by Nia Arthurs
Her heart warmed.
Are you seriously going to fall for that?
More than likely.
A little smile—one Sky couldn’t hide or suppress—nudged her lips. “I’ll give you E for effort.”
“It’s better than an F.”
“Not by much,” she countered.
“True.” He dragged his finger across his bottom lip, black eyes sober and thoughtful.
Her gaze followed the path his thumb made. Her stupid heart bounced all over her chest, a blood-pumping pinball gone crazy. The incessant thump-thump-thump rivaled the frantic soca song that had been playing Harold’s Bar when Vince demanded she sleep with him.
I’m losing my mind.
The fact that she found her employee attractive was worthy of some sort of punishment. Considering that she’d opened her house to said employee, her growing feelings were completely inappropriate.
Sky had a moment of intense self-reflection.
She would have done the same if she’d found any other hunky Asian guy stowed away in her store, right?
This wasn’t just because it was Joon.
Frightened by the prospect that her feelings had played into her decision, Sky cleared her throat and diverted her attention to the spices in her arms. “Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m good.”
His stomach growled, wildly protesting his dishonesty.
Joon Gi looked up, panic stamped across his face. “I can take care of my own meals.”
“It’s okay.” Sky set the spices on the counter. “I love cooking. It’s sad making an elaborate meal for one so I haven’t tried all the recipes I’ve wanted to. In exchange for room and board,” she wiggled her finger at him, “you can be my guinea pig.”
“Deal.” Joon grabbed the washcloth from the sink. “I should probably clean up here.”
Sky nodded and headed to the cupboard to find a new set of ingredients.
“Aren’t you going to change?” Joon’s voice resounded behind her.
She froze and glanced down at her outfit. “I should, shouldn’t I?”
“Did you go somewhere this morning?” He propped his hips on the counter and studied her, looking more at home in her kitchen than he had any right to be. “Church? A date?”
“Neither of the above. And were you always this nosy?”
“Not any more than you.”
“If you’re referring to my questions about your tattoo, I don’t regret it. I stand by the fact that you’ll tell me eventually.”
“Right.” He laughed.
Her heart did that little flip thing again.
Sky swallowed hard as her senses begged for retreat. “I’ll go change. Can you turn on the oven for me?”
While Joon was occupied, she scrambled down the hall and locked her bedroom door behind her. Flinging herself against it, she breathed hard through her nose and struggled to return to the composed and pulled-together Sky that she was before Joon Gi appeared in her life.
Pointing a finger inward, she scolded, “Listen here you, son of a gun. This isn’t going to happen. You pull yourself together right now or I swear I’m eating fried chicken and Twinkies for a year so you have it hard just pumping an ounce of blood. You got it?”
The stubborn organ didn’t so much as respond.
Sky changed out of her fancy outfit and pulled on a plain white tank top and a pair of shorts. Her hand automatically went for the clasp of her bra when she realized that she wasn’t living alone anymore.
Sighing in disappointment, she unclasped her hair from the tight bun instead and let her arm drop to her sides. At least her scalp could breathe. Even if her chest couldn’t.
When Sky returned to the kitchen, Joon was nowhere in sight. She pretended that she wasn’t slightly saddened by his absence and got to work on the raw chicken she’d taken out to thaw early this morning.
The chicken water sloshed over the edge of the bowl, and she stared longingly at the apron she’d draped neatly over the hook by the door.
I should have put that on before I started cooking.
At that moment, Joon Gi walked in. Her eyes lit up and she jutted her chin toward the fluffy pink apron near him. “Could you get that for me?”
“What? This?” He arched an eyebrow as he brushed his hand down the fabric.
“Yeah.”
Joon Gi easily plucked the apron from the hook and trotted toward her. Sky’s gaze darted around the kitchen as she searched for something to wipe her raw chicken hands on so she could tie her apron.
Before she could decide on a solution, Joon Gi’s arm brushed against hers. Every nerve in her body fired off on all cylinders. She gasped. “What are you—?”
“Hold still.” Joon Gi’s voice rumbled over her. His breath teased the hair at the back of her neck until they stood to attention. In smooth, fluid movements, he settled the apron over her head and gently brushed her curls back so they weren’t caught in it.
Every sensation heightened. His fingertips on her brown skin. His breath on her neck. The charge of electricity between their bodies.
Sky moved to turn around, but Joon nudged her back the other way and tied the strings snugly.
When he was done, he stepped back. “You good?”
Good?
Sky reached out and quickly held onto the counter so her knees didn’t give out. Her heart thundered in her ears.
Oy.
This couldn’t end well.
17
“OKAY, start again. You’re living where?” Tyler croaked.
“With my boss,” Joon Gi said, shocked by the words coming out of his own mouth. “With Sky.”
“The one you’re crushing on?”
“I’m not crush—” He grunted. “You should know that you’re part of the reason I got busted. My cell phone started blaring with your call the moment Sky walked in. I couldn’t even bother hiding or anything.”
