by Jayci Lee
“While you work with her on a project that will benefit CS Productions? Do you think that wise? Or honorable?”
“Honorable? They’re the ones who started the war. I only mean to end it with justice.”
“Technically, Garrett began the war by refusing her hand. I have to take partial responsibility for that, as well.”
“Are you defending them now?” Colin couldn’t understand his grandmother’s reaction. Didn’t she want the Parks brought to justice?
“Not at all. The only one I care about in this twisted farce is you, my child.” Grandmother sighed, shaking her head slowly. “You’ve told me, and shown me, how much CS Productions means to you. You are putting your company at risk by this stunt you’re intending to pull. What happens to the partnership if she finds out who you are? What happens when she finds out you’ve set out to betray her and her family from the start?”
“Jihae is a brilliant businesswoman. I don’t believe she would jeopardize the film because of a personal falling-out. She wouldn’t. I know her.” But Colin also knew that Jihae would never forgive him for intending to spy on her.
“Suk-ah,” his grandmother said, her tone softening with the use of his Korean name. “Listen to yourself. You believe Jihae Park to possess integrity. If what you say of her is true, then I find it hard to believe that she was involved in the corporate espionage. Perhaps she’s in the dark about what Rotelle Corporation did. Or perhaps your objectivity has already been compromised. Either way, if you keep pushing yourself to spy on Rotelle Corporation through her, I’m afraid you’ll only be harming CS Productions and your conscience.”
Colin realized that she was right. The more time he spent with Jihae, the harder it was to believe that she was involved in her family’s attempt to sabotage the Hansol-Vivotex partnership, not to mention Garrett’s marriage. What he knew of Jihae did not fit such subterfuge. But maybe he was allowing his attraction to her cloud his judgment. He refused to let that happen.
“I apologize for not agreeing with you, Hal-muh-nee. The partnership with Rotelle Entertainment will put CS Productions on the map, and working closely with Jihae will allow me to bring Rotelle Corporation to justice.”
“Rotelle and Jihae, you mean?”
“Yes,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Rotelle Corporation should pay for their crime, but I don’t want this bad blood to affect your future. The espionage attempt was ultimately a failure, and Garrett and Natalie are happy as can be,” Grandmother said, searching his face. “I understand and accept your professional judgment in forming a partnership with Rotelle Entertainment, but compromising your integrity to bring someone else to justice could bring you down to their level in a blink of an eye.”
“If you’re worried about me losing my way, please don’t. I know exactly what I’m doing.” Ha. He was so conflicted and lost. He needed his grandmother’s guidance more than ever.
“You have always been the most stubborn child,” she huffed. “Despite what you believe, I am happy that you are doing so well on your own. It is true I would be happier if you were thriving in Hansol, but you did not disappoint me. There is nothing to make amends for or repay. We are family, and I am your grandmother. Do not let a false sense of gratitude or guilt persuade you to harm your conscience or integrity.”
“Thank you for your reassurance, Hal-muh-nee.” A suffocating weight lifted off his chest at his grandmother’s words. He had no idea how much he needed to hear that. “And I will take your advice to heart.”
Grandmother was right. He wasn’t convinced of Jihae’s guilt as he had first been, and the thought of actively gaining her trust just to betray her made him sick to his stomach. Besides, he wasn’t getting anywhere with it. He hadn’t even been able to take the few opportunities he had to steal a glimpse at Jihae’s computer because his conscience got in the way.
He would continue to be alert and on the lookout for information about Rotelle Corporation, but he would focus on producing the best film he could and take a step back from the amateur sleuth business.
Seven
Well, two could play at this game. If Colin wanted to pretend that nothing happened between them, then she would happily oblige. Maybe not happily, but still. Her willpower had proven to be shamefully weak when it came to Colin Song. It wasn’t that she had forgotten why she couldn’t be with him, but when she was with him, it all seemed so distant and...trivial.
What harm could a brief fling do? She knew how to be discreet in her affairs. No one had to find out. Then what was holding her back? You’re afraid of wanting more. That’s what. Colin Song’s pull on her was something she’d never felt with anyone else. And the spirit she’d hidden deep inside her to appease her parents flared back to life in response. Wanting him, having him, could mean the unraveling of the precarious balance she had forced on her life.
And she didn’t think she wanted to lose that balance. She was...content with the little bit of freedom she found in the United States, and working on Best Placed Bets was a longtime dream finally coming true. She just needed to get lost in her work. That was her safe place. She was confident when she worked and was damn good at what she did. She never had to doubt or second-guess her business instincts. Jihae could not let a man make her falter.
She had been summoned to do her father’s bidding—through the impersonal email of his executive assistant—for yet another affiliate. The brain-numbing job of smiling and reassuring Rotelle Chemical that Chairman Park was pleased with their work and dining on tiny, expensive meals should keep her busy for the day. Then it was on to two other facilities for the opening of their factories. Spending a week away from LA, and Colin, would do her good. It would slow down her libido from hyperdrive. And when she returned, she would focus 100 percent on her job.
