Off Limits Attraction--A Glamorous Passionate Forbidden Romance

by Jayci Lee

  He hadn’t been able to keep his crimes a complete secret, based on the rumors floating around among the inner circle. Her father, with his brilliant, conniving mind, must’ve known that his crimes could be revealed. And that was where Jihae came in.

  He’d timed her business trip to the United States so she would be present for the commencement of his espionage plans. And his recent attempts to get her involved in dealings with Yami Corp. all seemed too perfect to be coincidences. Her involvement now would make her the perfect fall guy. That was why he’d been so adamant that she meet Sylvia Taylor and make the introductions she demanded. It might’ve even been her father who’d offered Jihae’s services to Sylvia Taylor to fabricate a direct connection between her and Yami Corporation.

  All the evidence would point toward her—the woman scorned who’d sought revenge against her ex-fiancé and his family. She was the one in the United States. And if she’d blindly done what her father had demanded, she would be the one who went out of her way to help Yami Corporation. It would look like Jihae was trying to appease Sylvia Taylor because she had something on her. Then her father could claim to have no knowledge of the crime, and accuse Jihae of doing everything behind his back. There was no better scapegoat than his own daughter.

  Devastation seared her heart black, and she shivered uncontrollably. She hugged herself tightly and clenched her jaws to keep them from chattering. She’d thought he loved her in his own way. She was his daughter, after all. But wasn’t this proof of what she’d been denying all her life? Her father didn’t love her. At least not enough to take the fall for his own crimes.

  Her heart was breaking and her world was falling apart, and she could only think... Colin.

  She needed him. Her shaking would only stop when his arms were wrapped around her. Silent tears were falling down her cheeks, soaking the front of her shirt. With jerky movements, she reached for her cell phone.

  Colin. I need you. Please, she typed after several attempts.

  What’s wrong? What is it? Are you okay?

  Just come. Please.

  Are you at the office?

  No, I worked from home today.

  I’ll be there in twenty minutes.

  The mere fact that he was on his way eased some of her shivering, but she couldn’t make her limbs work. So she sat very still at her desk, not bothering to stem the flow of tears. She didn’t have the will to make them stop. She couldn’t don her stiff upper lip, like Princess Jihae should.

  In what seemed like both a second and a year, keys jingled and her door opened. Even though they were always together when they visited each other’s places, they had exchanged their keys just in case. It was a good thing since her legs wouldn’t hold her long enough to have stood up and opened the door for him.

  “Jihae.” Colin came thundering in, his hair standing in peaks and his eyes wild with worry. When he spotted her at her desk, he rushed to her side and kneeled beside her. He held her face between his warm hands as the tears continued to fall. “What is it? What’s wrong, baby? Please tell me.”

  There was so much—so much that needed to be said. But now, she only wanted him and to forget everything else. By some miracle, she managed to whisper, “Hold me, Colin.”

  He wrapped his strong arms around her without hesitation, and he held her head tucked into the crook of his neck. He murmured soothing words while his hand drew reassuring circles on her back.

  At some point, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the sofa, then nestled her on his lap. The murmurs and the gentle touches didn’t stop. She couldn’t remember how long they stayed like that, but at some point, her tears finally ran dry and she clutched at the front of Colin’s shirt.

  She’d been abandoned by her father in the worst way, and she couldn’t lose Colin, too. There was no family for her anymore. Even if her mother hadn’t been part of her father’s scheme, she would never oppose him for Jihae. She was alone and had no obligations, responsibilities or duties to make her return to Korea. Rotelle Entertainment was as good as lost since she’d disobeyed her father. But she had the experience and connections to start fresh in Hollywood. Losing Rotelle Entertainment didn’t frighten her anymore. As long as she had Colin, she could face anything.

  “I love you, Colin. I love you so much.” She wanted promises. She wanted forever with Colin, and she didn’t have to hold back anymore.

  “Jihae.” He tensed under her, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “You can’t say that. Not yet. Not right now. You’re hurting, and there are things you should know...”

