by Love Journey
I lowered my voice to a whisper, not wanting either of them to overhear and realize that I had a passenger concealed in the back. “We are almost there. Don’t say anything because there are two men at the exit. I will get us out of here.”
I exhaled a nervous sigh as I pulled up to the parking attendant’s booth and handed my parking pass out the window. As I waited for the attendant to process my payment, a third man stepped out of the shadows and walked behind my trunk, shining his flashlight on the glass and trying to peer through. I blew my horn.
“Hey, what are you doing?” I shouted.
He ignored me as he tiptoed, trying to get a better view. I turned to the attendant instead. “Who are those men back there? I don’t know them, and they are making me nervous. Please call security.”
The attendant leaned out to look out the window behind the booth. Guess I wasn’t the only one they were making nervous as the attendant was quick to comply. He picked up his radio and spoke into it rapidly, asking security to come down to the exit ramp immediately, in a voice loud enough so that the men would hear him and back off.
“Thank you, Sir,” I told him when the men retreated. “It’s just like I suspected and those men weren’t part of the airport security, were they?”
“No ma’am,” he responded.
“Okay. Well since they’re gone I won’t bother waiting around. I’m trying to beat the storm and hurry home. So if you’ll let me out…”
The gate lifted and with a final thank you to the attendant, I drove off.
“We made it,” I told my passenger, once we had joined the highway headed for home. “I’m going to pull over in the next parking lot, so you can sit up front and be more comfortable. Okay?”
God, I hope he understood what I was saying.
When a pained voice moaned an “okay,” I began to worry, which made me drive a little faster so that I can figure out just how hurt he was. I didn’t want him dying in the back of my car, famous entertainer or not.
I wonder why they attacked him.
But whatever the reason, I was glad I was there. If things were different, he might not have been so lucky. I flipped on the radio to listen to a weather update and turned off the road into a vacant parking lot.
CHAPTER 4
MONIQUE
I put the truck in park and popped the trunk door, so he could get out. Looking around as I got out of the SUV, the snow was falling in heavy fat flakes and quickly covering the ground. We didn’t have much time before it got truly terrible on the roads or before it got dark, and at the moment I couldn’t decide which would be worse, the darkness of night or the icy roads. Having to face either would be equally as bad in my opinion.
I rushed around the back of the SUV, lifted the door, and pushed back the cover. In the dimly lit trunk, Hyun-Li laid there wide-eyed, frightened, and hurt. He looked so hopeless that I felt the urge to comfort him and offer some reassurance that everything would be alright, even though I knew it was much too early for that. I didn’t know enough about the situation myself to know if it would truly all be okay in the end.
We were still strangers, so I took one step back to give him some room so he could stretch a bit before getting out. He slowly unfolded his body from the cramped space. He winced in pain with each movement, so I moved forward to help him sit up and stand on his feet.
I slowly raised my hand in the air and smiled, “Annyeong haseyo. Hello. My name is Monique. Do you speak English?”
He looked at me for a long moment, and I thought perhaps he didn’t or at least maybe not much. But no. He was checking the parking lot to make sure he wasn’t in any immediate danger, and he was checking me out too.
Even under all the blood, cuts, and bruises, Hyun-Li was an extremely attractive man. And did I catch a hint of masculine appreciation in his assessment of me?
When he realized that he was not in any immediate danger, he seemed to relax, grabbing his midsection, and wincing in pain. “Annyeong haseyo. Yes, I speak English. My name is…”
“I know who you are. I’m a big fan,” I smiled.
His voice was low and accented, and there was something exotic about the way he pronounced each word with careful precision. His voice did something to me, and I blushed at my reaction to just a few spoken words. Concentrate Monique. Business first, pleasure later.
“I have a particular love for Korean dramas, so I definitely know who you are,” I grin at him. “I would say I’m your biggest fan, but I’m sure you hear that a lot.”
He smiled slightly and nodded.
When a snowflake landed on my eyelash, I looked up nervously and said. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you and those men, but we have to go sooner rather than later. There is a major blizzard coming, and I don’t want to be stuck in it. So I need to know what you want to do. But first, let’s get you moved up front.”
As I moved into position on his right side, our eyes met and that brief moment took my breath away. When he stood up, he was much taller than I thought he would be and much more handsome up close. He stood about six foot and had an athletic build. That’s as far as my “hottie” assessment went because I had to concentrate on the task of helping him walk.
It was slow progress, but we made it to the front of the car. I helped him to lean against the side while I opened the passenger door and adjusted the seat. Once inside, I closed the door and moved quickly to the driver’s side. I saw him watching me through the windshield as I hurriedly walked in front of the car’s headlights. Once back inside, I turned the heat up and carefully maneuvered the truck back onto the highway.
I noticed that when I got into the car, he quickly looked down at his hands and pretended that he wasn’t looking at me. That was fine. Unfortunately, I had bigger problems because during our short stop the snow had picked up significantly and the roads were disappearing fast.
