Page 54 of Kiss Me

It’s my turn to give him an eye roll. After hours at the private cabin, and a wonderful lunch that he had catered, we made our way back to the resort. Taehyun agreed to bring me back to my suite so I could pick up a few of my clothes only after I insisted.

“Because, I miss my favorite Christmas onesie,” I tell him honestly.

He cocks his head to the side, squinting. I doubt he knows how damn sexy he looks with that expression. Or maybe he does, which is why he does it.

“One kind of onesie?” He sidles up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. Despite the bulky winter coats separating us, a tingle moves up my spine from his embrace.

“The kind that’s safe to wear around family and friends.” I smack his hands away, for my own sake. I’m certain the longerhe keeps his hands on me, the greater the likelihood that we’ll end up naked in my living room.

I can’t let that happen given the chance of Liza walking in on us since we share the suite.

Speaking of my assistant.

“What are you looking for?” Taehyun asks as I glance around the living room.

“Liza,” I answer. “It’s been two days since I heard from her.” My assistant isn’t the type to go absent. Even when I tell her to take time for herself. She’ll often still text or call just to check to see if I need anything.

Yes, I told her to take time for herself, but her going silent for more than a day is strange.

“Everything looks the same as I left it almost two days ago,” I say. Even the mug I drank hot chocolate out of a couple of days ago remains in the sink. Liza is a neat freak, so I know she wouldn’t have let that stand if she’d been here.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Taehyun says. “Is there something you need?” he asks as if he has every intention of getting it for me.

With a shake of my head, I tell him, “No, not anything in particular. I just want to make sure she’s okay and not bored or anything.” I shrug at the same time I unzip and start to pull off my coat and winter hat.

“She came out to California to take care of me during the holidays, and I feel a little guilty given …” I trail off but gesture to my ankle. “There really wasn’t a need for her to.”

For the past three years she’s been my assistant, she rarely takes a day off. Even during the holidays. I’m sure it’s why she and my dad get along so well.

They’re both workaholics.

“I’m familiar with the type,” Taehyun states after I say as much out loud.

“Yeah?” I question, folding my arms and stepping between his legs as he sits at one of the stools at the kitchen’s bar. I run my fingers through his hair before running the tip of my finger along his jawline.

“I haven’t seen you do much work in the past few days,” I tease.

“I’ve definitely been working,” he replies, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “A different kind of work.”

My heart squeezes in my chest.

“What type of work—” A loud thudding sound surprises me.

I’m the professional athlete but it’s Taehyun whose quick reflexes have me pushed behind him in the blink of an eye.

The strange part is that the noise came from my bedroom, not from Liza’s.

“Liza?” I call out and try to move past Taehyun, but his firm arm around my waist keeps me plastered to his back as he inches toward my door.

“Who’s in here?” he asks in a voice so deep it halfway scares the hell out of me.

“Maybe it’s just the resort staff cleaning,” I guess out loud.

He frowns down at me over his shoulder. “They would’ve answered when asked who was in here, and there’s no reason for hotel staff to keep the bedroom door closed while they’re cleaning.”

He makes total sense.

Taehyun reaches for the doorknob of my bedroom, twisting it and … nothing.

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