  All she needed to know right now was that she loved him. That she’d finally found the courage to tell him she loved him. Talking could wait. She placed the tips of her fingers on his lips.

  “Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to hear it. In fact, I don’t want to talk, either. All I want is you. Right now. Make love to me, Colin. Make me feel whole.”

  He gently pulled away her hand and looked at her with such sad eyes that it frightened her. “Jihae, I have something to tell you.”

  She didn’t want to hear why he had such sorrow in his eyes. She couldn’t handle any more bad news today, so she grabbed his face with both her hands and brought his mouth down to meet hers. He stiffened and tried to pull away, but she straddled him and swept her tongue across his bottom lip. When she swiveled her hips against him, he capitulated with a helpless groan and kissed her back with dark, stormy passion.

  Their mouths met and dueled, and their teeth bit and teased. They frantically tore off each other’s tops, and Jihae spread her hands possessively over his broad, muscular chest, then leaned back to admire his beautiful body. While she was distracted, Colin threw her bra to the floor and palmed her breasts and massaged them.

  She moaned and ground her center against his hard length until he echoed her moan and leaned in to kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear.

  “Colin, please,” she said, grinding her hips harder while hot moisture soaked through her panties.

  He hiked her skirt to her waist and grabbed and tore her lacy lingerie in half. With fumbling hands, she helped him unbuckle his belt and unzipped him, pulling out his erection. She wrapped her hand around it and moved it up and down, drawing a groan from him.

  “Condom,” he rasped, lifting his hip off the sofa. “Back pocket.”

  The shift of his hips tore a high-pitched moan from Jihae, but she quickly reached down, pulled out his wallet and found the condom. When he grabbed for it, she shook her head. She tore open the package with her teeth.

  “No, let me,” she said.

  As soon as she covered him with the condom, she pushed herself up on her knees then sank deep onto him. Colin made an attempt to check his passion and started out at a slow tempo. But she didn’t want slow. This coupling was about her claiming him. Marking him as hers.

  She pulled herself up and came down with a rotation of her hips. He scrunched his eyes shut and hissed, as though in pain. So she did it again. Faster and harder. She kissed him and her tongue mimicked the movement of her hips.

  “I’m going to take you fast and hard, darling,” she said against his lips. “And you’re going to fall apart under me, screaming my name.”

  “God, you’re killing me.”

  “Am I?” She emphasized her question with two hard pumps. “Tell me you’re mine.”

  “I’m yours, Jihae.”

  “Tell me I’m yours.” This time his response faltered, so she sank into him even deeper, circling her hips until he groaned. “Tell me I’m yours.”

  “You’re mine. God help me. You’re mine. Mine alone.”

  His eyes opened then and he grabbed her waist and lifted her up, tilting his hip into her. He filled her so deeply and fully that she whimpered, her smooth tempo falling apart. Colin took over with a fast, desperate rhythm, his movements hard and i
nelegant. Jihae was going to be sore later, but it felt so good. So right. There was nothing for her to do other than push him even harder.

  She was so close, but she wanted to prolong this moment, so she hung on.

  “Come on, baby. Come for me. Come for me, baby.”

  His pleading words were almost enough to push her over the edge, and when he sucked her aching nipple into his hot mouth, she came apart, atom by atom.

  “Colin.” Her scream echoed through her liv-ing room.

  He was pushing faster and faster into her, his movements becoming more erratic by the second. A hoarse shout escaped his throat as he jerked into her one final time. They sat there cradling each other as they came back to earth. Her condo was still and quiet except for their harsh, shallow breaths.

  Then, in a broken voice, Colin whispered, “I love you, Jihae.”

  * * *

  “I love you more than anything, baby.” His voice caught in his throat as his heartfelt admission tore free of him.

