Page 47 of Out of Nowhere

West led out a bark of a laugh that caught the attention of a couple nearby. When they looked away, West elbowed Seo-jun in the side. “Was that a wisecrack that just came out of you?”

“Maybe.” Seo-jun held his breath, then let it out when West started chuckling.

“I think I just saw you smile,” West teased.

“That was gas,” Seo-jun said with a straight face.

Was this him cutting up with his boss? Things really were changing.

The night wore on, the event finally ending at nearly one a.m. In the car, Seo-jun checked his phone for a message from Dex, but there wasn’t one. He was tempted to ask West to take him back to the mansion rather than drop him at his apartment building, but that wouldn’t make any sense. Once he was in his apartment, he texted Dex before he even took off his shoes.

Did you get home safely?

He proceeded to undress. When he looked at his phone again, his heart sped up when he saw the reply.

Just got home. My flight was slightly delayed in taking off due to some mechanical issue. I heard you had to work tonight.

Yes. With West. Just got home myself.

Sleep well. We running tomorrow?

See you then.

Seo-jun went to bed smiling.

With barely seven hours of sleep, Seo-jun was still tired when he drove over to the mansion. But he wasn’t going to miss this time with Dex.

Dex was waiting for him on the beach, doing stretches. The sight of his round ass in those jogging shorts brought back the conversation they’d had about Seo-jun topping.

Stop thinking about it, or you’ll get hard, he told himself.

When he reached Dex, Seo-jun began his own warm-up, the two men silently stretching together until, as if on mutual agreement, they began a slow jog up the beach. The sun had barely risen and cast an orangey-white glow over the calm water. In the near distance, Seo-jun spotted a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins leaping playfully.

Seo-jun’s habit when running was to remain silent. He used to run alone, and even after he’d invited Dex to join him, they’d run virtually without conversation. But over the past couple of months, he’d found himself talking to Dex more and more. Dex had texted him after having lunch with Anna the day before andtold him the good news about the ultrasound. He knew Dex was relieved that everything was going well with the pregnancy.

Glancing at him, Seo-jun’s gaze ran over his white t-shirt and navy running shorts, down to his white Adidas. He looked so good, Seo-jun wanted to tackled him onto the sand and kiss him senseless.

Dex was quiet for a while as they sped up, and Seo-jun sank into the zone he entered when he hit his stride. They turned around at the usual place, heading back toward the mansion, their puffing breaths barely audible above the wind and the surf. A few ghost crabs were still out, scuttling along the beach, grazing on tidal wrack before disappearing to spend the day in their holes. Occasionally, a seagull darted down and carried one away for breakfast.

“Penelope called me again, just before I came out to run,” Dex said when they slowed down to a walk, the mansion in sight.

At first, Seo-jun couldn’t work out who Penelope was, then he stiffened slightly. “Persistent,” he said.

Dex chuckled. “Right? I’m not surprised, since Mom picked her for me. She knows I ‘m not going to do the pursuing. I, uh, agreed to meet her.” He glanced sideways at Seo-jun. “You did suggest I meet her and let her know I’m seeing someone.”

“Right,” Seo-jun said, inexplicably bothered. Because hehadsaid that. But Dex really could have told the woman on the phone. “When are you meeting her?”

“For lunch today,” Dex turned and headed up the beach toward the house, and Seo-jun followed, the high, soft sand sinking beneath his feet. “I have to train the new tech guy this morning. I wondered if maybe, after I meet Penelope, we could have a Taekwondo session.”

“Sure,” Seo-jun said a little more curtly than he’d meant to. Unbidden, thoughts of Dex meeting this woman and actually liking her invaded his mind, flipping on all his defensemechanisms. Unconsciously, he put more space between them as they walked.

“Hey,” Dex said, catching Seo-jun’s wrist and bringing them to a stop. “I really don’t want to go to lunch with her, but I’d like to be able to tell my mother that I did. Let her think I just wasn’t interested. I know Mom will just keep trying to find me someone, but that isn’t easy with her in Colorado and me here. It’ll be awhile before she tries again, and in the meantime, I can plan how I’m going to come out to her.”

“You don’t have to come out to your family for me,” Seo-jun reminded him, thawing a little.

“I know that, but Anna already knows. I don’t want our mother to find out from her. Okay?”

“Okay,” Seo-jun nodded. To his surprise, Dex leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. It helped. “Are we coming out at work?” he couldn’t help but ask.

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