'West was the Dream.' Geonhak x Reader

Chapter 9 - Melting ice

GH: 'What... are you doing up here?' His eyes were wide and he stopped dabbing his wet messy bangs that moistly draped over his face.

I was having trouble looking at him, his bare chest was right before me and I still wasn't over the first time seeing it. He noticed my shocked stare and his ears reddened realizing how strange the situation was. It was normally completely inappropriate to be without a full set of clothing around other people especially when unmarried. Even he could feel the embarrassment creeping up his spine.

'Sorry.' He apologized and turned around too as if it would even help at all. His arms awkwardly tangled before him with nervousness and he fumbled with his fingers.

His muscular bare back did not help much at all and at this point I couldn't even breathe with ease, I just have to look away to calm myself and, in a way, hide from him. I stayed there sitting on my knees and cleared my throat.

'I... made you a place to sleep... and brought you some lanterns, i-it will be getting cold soon.' I say quietly, nearly inaudible, but the silence made it clear and easy for him to understand.

'Th-thank you.' I hear from behind and then he appears onto the bedding in the corner of my eye, he managed to remove his boots and lounged on his back in the pile so quickly. With his arms behind his head he took a deep breath in and out, taking in the well needed comfort, then turned on his side. I had seen his under arms and now the smooth curve of his body when it is lain down.

(He is trying to commit a crime isn't he. To be the cause of my death.)

I try not to make a sound, for if I did it would make things awkward again.

(Oh I just want to get out of here without him seeing me. That's impossible.)

'I could stand to sleep here.' He says matter of factly, twisting his body toward my way to tell me. He could have fallen asleep right there before I could even go.

I turn away toward the ladder, planning to leave him alone...

...then he touched my shoulder and held me back.

'I DID say thank you.' He repeats with a brow raised amusedly as he laid again on his side, one leg bent and his head rested on an arm, he was posed in an alluring way and I could see more to the shape of his torso. His expression was still innocent and oblivious to how he was looking. The gaps in the wood let in streams of light through the ceiling and walls, highlighting the smooth skin tone of his body while he still only had his jeans and socks left on.

'You're.. welcome..' I force out and change the subject. (I'm going crazy!)

'Why.... are you up here already? Don't you need wood to repair these holes? You should... finish cutting more logs....'

'Your dad told me to take a break.' He stretches his arms and gets more comfortable onto the blankets.

(Why is he so comfortable being so exposed like this?! He's casually lying down in front of me without a shirt, but I am struggling just to look calm in his presence. I feel so vulnerable by comparison.)

I can't even complain about him dirtying the clean laundry I spent so much time in washing, I was trapped ogling every bit of him from his dampened hair to across his shapely waist. This was too much for a sheltered farm girl like me who hadn't even talked to many boys.

(I need to go before I faint from the sight. My thoughts keep going back to him.)

I hear my dad call for Geonhak, entering through the barn doors below. Both of us jumped and scrambled to another section of the upper floor, me shuffling to anywhere that had a solid wood flooring with no gaps to see through from below. He hurried to the ladder and leaned over the opening, glancing at me nervously only once.