  This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. As soon as he’d left his grandmother’s house several days ago, Colin had gone to pick out an engagement ring. He was an optimistic son of a bitch. Knowing her kindness, her goodness, he’d let himself hope that maybe he had a chance of keeping her. That somehow she would forgive him and give him another chance. If she were to forgive him, he didn’t plan on wasting a single second with her. He was going to propose to her.

  But the timing hadn’t been right the last few days. They’d worked long, hard hours, and by the time they were alone together, they were too exhausted to talk. And today she’d been so scared and suffering. When she’d told him she loved him, his heart burst inside him and set off beautiful fireworks of hope.

  He was supposed to tell her that he loved her first. After he’d told her the truth, he was supposed to beg her for forgiveness and offer her his love. He didn’t want her to feel humiliated by his duplicity any more than necessary. But now, with her love out in the open, she was going to feel doubly humiliated. Doubly betrayed.

  He should have told her sooner. Much sooner. He had been a coward and now the little hope he had might be blown forever.

  Once their breaths returned to normal, he gently sat her to the side and brushed her hair out of her eyes.

  “I need to clean up. I’ll be right back,” he said.

  She smiled tremulously and nodded.

  He was a goddamn bastard. He went into the guest bathroom and stepped under the shower. He let the hot water wash over him, wishing it could wash away his guilt. But what was done was done. He couldn’t change that, but he would do the right thing tonight.

  Colin found her in the kitchen, holding a steaming mug of tea. Her hair was wet and tucked behind her ears, and she looked cozy in her pale blue pajamas. She glanced at him from beneath her lashes, suddenly shy.

  “I made you some tea,” she said, pointing to a steaming mug on the island.

  He took a seat in front of it and motioned for Jihae to sit beside him. As he gathered his courage to reveal his secrets, she said in a soft, faraway voice, “I just found out today that my father was a criminal, and he had been planning to set me up to take the fall for his actions.”

  “He what?” Colin roared. She didn’t deserve that. Her bastard of a father didn’t deserve Jihae. He took a deep breath to calm himself. “Are you all right?”

  “Don’t worry. He tried to set me up, but failed. I acted out of character and didn’t obey him down to the letter. I’m safe. Legally.” She turned wide eyes to him, cocking her head to the side. “Aren’t you going to ask me what this is all about?”

  He attempted to swallow and failed, then answered, “I think I know exactly what this is all about.”

  “What are you talking about? How could you know any of it?”

  “Will you promise to hear me out? Will you give me a chance to explain?”

  “You could tell me anything. What’s going on, Colin?” she asked, putting her soft hand on top of his trembling one.

  “I’m Colin Song.”

  “Yes, and I’m Jihae Park,” she said lightly, but unease crept into her expression.

  “I am Colin Song, one of the heirs to Hansol Corporation, and Garrett Song’s cousin.”

  She’d picked up her mug to sip her tea, but it came crashing down on the island, shattering against the marble. “What are you saying? I don’t understand.”

  “Careful,” he yelled. “You’re going to hurt—”

  She didn’t hear him, or she didn’t care. She pushed herself up to her feet with her hands on the counter. A jagged piece of the mug cut a bright line in her tender palm, but she didn’t even flinch.

  “Tell me!”

  “Please, baby. You’re hurt. Just let me stop the bleeding on your hand, and I’ll tell you everything.”

  She backed against a wall and lifted her bloody palm to ward him off. “Stay where you are. Don’t you dare come near me.”

  “Jihae—”

  “Tell. Me. Now.”

  He needed to do as she asked if there was any chance of calming her down.

  “I kept my identity a secret from you because I wanted you to see CS Productions on its merits. My team shouldn’t suffer the burden of my connections. My family has nothing to do with CS Productions.”

  “You thought your cousin’s jilted fiancée couldn’t possibly know the difference between personal life and professional life?” Coldness seeped into her voice, but at least she appeared to be calming down. He suspected the next part would shatter that calm again.

