Crazy For Your Love (Jensoo)

2| Jisoo

I think I just stunned Jennie speechless, but now I have her in my arms.

Jennie Kim. Jennie, who's all mouth-watering curves and wicked humor. Jennie, who's best friends with my brothers' women and has become a fixture in my life.

Jennie, who's friend-zoned me so many times that I vowed to stop fantasizing about her. But the moment she looks up at me with those big, dark eyes, I know my embargo on Jennie fantasies has been shot all to hell.

Truth be told, I've wanted to kiss Jennie Kim for a long time now. Like, years. And, sure, I would've picked a different place than at a fancy-ass fundraiser in front of hundreds of people for our first time, but as I dip my head and touch my lips to hers, I decide I don't care. I don't care where we are or how long I had to wait.

"Jisoo," she whispers against my lips. But the crowd roars its approval, and she gives a subtle shake of her head and a sigh of surrender. She slips her hand behind my neck, and her long fingers thread into my hair as she brings her lips to mine.

Her mouth is soft and sweet. I grip her hips, pulling her body against mine. I'm aware of every inch of her—every curve and plane, every hitch in her breath.

"That's more like it," the vocalist says. The band starts into Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud," and someone pulls the curtain on the front of the stage, shielding us from the stares of the crowd and leaving us in darkness.

I keep her close for a beat, trailing my knuckles up her side and down again.

She trembles before stepping back, fingers to her lips. Even in the near darkness behind the curtain, I can see the worry on her face, and I don't like it. "I haven't had enough to drink for this."

Damn. I don't know what I expected to see or what I expected her to say, but her words hit me in the gut. I do my best to cover with humor. "Come on, I can't be that bad at kissing."

Her laughter breaks the tension. This is Jennie. Of course she's not going to make a big deal out of a kiss. "If only you were, Jisoo. If only you were."

As Irene introduces the next bachelor, I take Jennie's arm and lead her through the service hallway so we can return to the party. "Was that a compliment?"

"Maybe." She sighs. "Or maybe it's been too long for me, and I've forgotten what it feels like."

We stop at the double doors that lead into the Kim Brews banquet room. "Any other physical sensations I can help you remember?"

She smacks me in the stomach with the back of her hand. "You are shameless."

I turn up my palms. "What? I'm just offering."

"Real selfless of you, Jisoo Kim," she says, but she's still smiling, so I call it a win.

"Let me get you a drink. The least I can do." Taking her hand, I lead her back into the fray and to the bar, where my brother Jin is flipping bottles in his best Cocktail impression, to the delight of the small crowd gathered there. "What are you drinking tonight?"

"I think I need a martini." Her grin is apologetic, the whole it's not you, it's me thing.

I push down my disappointment. I didn't think my fake grand gesture would be the beginning of something for us, but I hate feeling like my arm is the last place she wants to spend her night. "Sure thing. You can go ahead to the table, and I'll meet you there."

"After seeing those women throw a fit about losing their chance with you, I don't think you should get too far from me." She tugs me closer and cuts her gaze to the cocktail table a few feet from us. Two women sip on pink cocktails and leer at me. They're beautiful, but "barely legal" isn't my thing.

"You're going to be my bodyguard now?"

She surreptitiously glances their way again before nodding. "I could totally take them."

"I don't doubt it."

"And you're my bodyguard too," she says. "I don't want to be alone when your family corners me for explanations."

"They won't. Not tonight, at least." The fundraiser is too important to Kim Brews and to Irene for my siblings or mother to risk bad press by exposing my very public lie. And anyway, they know how nuts it's been this last month, so they might not be surprised that I couldn't go through with the auction—even if they don't fully understand why.

"I can hold my own for a few minutes." I point to the sweetheart table at the front, reserved for me and my date. "Standing in those heels can't be comfortable."

"They're completely wicked." Jennie shrugs. "But who can resist a strappy, glittery heel?"

Who, indeed? I recognize this pair as her go-to for fancier dresses. They make her legs look amazing and have inspired more than a few fantasies I'd rather not admit. Fantasies I've typically pushed out of my mind, but that refuse to go now that I know what she tastes like . . . now that I can hardly think about anything but tasting her again.

"I'm a pro, Jisoo. I can stand in these all night long."

"What else can you do in them?" I ask.

She jabs me with her elbow. "Don't you wish you knew."

I show my palms, all innocence. "I was asking about dancing."

She snorts. "Sure you were."

"That was quite a show," Jin says as we step up to the bar, but he's studying me as if he's trying to figure out if maybe we do have a secret romance.

"She needed a big, strong woman to protect her," Jennie says, winking at me.

I lean over the bar so only Jin can hear. "You have no idea how scary some of those ladies are."

It's true. For the past few weeks, I've even been avoiding Kim Brews and the tourists who've been frequenting my family's bar in search of me. About a week after the picture went viral, I took home a woman who turned out to be a reporter here for the scoop on "the hot firefighter." After that, I couldn't risk it.

"She's lucky I owed her a favor," Jennie tells Jin. "It's only a matter of time before my mother hears about this and calls me to ask about our wedding plans."

"I hope you don't think I'm putting out before the wedding," I tell her, folding my arms. "I'm not that kind of girl."

This draws a loud snort from Jin. "That was one hell of a nice donation you gave to the Shoe Bus. I had no idea firefighters made such good money."

"It's the money from those damn interviews." I don't accept them anymore, but right after the picture of me and the pup went viral, I let my chief talk me into doing a couple of TV appearances. I used the opportunity to spread the word about water safety. Turns out I hated it, and it only made my weird fifteen minutes of fame last longer. I don't tell him that it feels wrong to keep the money. Or that I hate all this attention in the first place.

Jin's eyes narrow on me, but he nods. "It's just money, right?"

"Exactly."

"Are you two drinking tonight?"

Jennie grins. "We didn't stand in this line for water."

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To be continued 😉