Falling From Grace

Chapter 9: Comforts and Conundrums

"Alright, let's shower. But no funny business this time, Jeong Hyeok."

Jeong Hyeok watches as Se-ri makes her way to the en suite bathroom completely naked, mesmerised by her alluring womanly curves and by the smoothness of her creamy white skin.

To him, she looks like a work of art, all curves and softness—utter perfection. How a woman can be this captivating is beyond him.

Feeling Jeong Hyeok's eyes on her, Se-ri turns back to him with a smirk. "What are you looking at?"

"You. You're beautiful," says Jeong Hyeok plainly, like it's the most obvious fact.

Se-ri turns away from him to hide her smile and the blush she feels creeping up to her cheeks. This sweet, playful side to Jeong Hyeok is really starting to get to her, as much as she is at loathe to admit it—even to herself.

She puts her hair back into a bun before getting into the shower, thankful that no massage oil had gotten into it. As much as she enjoyed Jeong Hyeok washing and drying her hair, it's really not a good idea to do it twice in a row.

Jeong Hyeok joins her in the shower carrying a bottle of Se-ri's Choice Lime Basil and Mandarin Body Wash. "For you," he says. "In case you don't want to use mine."

Se-ri goes to take it from him, but he lifts it out of her reach. "I told you, Princess. You are not to lift a finger today."

"At least let me wash you too. Please?" asks Se-ri while giving him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, but you first," he says with a smile. He turns on the wall-mounted showerhead so as not to wet her hair again before squeezing some of her body wash into his hand and proceeding to wash her.

He carefully and methodically washes her back before kneeling down in the spacious shower and washing her legs. When he's satisfied, he stands up and holds her hips to turn her around and wash her front.

Se-ri looks up at him as he does so, his hair damp and his cheeks slightly flushed from the steam and heat of the shower. He is looking at her body, not with lust and hunger this time, but with a reverence and gentleness that she's never seen with any of her former lovers.

Jeong Hyeok senses her gaze and meets her eyes, smiling down at her tenderly.

He looks at her like he loves her, she realises.

Overcome by an emotion she dare not put a name to, Se-ri takes Jeong Hyeok's face and kisses him, trying to put into action what she can't put into words.

As they kiss in the shower, Se-ri hears her ringtone in the other room. Thinking nothing of it, Se-ri lets the phone ring and focuses instead on the wonderful feeling of Jeong Hyeok's lips on hers.

However, her phone starts ringing again almost immediately after the first call was missed.

"I think I better get that," says Se-ri, pulling back from Jeong Hyeok with a hint of reluctance in her voice.

Jeong Hyeok hums in agreement before kissing her forehead and taking the showerhead off of its mount to rinse her off thoroughly. As much as he'd like to keep her in the shower with him, he's well aware that consecutive phone calls are never a good sign.

Se-ri steps out of the shower and quickly wraps herself in a towel before quickly but carefully making her way into the kitchen where she'd left her phone. She finds it and sees two missed calls from Team Manager Hong and several texts from him and other members of her team at Se-ri's Choice.

She is just about to call Manager Hong back when he calls again.

"Yes?"

"Daepyonim, I'm so sorry to disturb you this weekend, but we have an emergency. The concept and designs for our new line of skincare products seem to have been stolen."