I heard him grunt as he adjusted himself in his seat. I looked over at Hyun-Li and felt horrible for his pain. “You look like you need a hospital or better yet the police…”
Before I could finish, he looked panicked and shouted “No!”
His response startled me, and I looked briefly in his direction. He looked embarrassed and lowered his voice saying “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just jumpy because I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know who those men were or why they were after me.”
His voice was ragged, and though I realized he was still very much angry, I was amazed at his self-control as he reined it in and continued. “I don’t have my phone, ID, or wallet. They took everything! I have no money to buy a hotel room with, plus I don’t know anyone here. I thought this would be a quick layover. The only reason I got away when I did was because a car drove past and I was able to run in the other direction.”
“Okay, I understand. I wasn’t sure how bad your injuries were and needed to make sure you weren’t in any immediate danger. I thought you might need an X-ray or something,” I explained.
“My ribs hurt but I don’t think anything is broken,” he responded. “I need some time to figure out what’s going on before I go the police, and my worst fear is that those men might be waiting at the hospital for me. I don’t feel safe going to either one of those places.”
He exhaled long and deep. “I’m sorry, I feel embarrassed because I need help. I feel bad for asking a woman to assist me because I’m a man. I should be helping you, but I don’t know anyone so …ugh… This situation is crazy!”
“No need to apologize Hyun-Li. I understand, and I know I would feel the same in your situation.”
When he got quiet and faced the window, I knew he was trying his best not to break down in front of me, and I couldn’t help the overprotective feeling that came over me. He was hurt and confused, and I wanted to help, so I did the only thing I could think of and reached over and placed my hand on top of his hand and squeezed.
“Hyun-Li, I don’t mind helping you. I hope someone would help me if I was in y
our situation. It sounds like you’re just as clueless as I am so you’re more than welcome to come to my home until you can figure out your next step and wait until the blizzard passes. That way you can use the phone and computer to contact someone and figure out what you should do? No pressure, okay?”
He looked down at my hand on top of his and whispered “Yes. Thank you.”
“We have about a 20 - 30-minute drive ahead, so please feel free to recline your seat and relax. As long as I’m not in any danger, I’m happy to help.”
I offered him a smile and turned my attention back to the snow-covered roads ahead.
While he was lost in his own thoughts and pain, I was thinking about the crazy situation that caused our paths to cross tonight. I also knew that if I had not recognized him, I would have been hesitant to bring this man to my home. And what was he doing in Indianapolis of all places?
I never thought a famous Korean entertainer would ever come to this quiet part of the world, but I guess he was just passing through.
HYUN-LI
How did my ex-girlfriend find me? I didn’t tell anyone where I was going except my lawyer. This is crazy!
I was in agony, both emotionally and physically. I knew for certain that I wouldn’t be alive if it hadn’t been for that passing car and Monique. My original plan was to secretly fly from Korea to my favorite ski resort in Canada and relax for a few weeks. I had been stretching my legs before my next flight was scheduled to take off when I noticed I was being followed.
So now that bitch wanted me dead? What in the world had I gotten myself into when I fell for that girl?
Monique seemed genuinely sweet, and I hoped that I hadn’t put her in danger by getting into her car. But I was grateful for her quick thinking. If she hadn’t shown up when she did, I would be a dead man. I guess the universe decided that it wasn’t my time yet. I was saved by the chase.
I was at her mercy because I had no idea where I was or the destination. All I knew was that my head was killing me from the multiple blows I took. However, I felt safe for now and just needed to close my eyes for a little while.
CHAPTER 5
MONIQUE
Thirty minutes of slow and careful driving brought us to my house just in time. As soon as I turned onto my street, the snow and wind came down with a vengeance. Hyun-Li was asleep in the passenger seat, and I spoke softly to wake him as I pulled up into the driveway.
“We are here.”
I didn’t want him to wake up in a dark, unfamiliar garage, so I gave him a moment to orient himself. My house was a one-story ranch that backed up to a small private lake.
“Welcome home. The neighborhood is pretty private and not a lot of traffic so you will definitely be safe here.”
I opened the garage and drove in, then got out and walked around to his side of the car while the garage door slowly closed behind us. He had trouble sitting up, so I had to place his arm around my shoulders to help him out of the car, which he didn’t seem to mind too much. But he leaned on me a little heavier than before, so I knew that by now he was feeling even worse.
That worried me.
“I have a guest bedroom that you can rest in. You don’t look too good.”
“You weren’t kidding about the weather, were you? It got bad fast,” he said quietly without looking at me. I silently agreed.
The snow was already about four inches deep with no signs of slowing down. The radio stations had been blasting the storm warnings all the way home, and the prediction was three feet of snow and an ice storm by morning. Schools and businesses were closed until further notice, and I was happy that I had stocked up on food, water, firewood, and kerosene for the heater before I left on my business trip.
We would be okay for a while. Now all I had to do was take care of my patient who was also my guest and get him settled in, and then I too could go and get some much-needed rest after a long flight home.
