attention. She didn’t even need air, Hyung’s touch was her only source of life, the only vital element to keep her alive. The kiss had been at its very beginning, but Hyung pulled away. He looked into her eyes, one of his hands cupping her cheek.
“Maybe we should stop here,” he said. His voice was husky and deep. His eyes were shades darker, different shadows playing on their surface, speaking of the sinful desire that beat inside him. “I won’t be able to stop if we keep going.”
Talia had never known a man to respect a woman so much. But maybe she’d never known a man. Maybe all those other guys were mere boys. At least that was how they seemed compared to Hyung. To the deep masculine soul that stared her in the eye.
Talia shook her head in response. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. There was no doubt about that. She’d fought her emotions for far too long. She would be damned if she opposed them again. She wasn’t sure what morning would bring. What they’d be once they woke up from the trance under which they’d fallen. But she was sure of one thing—her feelings for Hyung. She wanted to succumb to them, even if it meant doing it just once. She was ready to face the consequences, whatever they were.
“Then don’t.” Hyung gulped down her words. His eyes darkened beyond recognition. There was no more rationality in them, just the innate feeling of want and need. She understood that because she felt it too. It was a burning emotion. It made her heart flutter and her skin shiver.
Hyung groaned and pulled her closer, resuming their previous position. While the previous kiss had been soft and passionate—a reflection of their confession—his one was violent and full of lust. T
heir lips moved on one another hastily, their tongues joining in.
Hyung’s hands were no longer shy. They abandoned their safe spot on her waist and neck to indulge in an adventure across her body. They moved up and down her arms, and then across her chest, only to finally fall on one of her breasts. Talia moaned. The action made her abandon his lips and Hyung’s mouth took advantage of it’s sudden freedom. It trailed down her neck, leaving hot, wet kisses down it’s path. Talia threw her head back, a low moan escaped her lips when he sucked at the spot above her clavicle. He seemed to like her reactions. Hyung was a dominant nature when it came to his every day life, his actions were always precise and confident. That situation wasn’t any different. It took Talia a minute to adjust to his touch, to get accustomed to the feeling of his hands on her body, but eventually she did. She managed to get her hands to move too, to fulfill their dream of exploring those unknown lands. They held onto the hem of his shirt, fidgeting with the material before they finally managed to pull it over his head. She’d imagined him before, she had to admit. But she’d never imagined him to be that beautiful. Every inch of his body looked like it had been carefully painted, he was so perfectly imperfect. The dim light caressed his broad chest, casting shadows on his lean muscles.
He stepped back for a second, allowing her to take him in, to satisfy her curiosity and study every part of his body. She traced his shoulders with her left hand, trailed it down his chest and down his hip. She tried to memorize every curve and every mark. That was the beauty of their blurry future. It made her enjoy their present more. It made her indulge more in it and be more aware of their moments.
Hyung finally reached for her shirt, too. Unlike her, he didn’t struggle with it. He swiftly pulled it over her head. The air in the room was chilled, or maybe her body was the one that was on fire. She shivered under his touch, under the graceful feeling of his fingertips against the curve of her breast. He watched her unhook her bra. His lips parted when the red straps fell over her shoulders. The lacy material fell, freeing her erect nipples from the cage. She took advantage of the space between them and went to remove the last pieces of clothing. Her eyes never left his; she dared him with her gaze as she removed her black jeans. She was now wearing nothing but her panties, but even those soon vanished, joining the other pieces of clothing in a pool of material. She was now naked under the burning gaze of the brown eyes in front of her.
The Asian One: BWAM, Asian Man, Billionaire Romance (Relatives From Money Book 5) Page 8