“So she caught you in the shower—”
“I’d just gotten out of the shower.”
“—and instead of reporting your butt to the police, she invited you to her place instead? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Sort of.” Joon cleared his throat.
“Are you two hooking up?”
He almost pulled the cell phone away. “What?”
“Why else would she react like that? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sky’s a nice person. That’s why.”
“Please. She must want a taste of that Korean fire.”
“Tyler, no one talks like that.”
“Don’t act all innocent. I know you’re feeling her too. You said yourself. She’s as beautiful as Hanna.”
An image of Sky in those heels and that flared skirt flashed through his head and his pulse sped up. Joon Gi dragged his entire body around as if physically shunning the thought. “I said she was different.”
“You said she was a black Hanna Park. Don’t take back the words. I’ve already got a fantasy about it.”
“Damn you and your dirty mind, Ty. It’s not like that.”
“Whatever it’s like, you’re in prime position to get some action. Think of it. The two of you, alone in a tiny house, a warm fire crackling nearby. For some reason, she calls you into her room because she’s scared and needs you to hold her—”
“You and those damn romantic comedies.”
“Is that your version of a ‘thank you’? That doesn’t sound like a ‘thank you’.”
“Why would I say that?”
“Because I’m part of the reason you get to live with your boss.”
“You’re insane. This isn’t what I wanted.”
“Sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things.”
“I need my business and my reputation back. I need a plane ticket to Korea. That’s it.”
“All in good time,” Tyler said laughingly.
Joon Gi growled.
“Look at it this way, bud.” Joon Gi could feel
Tyler grinning even though he couldn’t see his face. “Things worked out so that you found a new place to live and you get to spend more time with your cru—I mean boss.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right.”
“You had no ethical problems breaking into her shop, but now that you’re invited you’re riddled with guilt? Come on!”
It didn’t have to make sense to Tyler. Joon Gi had lost everything except his pride. Squatting in Sweet Treats was wrong, but at least then he wasn’t begging anyone for anything.
Now, he was relying on Sky and it rubbed him the wrong way. He had no problems engaging in mutually beneficial exchanges with women, but something inside him resisted the thought of relying on her.
Relying on Sky.
“Joon, if you waste this opportunity, I’ll never forgive you.”
“Just keep the rest of my stuff in the guestroom until I can pick it up, alright?”
“Hey, before you go, I reached out to some of my contacts at the commissioner’s office. They said they can find a way to trace the call of the person you’re looking for, but it’ll just reveal a number. It might not even link to Sun Gi.”
He rapped his knuckles on the table. Once. Twice.
“Do you still want me to go forward?” Tyler asked.
“It’s a start. I’ll need concrete evidence if there’s any hope of making something stick. I don’t have to ruin him legally, just in the eyes of the country.”
“I’ll keep you updated.”
“Thanks, Tyler.”
“Just a tip,” his friend added, “walk out of the bathroom in a towel with the steam rising behind you. Make sure she sees. It gets them every time.”
“I’m hanging up now!” Joon Gi smacked his thumb against the END button.
Crazy Tyler.
How did that guy ever pass the bar?
Joon Gi pocketed his phone and headed back to the kitchen. Sky was stirring something that smelled delicious. His stomach rumbled again.
Sky glanced up at that moment and saw him loitering in the hallway. A small, welcoming smile beamed on her beautiful lips.
You can totally get that.
Joon Gi waved away Tyler’s voice. He didn’t plan on returning Sky’s generosity with anything but respect and gratitude. Besides, he was in no position to engage a woman, even if all they did was hookup.
A man had to have some boundaries.
“Need any help?” he asked.
“It’s almost done. I made white rice and stew beans with stewed chicken. Do you eat that?”
The tremble in her voice told him it would crush her if he said no. Joon Gi leaned against the doorway and crossed his ankles. The more he tried to figure Sky out, the less her actions made sense.
Only a few hours ago, she caught him sneaking into her shop. Now here she was, welcoming him into her home and worrying about whether he ate rice and beans.
Why was she so concerned about someone like him?
“Yeah, I eat Belizean food.” He tilted his head and teased her. “You thought I only ate dumplings or something?”
She ducked. “Not exactly.”
“Oh yeah, you did.”
Sky laughed. The sound trembled in the air, as light and airy as the rays of the sun that pierced through the kitchen windows. “Are there any other stereotypes you want to break today? Are you good in math? Did you study kung-fu?”
“I was a genius in math. Not so much in kung-fu. My sport of choice was basketball.”
“Basketball?” Her eyebrows arched.
“You dribble a ball. Toss it into the net.” He mimicked a free throw with his arm and snapped his wrist back.
Sky shot him an amused look. Thick eyelashes bouncing, she said sassily, “I’m familiar with the concept.”
“Just checking.”
“What about,” she tapped her chin, eyes sparkling with mischief, “okay, this is an important question. Can you dance?”
“Me?”
Sky nodded.
Joon scoffed. “Don’t insult me. I come from a long line of dancers. My family was known for our moves.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. My mother swore I jumped out of the womb tapping my feet.”
