by Jayci Lee
He wouldn’t have been able to hold back his ridiculous grin even if he’d wanted to, and her answering smile was blinding. It took a moment for him to remember he still held her in his arms. The soft swell of her full breasts pressed against his chest, and her warm vanilla fragrance assailed his senses. He dropped his hands from her waist and took a hasty step back.
“Do you have an extra one of those?” he said, pointing at the baby monitor. “I should keep one in my room tonight in case Sophie wakes up.”
“Why would you...” Natalie’s eyes widened and she waved her hands in front of her. “No. Really, there’s no need. I...”
“I wasn’t asking for permission. I wouldn’t have offered you wine if I hadn’t intended to keep my word.” He strode to the counter and picked up the baby monitor. “You’re exhausted. Go to bed and don’t get up. I’m on baby duty tonight.”
* * *
Garrett Song was a good man. A kind and wonderful man. He’d won over Norma and secured them an ally. And her husband’s calm, rational arguments had convinced the Davises to consider supporting her adoption application in exchange for moving to New York after her promotion.
They didn’t discuss any specifics about Garrett moving to New York since their marriage would probably be annulled before then. Besides, the Davises’ main concern was having Sophie near them.
The very competent—and expensive—lawyer Garrett had hired was managing the legal angles in court. Against the odds, Natalie might really become Sophie’s mom in every sense of the word.
With everything proceeding smoothly, Natalie was ready to tackle whatever the day hurled at her.
But not this.
Madame Song had invited her to her home at seven o’clock. Sharp. The woman hadn’t even shown up for their wedding, which was literally in her backyard. What could she possibly want with Natalie now?
There was no time for introspection. Besides, Grace Song would tell Natalie exactly why she was summoned with unapologetic frankness. She vacillated about calling Garrett. Perhaps he had some insight about his grandmother’s unexpected invitation, but he had a hectic schedule and she didn’t want to bother him. In the end, she settled on sending him a quick text.
Meeting your grandmother. Will call you later.
She had less than two hours to get herself ready to meet the infamous Song matriarch, and she had no idea what to do. Mrs. Kim would know. Throwing everything she could grab into two giant shopping bags, she drove straight to her old apartment building.
“Mrs. Kim.” Natalie was close to tears when her friend opened the door. “I need your help.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. Come inside.” Her friend stepped back from the entrance and pointed to her sofa. “Put those bags down there and have a seat.”
“Garrett’s grandmother wants to meet me but I don’t know what I’m supposed to say or do when I see her. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to wear.”
Mrs. Kim sifted through the bags Natalie had brought and gasped as she held up her bridal hanbok. “Oh, it’s beautiful. A new bride should wear her hanbok to visit her husband’s family for the first time.”
“I need to wear all that fabric and present myself to her without falling flat on my face?” She’d packed it just in case, but was hoping she wouldn’t have to wear it for her first audience with Garrett’s grandmother.
“Breathe, girl.” The older woman appraised Natalie with her head tilted to the side. “Now let’s get this hanbok on you.”
Once Mrs. Kim tugged, spun and muscled her into the skirt, Natalie gasped, “Is it supposed to be this tight?”
“Well, yes.” Her friend pulled the ties another half inch tighter around her bust. “Your girls are lovely but not really ideal for a hanbok. If I don’t bind you snugly enough, the cropped top is going to flap up in the front, and it’ll look all wrong.”
“Great.” One of the few things she remembered about her mom was her telling everyone about how big boned Natalie was. It took her years to accept her body, big bones and all. Even though the hanbok gaped and stuck out in places, she refused to feel bad about her figure. “I guess I’ll have to forego breathing to make a good impression on Grandma Grace.”
Mrs. Kim snorted. “I dare you to call her that to her face.”
“Why not? Her name is Grace and she’s Garrett’s grandma,” Natalie said with false bravado. Yeah, I could never call her that. Your Supreme Highness is more fitting. They’d never actually met, but she’d seen Grace Song from a distance a handful of times at the office. “What am I supposed to do with all this fabric?”
“The edge of the skirt winds around you to the left, so you could gather it in your left hand. Don’t get confused and grab the right side. Women of ill repute used to wrap their skirt to the right. But don’t quote me on that. It might be an urban legend, but let’s just play it safe and go with the left side.”
“Women of ill repute? What the literal hell?” Tears stung the back of her eyes. “How am I supposed to remember all this? I should just wear my skirt suit.”
“Want to give her a nice view of your thighs and maybe flash her a little?” Mrs. Kim huffed. “You’re going to have to kneel on the floor, so a pencil skirt is out of the question. I don’t want you to hyperventilate so I won’t even tell you about the formal bowing, where you have to cross your ankles and lower yourself to the ground and sit gracefully without falling on your ass—”
“Stop! You. Are. Not. Helping.” Natalie immediately regretted her outburst. “Actually, you’re a lifesaver. Thank you.”
“You didn’t need me. Well, maybe for the hanbok.” Mrs. Kim clasped her hand. “Just be yourself, sweetie. She’ll love you.”
* * *
“Hi, I’m Natalie,” she said to the kind-faced woman who answered the door at the Song family’s mansion.