* * *
Jihae returned to LA after a week away, but focusing 100 percent on her job was turning out to be a pipe dream. She’d missed the darn man during her entire trip, and now that she was back, their kiss refused to leave her head.
“You’re doing it again,” June said, barely glancing up from the TV.
It was their weekly movie-bingeing night. It really was part of Jihae’s job, but watching the movies with June made it a lot more fun. But then again, her best friend was being massively irritating at the moment.
“No, I’m not,” Jihae insisted, making sure she wasn’t wearing the slightest smile or frown on her face. In other words, she slid on her Princess Jihae face.
“Remember, your ice-princess mask doesn’t work on me, dummy.”
“Will you just stop it?” She took a huge bite of her pizza.
“I’m just saying.” June shrugged and munched on her own slice. “That kiss wasn’t just a lapse in good judgment, like you insist. You get that sparkling Disney princess face every time you daydream about it. Then, you turn all red and blotchy, and get psychopath-eyed.”
“Shut up. Please.” It was true, so Jihae didn’t want to hear it.
“He still hasn’t called you?”
“No,” she said, sliding her plate away from her. Her ravenous appetite had vanished like magic. Instead, she reached for her red wine and took a healthy gulp. “Kimberly is lining up the interviews. She’s been keeping you posted, right?”
“Right. So you’re avoiding direct contact with him, as well?” June rolled her eyes. “You guys are so juvenile.”
The week spent away from LA and Rotelle Entertainment, and pretending that nothing had happened between her and Colin, had not made Jihae forget the kiss they’d shared in the dark, glowing hallways of the aquarium. His taste, his warmth, his smell. Her body heated up by several degrees every time she remembered their kiss. It wasn’t just the physical pleasure of the encounter, but the connection she’d felt with him. He’d made her feel safe and cherished, like she’d never felt before. And more than anything, she wanted to feel th
at again despite all logic dictating against a repeat of their kiss.
But then, he’d just up and left. Acted as though nothing had happened between them. And as June pointed out, he hadn’t said a word to her since he’d dropped her off at her car that day. She felt bewildered and indignant...and she just wanted to hear his voice. So much.
This foreign need inside her to yearn so desperately for someone both frightened her and made her feel more alive. When it came to business, she never hesitated to reach for what she wanted. Why did this have to be any different? Certainly, there were risks and obstacles, but weren’t risks and obstacles present in everything worth having in life?
She tried to convince herself that it was her lady parts doing the thinking. That if she’d wanted a chance to be with Colin Song, she shouldn’t have partnered Rotelle Entertainment with CS Productions. But it was no good. She wanted the partnership and Colin.
It was a relief to finally admit to herself that she wanted Colin Song. And she was going to win him over. No man had ever made her feel the way he did, and maybe no other man ever would. She needed to take this chance to explore her attraction to him.
But would a personal relationship with him impact their working relationship? She and Colin were mature adults and professionals. They would be able to keep their personal life separate from their work. Besides, how different could it be from their current situation? She already thought of him constantly and discreetly ogled him when he was around. She just had to remember not to make her infatuation obvious to everyone around them.
She was a smart woman. She knew how to be careful and neutralize risks. Even her father had never found out about her other lovers. Well, there were only two of them, but she had chosen men who hadn’t come from money, men her father wouldn’t have approved of. Men she respected. If her father had known, he wouldn’t have looked the other way. There was no reason she couldn’t keep her personal interactions with Colin a secret. But what if you want something lasting with him? Something real?
The thought came unbidden, and she had no answers. As far as she knew, he didn’t come from a well-known, wealthy family. Her father would frown on such “lack of pedigree.” Was she willing to oppose her father to be with a man her family wouldn’t accept? Would she be willing to give up Rotelle Entertainment for Colin? Never mind all that. She would cross that road if she ever got to it.
“I wasn’t allowed to be juvenile even when I was a child. I’m not going to start acting like a child as a grown woman,” Jihae announced to a startled June, who thought she’d had the last word.
“Okay, then. Are you going to call him?”
“Nope.”
“For God’s sake—”
Jihae cut her off before she could resume her nagging. “I’m going to see him in person.”
“Right on,” June said, raising her palm in the air.
She high-fived her friend and stood up. “Right now.”
Her decision made, Jihae felt bold and determined. She rushed to the parking structure and pulled out onto the street before voice-dialing Colin.
“Hello, Jihae.” He picked up the phone just as she was about to hang up, and his tone was oh-so-casual.
“Hi.” Had he been busy or was he contemplating not answering her call? “Are you working late tonight?”
“Yes, but not for CS Productions. I’m catching up on business at Pendulum.”
Bingo. “Were you able to make things official with Charity Banning?”
“I was planning to email you about that tomorrow. We reached an oral agreement, and Ethan will be communicating with June to draw up a formal contract.”
“Excellent news. I’m glad I got to hear it tonight.”
There was slight hesitation on his end. “Is that why you called?”
“That was part of it.”
“And the other part?” he asked in a low, coaxing voice.