Sky covered her mouth with a hand. “Okay, then. Show me.”
“Really? Right now?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Nah, I’m not gonna”—he did a quick step and a turn before leaning casually against the doorway—“embarrass myself like that.”
She chuckled, dimple winking from her cheek. “That was fantastic. You’re a star, Joon.”
The way she dropped the ‘Gi’ from his name made the word feel more intimate.
And I’m not thinking about that, remember?
“I met someone today who mentioned that Korean parents could be a little… involved, especially when it comes to their children’s lives. Is that true?”
“I don’t see it that way.” He shook his head. “We value the input of our parents and other family members. I notice that a lot of Belizeans abandon their elders like they’re a hassle. We band together and honor those who worked to give us the opportunities we have. It’s not a bad thing.”
“My friend didn’t make it sound like a good thing. I heard there’s a lot of pressure to get married and have children. Shouldn’t it be your choice rather than a mark you have to check off to please someone else?”
“It’s encouraged, not forced. We don’t arrange marriages much anymore.”
“Not a good excuse.”
“Like I said, family is important.” Joon Gi shrugged. “But I can see why someone would find those expectations stressful.” He tilted his head. “Were you with Jo this morning? Was she complaining about her Korean side?”
“No.” Sky stirred the pot, her eyes on the stew. “I met with this girl, Hanna Park.”
Joon Gi jolted straight up at the name. “Hanna?”
“You know her?”
“Sort of.”
“She’s nice. On the ride to the restaurant, she told me about her parents and her fiancé. I got the feeling she would choose not to get married if that decision was up to her.”
“Hanna doesn’t want to get married?”
“As far as I could tell.” Sky glanced over and caught his bewildered expression. “Does that mean something to you?”
Joon Gi ducked to hide his shock from view. “No, I just… I assumed she would be thrilled to marry the guy. She did say yes to marrying him.”
“Doesn’t mean she loves him. People get married for a variety of reasons. I’m sure her fiancé has a lot of money. The diamond on her finger was huge. Still, I can’t help feeling sorry for her. Marriage is hard enough on its own. Can you imagine spending the rest of your life with someone you don’t love?”
“Did she tell you she doesn’t love Sun—I mean him?”
“Not in those words, but I could read between the lines.”
“You and Hanna sound close.”
“Us?” She scrunched her nose. “I don’t think so. She gave me a ride earlier this week and then we met up today. She was asking about the café.”
“What about the café?”
“If I wanted to sell it.”
His breath hitched. “Are you considering her proposal?”
“No.”
He released the breath and moved toward the counter. “Why? Hanna must be convincing.”
“How’d you know that?”
“Uh, just a wild guess.”
Sky nodded and flipped the stove off. “She was very convincing. The thought of making tons of money and getting worldwide recognition for my pastries made me waver for a second. I’ll admit it.” Sky stared thoughtfully over his shoulder. “But there’s more to life than money.”
In his position, he highly doubted that.
Sky smiled softly. “I lost my dad when I was young. Mom worked hard to provide for us. It was her dream to own a bakery like this. Little by little, she saved up
to buy it. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been running it for long before she died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She sighed. “I took over Sweet Treats and I promised her I wouldn’t give up on it. Ever.”
The rice cooker clicked.
Sky wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and Joon knew the moment was over. She’d seemed so sad that he almost told her about his dad. Something he hadn’t done with anyone. Even Tyler.
Glad he hadn’t crossed the line, Joon strode to the cupboards and opened them one by one until he found the plates. “Let’s eat.”
Sky grinned, a genuine one this time without a hint of sorrow. Her eyes were truly the windows to her soul because they had a habit of revealing everything she was thinking. No wonder that Vince guy thought he could play her like a fiddle. If she was this benevolent to a stranger, he could only imagine how malleable she was when her heart was filled with affection.
For some reason, Joon wanted to see those heart eyes aimed at him.
No you don’t. She’s your boss and you look like a pathetic fool who’s mooching off her store and house.
“Sounds like a plan,” Sky said, breaking into his thoughts.
They sat around the television and ate while watching a show. Joon snuck a glance at Sky, letting his eyes linger over her as she remained fixated on the TV screen. Something in his heart shifted, jangled. Like something was broken.
A wall maybe?
Whatever it was, he made a caveat to his promise of revenge on Hanna. No matter how far he had to take things, Joon would never hurt this sweet, giving woman.
18
GIVEN he was living in her house, Mission: Avoid Joon Gi was a bust.
Not that Sky minded. At least not anymore. To be honest, her new roommate had ingrained himself into her life. Sneakily. Smoothly. To the point she couldn’t quite remember what it was like without him in it.
They ate breakfast together. Lunch. Dinner.
They binged Netflix shows that they banned each other from watching alone.
They went to work together.
Strolled back home beneath the twilight and the dancing gazes of the coconut trees.
Their rapport was familiar, comfortable as if they’d known each other for ages instead of a little over two weeks.