The Restoration Project

12: Cuddle

As they left the party, Jungkook and Nora were in high spirits. He walked her to her car, but a lingering question remained: What comes next? Should he invite her over? Should she invite him? And as they reached her car, Nora found it hard to stay quiet any longer.

"I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you so much for accepting my invitation."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"JK, I-I'm torn. I don't want the night to end, but it seems as if everything is going so fast. I know we've known each other for about a month, but this is our third date in three days. Most couples spread their dates apart by several days or weeks, not hours. And yet, how is it that we've fallen for each other? We haven't even made love?" Giggling, she pointed out, "It's like we're dating in the olden days with the fast-forward button pressed on the remote control." Looking at her feet, her heart filled with guilt.

"Hey," her boyfriend said, gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "If you're not ready, it's okay. I understand."

"But I want to be with you so badly. I want to show you how much I—"

Jungkook brought his lips to hers, kissing her sweetly. Pulling back, he smiled. "I know how hard it is to recover from betrayal, Nora. As you've learned, I still haven't fully recovered."

"Come home with me tonight."

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"No," she admitted. "But I'm sure I want to fall asleep in your arms if that's enough for you. I understand if it's not."

"It's more than enough," he assured her. "Tonight, I don't want to have to say goodbye."

He followed her in his car to her apartment. She led him through her front door by the hand, and he closed it behind him, then turned to look her in the eyes. There was a silence between them that spoke volumes. The lovers moved slowly... deliberately... removing gloves... scarves... coats... shoes.

He pulled her closer, placing his hands on her waist. She rested her hands on his shoulders. They walked—her backward, him forward, guiding her. They stared, loving with their eyes.

"Down the hall. Second door on the right," her lips whispered. Lips he could no longer abstain from kissing. One kiss. Another. Another.

They walked through her bedroom doorway. Her hands reached for his tie. Loosened it. He took off his suit jacket. Wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to his firm body. Cradled the back of her head in his strong hand as he dipped his tongue into her mouth. And her legs suddenly stopped—trapped. The backs pressed against the side of her bed. And they breathed through each other.

Then reality hit him.

"No," Jungkook pulled back. "Nora, if I don't stop now—"

"Don't stop, JK. Don't," she pleaded. "Make love to me. I'm ready." She began unbuttoning his vest, and he finished untying his tie, slipping it off. He then slid off his vest as she started unbuttoning his shirt, trailing kisses down his sinewy chest with each pop of a button. Jungkook reached into his pants pocket...and froze.

"Oh, Fuck!" he blurted loudly, startling Nora.

"What?! What's wrong?"

The panicked lover began frantically patting his pants—front and back—then picked his suit jacket up off the floor and checked its pockets.

"JK, what's wrong?" she asked again.

He dashed to the front door and checked every pocket of his new overcoat as Nora watched and gradually put two and two together.