  “There was more than that. Rotelle had planted a spy in Hansol Corporation that could have derailed Garrett from becoming the CEO. Despite our PI’s best efforts to figure out the extent of the espionage so the family could bring a legal case against Rotelle, the trail had run cold. And I wanted to find out something helpful for the investigation. I wanted to help my family find justice.”

  “So you lied to me to avenge your family. In your eyes, I was already guilty by association.”

  “The spy your father recruited through Yami Corp. was Garrett’s wife’s former lover. He had set it up so Natalie would take the fall for the espionage. Garrett nearly lost his wife and daughter because of that. Because of the way your father attacked Garrett and Natalie so specifically, we didn’t doubt you were involved.”

  Blood drained so completely from her face that her lips matched her pale skin. “That’s because my father is very thorough in his deviousness. If evidence of the espionage attempt somehow led to him, he set it up so that I would take the fall for it. He’d even timed my arrival in the States to match the commencement of his scheme.”

  “Did you find that out today? God, that bastard. How could he do that to you? I’m so sorry—”

  “Shut. Your. Mouth. You have no right to be sorry for my father’s betrayal when you betrayed me so thoroughly. You used me.”

  “I was an idiot. I thought I was doing it for my family. To pay them back for their love and support.” This was a nightmare. He was drowning in fear, and he couldn’t see the light above. “But from the day I started working with you, I knew in my gut that you had nothing to do with the espionage scheme. Then you confirmed in your conversation with your father that you didn’t even know who Yami Corp. was—”

  “You actually spied on me? You listened in on a conversation I was having with my father? Which conversation was this? Since you discovered I didn’t know who Yami Corp. was then...that was my first conversation with my father about Yami and the whole mess. That was the night we first made love.” She gasped and speared him with a look of such accusation and heartbreak that he had to look away. “Did you make love to me—have this relationship with me—to earn my trust? Was all this your way of using me to get information out of me? Or was it your plan to break my heart all along? To avenge your precious family?
”

  “Jihae, no. God, no.” He took a step toward her and she flinched, turning her head away as though his proximity would hurt her. He stopped. “I made love to you because I couldn’t hold back anymore. No matter how hard I fought it, I wanted you more than my next breath. Not being with you would have burned me into ashes.”

  “So the part where you had sex with me was just to satiate your lust then.”

  “No. Please. I knew in the depths of my soul that you were innocent, and by relaying Sylvia Taylor’s move to Hansol’s PI, my involvement in the investigation was over. I didn’t know then, but I was already so deeply in love with you. I fooled myself into thinking that I would be happy with whatever you gave me. I didn’t deserve forever with you, but I thought we could have a short time together without you getting hurt. I was an idiot and none of it makes sense now.”

  “No, it doesn’t. You were selfish, and you were cowardly.”

  “I was, but I will make it up to you if you would only give me a chance. I will become the man you deserve. I love you with every cell in my body—more than life itself. I’d made up my mind to tell you, but I was waiting for the right time. Again, that was my cowardice. But I wanted to tell you everything and beg for your forgiveness. I never meant to hurt you. Please give me another chance.”

  “You broke my heart, Colin. I have no forgiveness or hope left in me, because you ruined me. You stole my chance to choose you, and I’ll never forgive you for that.”

  “I love you, Jihae. I’ll never stop loving you.”

  Even if she didn’t believe him, he had to try to convince her that she was loved and cherished by a foolish man. A fool’s love was still love, and he hoped that it could provide her with a little salve for her pain. Colin got down on his knees in front of her, pulled out the ring from his pocket and held it out to her without opening the box.

  “I won’t insult you by even dreaming that you could accept my proposal, but once I told you everything, I was going to propose to you so I could spend the rest of my life loving you and making you happy. My love wasn’t planned, but it’s the greatest truth I know. And even if you can’t accept me, please know that you are loved most deeply. Truly. Your father betrayed you, and I added to that hurt on the same day. My past mistakes are unforgivable, but causing you such pain today is beyond reprehensible. Please forget about me. Don’t let your memory of me cause you any further pain. I’m not worth it.”