Page 128 of A World Apart
“What did you have in mind?” His voice was rumbly, and judging by the way he was looking at me, he had seen the way I’d checked him out. So, to not get any more distracted, I stood up and put a couple paces between us.
“Carnival.” Just one word, but so many images.
Jihoon sat up. “I’m listening.”
“Stay here.”
I walked into my bedroom and stripped down to my bralette and boy shorts, making sure my bedroom door was firmly closed. I pulled out the bag I had tucked into a drawer and took out the costume from inside, pulling it on as carefully as possible, grateful it was essentially a soft, stretchy jumpsuit. Once in, I spared a glance at myself in the mirror on the back of the door, giggling as I turned from side to side.
When I opened the door, I peeked my head out to make sure he was where I’d left him. But it was better. He was slouched on the sofa, head lolled back, mouth slightly open and clearly asleep. I tiptoed back into the main room, closing my bedroom door behind me to minimise the light coming in through the window, then padding over to the window in the kitchen and closing the blinds. I winced at the soft snicking sound they made as they clacked together.
Once I’d eliminated all the light I could, I crept back over to Jihoon. I stood in front of him, pulled my mask down over my face and flipped the small switch on the box in the small of my back. Then I gently ran a finger down his nose. He twitched, but didn’t wake, so I did it again. When I saw him stir, I pulled back and posed.
His eyes blinked open, once, twice. On the third time they focused on the image in front of him, causing him to jerk and let out a startled cry.
I laughed and began to do a silly dance, making the colourful tube lights on my jumpsuit jerk around, like I was a fluorescent stick man.
Jihoon soon recovered and began to laugh. He stood up and closed the space between us until he could reach out and touch the costume I wore.
“This is so cool!” He grinned, tracing the colourful tubes up my arms, across my collarbone and down the centre of my chest.
Suddenly breathless, I was fascinated by the play of colour across his face, the way the light reflected in his eyes, broken apart like a fractured crystal.
“I have one for you, too.” I said, my voice muffled under my mask. I pushed it up my face so it held back my hair on my forehead.
“Oh really?” he raised an eyebrow.
“It’s on my bed. Wait here, I’ll get it for you.” I spun on my heel and quickly retrieved the second costume from my bed, trying to calm the way my pulse raced. This man barely had to look in my direction and I was panting. I shook my head at myself and rejoined Jihoon in the living room.
“Here,” I said handing him the folded costume. “It’s a jumpsuit, you just pull it on,” I explained, pulling at the material to show him. “You can get changed in the bathroom, or my room or… here.” Jihoon pulled off his shirt in the middle of my living room. Going by the look on his face, he knew exactly what he was doing, and hell if I was going to turn around. Let him tease, I wasn’t mad about it.
He smirked at me, while I just hoped I wasn’t drooling. Surely the shock of his overwhelming sex appeal would wear off at some point, but clearly not today.
He dropped his t-shirt on the coffee table, the muscles in his arms flexing. I drew in a shallow breath as I stared at him, unable to look away. His toned stomach tapered to a narrow waist, where his jeans hung low dangerously low. Heat flushed through me, and I realized I hadn’t exhaled.
Jihoon wasn’t done. As his fingers reached for the buttons on his fly, I squeaked and slapped a hand over my mouth. Jihoon laughed, a rich, velvety sound I could have wrapped around myself.
It made no sense that I was still this affected. I’d seen him in less before. Considering the things we’d done in that villa in August. You’d have thought I’d be capable of being a bit more brazen by this stage, but, nope.
“Breathe, Kaiya,” he rumbled, a second before dropping his jeans to a puddle on the floor.
“You know exactly what you’re doing,” I accused, my words more breath than speech.
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“Cruel, beautiful man.”
He cocked an eyebrow at me, then took two steps towards me that were more prowl than walk.
“Oh, but I can be so much nicer.” He reached out a hand, and hypnotised by the promise of sensation, I swayed towards him. Then, coming to my senses just as his fingers grazed the skin of my throat.
“Nope, stop that right now!” I hopped back a step, putting some much-needed space between us.
“Stop casting your sexy-magic on me and put your damn costume on. I want to go to the carnival!”
“Sexy-magic?” Jihoon snickered, picked up the costume, and stepped into it, grinning at me the whole time.
“Yes. Sexy-magic. I will not elaborate further. Would you like some help with that?”