“I’m Liliana. She is waiting for you.”
Natalie followed the housekeeper down the corridor, holding her skirt up to her left, grateful that they weren’t going upstairs. When they reached a door near the back of the house, Liliana smiled warmly. “Good luck.”
“Thank you. I really need it.”
She knocked hesitantly on the door, wondering if she’d be judged by the tone of her knock. Maybe she should have knocked more confidently.
“Come in.”
Natalie took a shuddering breath and drew back her shoulders. You got this. She opened the door, marched in and promptly tripped on her skirt. She saw herself falling in slow motion before she landed on her hands and knees with a thump.
Mrs. Song was by her side with lightning speed and ran her hands over Natalie. “Are you all right, child?”
The wind was knocked out of her and the throbbing in her knees told her she’d be black and blue the next day, but she wasn’t broken or bleeding anywhere. It took her a few seconds to get her bearings.
“I’m fine, Mrs. Song. I’m so sorry.”
“Grandmother.” The older woman leveled Natalie with a stern gaze, settling herself back into her seat. “You are married to my grandson. You will address me as ‘Grandmother.’”
“Yes, Grandmother.” She might have hit her head on the floor. Is Her Supreme Highness really asking me to call her ‘Grandmother’? Natalie worried her bottom lip, having no idea what to say or do next.
“I have not forgiven Garrett for his impudence. He dishonored me by asking for your hand without my approval.”
“I—”
“You do not interrupt when an elder is speaking. I see you have much to learn about our family’s ways and traditions.”
Natalie opened and closed her mouth. She was a bit peeved at the scolding, but she was more interested in learning about Garrett’s grandmother than smart mouthing her. Grace Song seemed nothing like the cold, calculating woman she’d imagined her to be.
“Ever since his mothe
r died, Garrett never once disobeyed my wishes. But an iron curtain fell across his heart, and I couldn’t reach him. As the eldest son of the Song family, it is his duty to bring honor to the family name, and I used his sense of duty to motivate and propel him. I could find no other way to keep him from disappearing entirely. I thought an arranged marriage was his only chance to find warmth and companionship.” Grace Song met Natalie’s eyes and clicked her tongue. Probably because Natalie was pressing both hands over her mouth to stop herself from blurting, What? “Did you have something to say?”
“No, ma’am. Please continue.”
“Marrying you was the first choice he made for himself in over a decade. An important, life-altering choice. Even though he chose the wrong way to do it, I hope it means he is finding his way back to us.” The older woman’s eyes glistened but Natalie didn’t dare believe that it was from tears.
“Thank you, Grandmother. I know he misses you and hated opposing you—”
“Well, he did oppose me and he will not be easily forgiven.”
“I... But...” Her gut told her Mrs. Song missed Garrett as much as he missed her.
“I want my grandson to become the man he was meant to be, but he should never have turned his back on his elders. He should not have kept you a secret from me. He will make penance and win the CEO position without my support.”
He’d hurt her. She thought Garrett hadn’t trusted her enough to ask for her support, but he couldn’t have told her about Natalie since there was no whirlwind romance or secret engagement. Lies and more lies had created a rift between Garrett and his family, but telling his grandmother the truth might destroy all chances of reconciliation.
Ugh. The cell phone she’d stuck inside her calf-high stocking—traditional Korean elf-toed things—had been vibrating for the last half hour, and she was getting nervous that it might be an emergency.
“I’m so sorry, but I need to check my phone. Someone has been calling me nonstop since I got here.”
Natalie spun on her bottom to face away from Grandmother’s sour expression and dug out her phone from under her skirt. She heard the older woman tsk again, and blushed with embarrassment. At least she hadn’t stuck it inside her bra.
It was Garrett. He’d called eight times and texted a dozen increasingly urgent messages. Basically, he wanted to know if she was okay, and demanded she call him. Natalie sighed and shook her head. Did he think she was going to slip and reveal their secret? She peeked over her shoulder and hurriedly sent her husband a text.
I’m still with your grandmother. Everything is fine.
Liliana entered with a serving tray, and as they shared a lovely cup of tea, Natalie decided she felt eight percent less intimidated by Garrett’s grandmother than she had half an hour ago.
“Will you be staying home now that you’re married, ah-ga?” the older woman asked, setting down her teacup.
Grandmother had started calling her ah-ga, which was how an elder addressed a new bride in their family. She said the literal translation meant “baby,” and it made Natalie feel warm every time she called her that. It was silly to be touched by such a small thing, but learning about her heritage from her grandmother was more than she’d ever dreamed of.
“What? Oh, no. I’ve worked too hard to get where I am, and I plan to go even farther. I hope I can be one of those supermoms who do everything and a half.”
Grandmother’s lips tightened into a straight line. “Wouldn’t Garrett benefit from you staying home?”
“You of all people should understand that a woman’s place isn’t necessarily at home.” It wasn’t easy to say, but it had to be said.
“Such audacity,” the older woman said, but a faint smile softened her face. “But yes. I know very well that at times it takes a woman to build an empire.”