“Hyun-Li, I want you to forgive me in advance, but I’m about to get a little bossy. You don’t look like you will be on your feet too much longer,” I smiled. “Do you think you can make it through a quick shower? We need to rinse some of the blood off so I can get a better look at your injuries please.”
He nodded yes.
I flicked on lights as we slowly walked toward the back of the house toward the guest bedroom. I named off rooms as we went so he would know where everything was located. I don’t know how much attention he paid because his pain seemed to get worse the longer we walked.
Once inside the en-suite bathroom, he leaned against the countertop while I grabbed some towels out of the hall closet. When I turned back to him, he just stared at the floor like he didn’t know how to proceed. Getting undressed without hurting himself was impossible, so he needed my help. I decided to offer my assistance so he would not feel embarrassed to ask.
“Can I help you undress? I promise not to take advantage of you,” I winked and smiled trying to lighten the mood.
But I came to a halt standing in front of him suddenly realizing how intimate this situation was. He lifted his eyes, and we looked at each other face-to-face for the first time this evening. My heart skipped several beats, and I stopped breathing.
He had the most beautiful round brown eyes I had ever seen. They had the most alluring downward slant at the outer corners, and the color was a rich, smooth pool of milk chocolate. His eyes radiated a warmth that a woman could easily get lost in, angelic and seductive all at once.
And I wanted to get lost in him.
His hair was cut short on the sides and longer on top so it fell forward as he looked down at me. He seemed to be looking me over too, so I let him. His lip was split, but it did nothing to take away from his tempting pout. I found myself wondering what it would be like to reach up and taste his lips.
Mmm…
HYUN-LI
I realized that Monique was quite beautiful, now that I had the chance to really look at her. Her brown skin was lovely, and her smile took my breath away. When we looked into each other’s eyes, I temporarily forgot about the recent events and the impending storm. I was mesmerized by the current of desire flowing between us.
She was staring at my mouth, and I was very tempted to accept her silent invitation.
“I thought you said that you wouldn’t take advantage of me,” I whispered as I started unbuttoning my shirt.
CHAPTER 6
MONIQUE
I snapped back to my senses and cleared my throat, “Well, ummmm… I was just examining your uh… and… here let me help you with your shoes.”
I dropped down to untie his shoes and break any eye contact. He chuckled which was quickly followed by a painful wince of pain.
Ha. The price for teasing me.
After removing his shoes, I decided that two could play this game. I stood up and moved in close, gently pushing his hand away from his shirt buttons and finished the job for him. He was wearing a white tank top underneath his button-down, and I traced my finger down the front of it.
“Here, allow me,” I reached up to the collar and slowly slid the shirt off his shoulders. “Relax your arms. I’ll do it, so you don’t hurt yourself.”
I slipped his shirt off his shoulders and slid it down his arms. As I raised his undershirt, I saw large bruises forming on his abdomen and ribs.
“Wait,” I said as I reached into the drawer next to him and pulled out a pair of scissors. “Sorry, but this is the only way I know how to do this without hurting you.”
I cut the shoulders of his tank and pulled it gently down his torso. When I reached his hips, I unbuckled his pants and slid them down as well. He was wearing an amazing pair of expensive black boxer briefs which I left on since there was no blood in that area. After he stepped out of the pants, I stepped back and lifted my shirt over my head. His eyes widened.
“You’re going to need help in there, and I don’t want to get my clothes wet,” I hurriedly explained.
There was no turning back now.
After sliding my pants off, I stood in front of him in a black bra and panty set that I was extremely happy I decided to wear during my flight back home. I stepped into the walk-in shower and turned on the water so it could warm up. I turned back around, and he quickly looked away but held his hands over his private area.
I smiled and avoided all eye contact. “No worries. We both still have clothes on.”
I stood next to him to help him into the shower. I knew he was injured, but this was very intimate. My wet skin against his made the room hot. Too hot.
Get it together, Monique. I lectured myself. The man is near death, and you’re getting hot and bothered. Stop it.
I helped him under the water and the blood running down the drain brought me back to reality. I hope he didn’t have a head injury. He leaned his head back into the water spray and had a look of pure pleasure on his face.
“Ahhhh. That feels good,” he said, but every time he tried to reach up, his face contorted with pain.
“Please allow me,” I said.
So, I lathered shampoo to wash the blood and dirt out of his hair. Then I lathered a washcloth with soap and gently washed around the wounds on his face, neck, shoulders, chest, and back. He never said a word, just stood still and allowed me to wash him.
After I had washed him, I dried him off with a fluffy bath towel as gently as I could. At this point, he grabbed my hand, looked me in the eye and said “Thank you, Monique. I hope to return the favor someday.”
I paused when I felt the heat of his gaze, understanding the implied meaning. I hoped that the favor he promised involved stripping me naked as I had done him and rubbing his hands all over my body.
But for now, I had an injured man to get into bed, so the time of enjoying the intimate shower was done.
“Hyun-Li, I know that you’re hurting. Here, let’s get you to bed.”