Was he flirting with her? If he was going to be like this, why hadn’t he just called? He was the one who had rudely cut short their kissing session. Her indignation suddenly rose again. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
“I actually can’t recall the other part. It must not have been very important,” she said archly. “Good night, Colin. Congratulations on Charity Banning.”
“But—”
She hung up, cutting off his protest. That felt good. Hanging up on him gave her some immature satisfaction. Now she was going to invade his home turf and show him exactly what the other part was about.
Traffic was moderate and she made good time to Pendulum. She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were bright and her color heightened. Adrenaline. Pure, natural makeup. She was wearing a white sleeveless mock neck and a pair of wide-legged white slacks. She wasn’t exactly dressed for a nightclub, but she wore her hair down and a swipe of clear lip gloss made her adequately presentable.
Jihae got past the bouncers without a hitch and approached the host. “Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Song.”
“Is he expecting you, miss?” the gentleman asked, giving her a perfunctory once-over. She seemed to meet his approval.
“We spoke on the phone only a few minutes ago.”
“Then let me escort you to his office.”
“I don’t want to disrupt your duties. Pointing me in the right direction is all I need.”
“Very well. Go down that hallway and turn left. You’ll see one door marked Employees Only and an unmarked door across from it. That’s his office.”
“Thank you so much, Mr....”
“Tucker. Just Tucker is fine,” he said with a smile.
“Thank you, Tucker. I’m Jihae.”
“Nice to meet you, Jihae.”
With a wave, she strode toward Colin’s office. But once she got there, her nerves faltered for a moment. Then, with an impatient shake of her head, she knocked smartly on the door.
“Come in.”
His voice was clear but he sounded a bit distracted. He was probably immersed in his work. But when she stepped inside, he was staring down at his phone, his thumbs at rest.
“I remembered the other reason I called,” she said softly.
Colin’s head shot up and the intensity of his gaze stole her breath. He pushed back from his desk, making his chair spin wildly, and took three long strides to come stand in front of her. Her heart pounded bruisingly against her ribs, and all her confident resolve seemed to melt.
“Care to share what it is?” he said in a low growl.
She swallowed and gathered her wits about her. “Your urgent business at the zoo that day? Were you able to take care of it satisfactorily?”
“Satisfactorily? No. Far from it,” he said, his eyes dropping to her lips. “All I managed to do was feed the fire.”
“Kiss me.” Her breaths came in short puffs.
“No.”
“No?” Her shock overshadowed her hurt at his rejection. He was trembling in front of her, his eyes near manic. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. “Why ever not?”
“We work together. You have built up this image of yourself as the untouchable ice queen. If word gets out that we’ve slept together, it could taint your image. This industry is brutal. They would use any weakness to undermine you.”
“Who said anything about sleeping together?” Jihae said with exaggerated surprise. “I thought we could make out a few more times, and maybe have some oral fun. You’re getting way ahead of yourself.”
Colin looked at her like he wanted to rip off her clothes and take her against the wall twice. Jihae sucked in a quick breath and continued, “Besides, there’s no reason anyone needs to know. We’re both intelligent adults. I’m sure the two of us will find a way to keep whatever we do completely discreet.”
“Don’t do this,” he said, his eyes pleading. He was almost hers. “You
don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I always know what I’m getting myself into.” She closed the distance between them and tugged him roughly by his collar. “And just to make myself clear, I’m doing this. Very thoroughly.”
She crushed her lips against him and moaned in relief when Colin met her lips with possessive heat. She’d been dreaming of kissing him again and she wasn’t going to waste any time. She parted her lips and slid her tongue against his bottom lip, then lightly bit it.
“God,” he moaned.
When he opened up as she’d wanted, Jihae took full advantage of the situation and plunged her tongue inside the warmth of his mouth. He groaned deep in his throat and the last of his reserve seemed to shatter. He spread his hands wide against her back and brought her flush against his body. Then he overtook the languid sweeping of her tongue and plunged his into her mouth again and again.
She whimpered and pressed her hips into him, needing to be closer, and felt his hard length dig into her pelvis. Satisfaction flooded her and she was gripped by power. With fumbling hands, Jihae pulled his shirt out of his slacks then smoothed her palms over the firm ridges of his stomach and slid them up to his broad chest. He jerked beneath her hands and ground his hips into her. She couldn’t help it. A low, sultry laugh escaped from her lips. She was high on the power she held over him.
“You like that, do you?” His voice held a hint of danger, and a thrill ran down her spine.
“Oh, yes. Very much.”
He groaned in answer and spun her to press her back against a wall. His hands slipped to her bottom and squeezed, and her eyes nearly rolled back in her head.
“Colin.”
“Jihae. You’re so beautiful.”
He hiked her leg around his waist, and rocked his hips against her center, making her moan low and long. Colin clapped a hand over her mouth, and kissed a trail of fire down the side of her neck. The hand that had been holding her hip released its hold, and came to rest right below her breast. His thumb moved slowly back and forth on the bottom curve and she arched her back, giving him permission to explore farther.