Natalie wanted to be just like Grandma Grace when she grew up. They were still smiling at each other, both a little shy and surprised by their unexpected connection, when Garrett flung open the door without knocking and skidded into his grandmother’s room.
It was as though he was expecting to face a raging battle. Instead, he found two sets of shocked female eyes focused on him. His heroic stance faltered and confusion took its place. “What’s going on?”
Grandmother’s expression turned stoic and hard, and Natalie wanted to whack Garrett on the back of his head. What is wrong with him? Did he think his grandmother was roasting me over a pit?
“Grandmother invited me to tea, honey. You should greet her properly and join us.”
Garrett’s mouth dropped open and his head swiveled back and forth between the two women before his gaze settled on his grandmother.
“Hal-muh-nee, have you been well?” His tone was endearingly hesitant.
“You know that I’ve been anything but,” she said with artful hauteur. “I see you’re practically glowing with health. Marriage must agree with you.”
“Yes. It does,” he said, his lips pressing into a stubborn line.
Mrs. Song didn’t give him permission to sit, and a tense silence filled the room.
“Please rest, hal-muh-nee. We’ll be on our way.” Garrett lifted Natalie to her feet. “Let’s go.”
Afraid to stumble and fall again, Natalie allowed herself to be tugged out the door. It was only when they were on the freeway heading home that she realized she hadn’t said goodbye to Grandmother.
She stole a peek at her husband’s profile. A muscle jumped in his jaw and his knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
“What were you doing there?” His voice was a low growl, and there was more than a small amount of anger in his words.
“She asked me to visit, and I’ve been wanting to meet her. Grandmother and I were getting along just fine until you barged in.”
“Grandmother?” He shot a surprised glance at her.
“Yes.” Natalie couldn’t hold back her smug smile. “I’m to address her as Grandmother, and she calls me ah-ga.”
“You...she...what?” Garrett’s head snapped toward her; he looked dumbstruck.
“Grandmother asked me to visit her once a week from now on, and she wants to meet Sophie as soon as possible.”
Her husband opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind and turned his gaze back to the road. But not before Natalie saw the pride and admiration in his eyes.
Ten
Hansol was famous for pampering their employees with an annual retreat at a luxury resort. This year the two-night retreat was being held at Ojai, a small town reminiscent of Provence that improbably flourished in California’s desert climate.
Ojai was one of Natalie’s favorite places in California. It was so serene and beautiful, and the richly scented air provided continuous aromatherapy. The hacienda-style villa she’d be sharing with Garrett was gorgeous, but it only had one bedroom. Natalie’s mouth went dry at the sight of the prominent king-size bed in the center of the room. She averted her eyes and made quick work of changing into her swimsuit.
Garrett had a meeting at the office, so he’d arranged for one of the Song family drivers to bring her to the retreat. A part of her had been relieved he couldn’t drive with her. Something had shifted between them after her visit with his grandmother. They somehow ended up having dinner together almost every night of the week, and talked for hours, laughing like old friends until they...weren’t. Their attraction would combust without warning and they would find each other mere inches apart, breathing heavily. Starving for a kiss. But one of them—Garrett more often than not—would come to their senses in the nick of time.
She was afraid that someday soon she wouldn’t be able to pull away. Wouldn’t want to. Natalie wanted her husband with such urgency that she was on the verge of exploding. She’d never desired anyone like this before. Not even Peter Klapper, the college boyfriend she’d fancied herself in love with. But he’d soon lost his
appeal when she discovered his selfish, narcissistic nature.
The problem with Garrett was the more time they spent together, the more she liked and admired him, and her attraction only grew. Natalie released a long breath. Everything was going to be fine. As long as they didn’t get within four feet of each other, she should be able to suppress her lust for her hot-as-hell husband. But they were sharing a suite for the next two nights. Tight quarters in romantic Ojai meant trouble. Horny, sizzling trouble. Crap.
She headed to the pool using the map she got from the front desk. She got a bit turned around and wound up taking the long way there, but she fortunately didn’t run into any Hansol employees to witness her directional challenges.
She scanned the pool area and spotted a secluded corner that was perfect for her. After spreading out her towel on a lounger, she perched on the edge, ready for some sun worship. The soft melody she was humming under her breath sputtered and died as her jaw dropped.
Garrett was in the pool, swimming toward her with powerful, fluid strokes. When he reached the end by her chaise, he rested his forearms on the edge and grinned at her.
“When did you get here?” The husky tenor of his voice made the innocent question sound like a caress.
Only his glistening hair and muscled torso were visible to her, but Natalie couldn’t drag in a full breath. Garrett was here and he was wet. The light sprinkling of hair on his forearms clung to his skin, and his jet-black hair rained drops of water. Mesmerized, Natalie followed the water sliding down the slopes of his broad shoulders, and wished her fingers could trail after it.
She’d never understood why people thought wet was sexy. Now she could write a thesis on it. The amusement sparkling in his eyes made her realize she was staring at him with her mouth open. Kill me now. She should be thankful she wasn’t drooling.
“Less than an hour ago.” To stop herself from staring at him, she focused on unbuttoning the linen shirt she’d thrown over her swimsuit and shrugged out of it. “What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t make it till later tonight.”