Rewrite the Rules

Expert on love bites?: Part 69

But the mood shifted abruptly when Namjoon, caught up in the instant, sucked on my skin. "Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, his playful grin replaced by a look of genuine concern. "I am so sorry, babe, I didn't mean to bite!"

"Bite? You totally bit me!" I teased, unable to hold back a smile

The playful wrestling match came to a screeching halt. One moment we were tangled in a mess of water, limbs and laughter, the next Namjoon yelped, "Oh, shit!"

My smile vanished. "Bite? You did not!" I exclaimed, a mixture of disbelief and concern twisting my gut.

He winced, holding his hands up defensively. "I did, I swear! Don't kill me." Despite his attempt at humor, his eyes held worry.

I couldn't help but smirk, the tension easing. "No boyfriend status until you learn to control your inner vampire," I declared, mock seriousness lacing my voice.

A burst of laughter erupted from him, the sound rich and genuine. "There's definitely a mark," he remarked, reaching out to gingerly touch his teeth to the spot on my neck.

"How mature," I quipped, swatting his hand away playfully. "Honestly, Namjoon, are we back in high school?"

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Maybe put some ice on it? That might help."

"And you're the expert on love bites?" I raised an eyebrow, amusement sparkling in my eyes.

"Nope," he admitted with a grin. "But I get plenty of marks from CrossFit. Maybe the same logic applies?"

I burst out laughing, the playful tension completely dissolved. "CrossFit. Is that what you're calling her?" I teased, my voice laced with affection.

He pulled me into a tight hug, his laughter muffled against my shoulder. "You're my only 'her,'" he murmured, his voice husky. "Girlfriend."

A groan escaped my lips, but it was laced with a smile. This playful banter, this comfortable teasing - that was us. Maybe being bitten wasn't the most romantic start, or maybe it was but it was undeniably ours.

"You know," he began, his voice dropping to an even lower register, "this wasn't exactly how I pictured us spending the evening."

A playful smile curved my lips. "Oh, really? And how did you picture it?"

His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Well, maybe a little more... candlelit dinner," he admitted, a hint of a blush creeping up his neck. "But this," he continued, his gaze locking onto mine, "this is perfect."

The sincerity in his voice stole my breath away. This unplanned bath, these stolen minutes of intimacy, felt more genuine, more real than any carefully orchestrated date ever could.

"Me too," I confessed, my voice barely a whisper.

He leaned in further, the space between us shrinking with each passing instant. The scent of his cologne, a mix of citrus and something warm and woodsy, filled my senses. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs, a drumbeat only I could hear.

"Tonight? Can we...?" he began, his voice trailing off as his eyes searched mine.

The question hung in the air, unspoken yet crystal clear. It was a minute of delicious anticipation, a pause before the plunge, before the leap of faith.

My body tingled with nervous excitement. I knew what I wanted, what I craved – the press of his lips against mine, the confirmation of the connection that hummed between us.

Without a word of reply, I met his gaze head-on, a silent answer reflected in my eyes. A slow smile spread across his face, mirroring the one blooming on mine.

And then, with a tenderness that sent heart beating wildly, he closed the distance between us.

My body tingled with nervous excitement. I knew what I wanted, what I craved – the press of his lips against mine, the confirmation of the connection that hummed between us.

Without a word of reply, I closed the gap between us. My lips met his in a soft, tentative exploration. The kiss was a whisper, a promise spoken on the edge of forever. It was filled with curiosity, a yearning to know each other on a deeper level.

He responded instantly, his kiss deepening with a newfound urgency. His hand slipped around the back of my neck, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. We melted into each other, the warmth of the water and the heat of his body igniting a fire within me.

The kiss was a slow dance, a silent conversation that spoke volumes. It spoke of unspoken desires, of a connection that transcended words. It was a taste of something more, a promise of what was to come.

We finally pulled away, breathless and exhilarated. Our eyes met, and in that shared gaze, a new understanding bloomed.

As we held each other close, the steam swirling around us like a protective veil, I knew, with a certainty that defied explanation, that this was just the start of our journey together.

The rhythmic pounding on the cottage door shattered the tranquility.

My breath hitched, the playful melody of the music abruptly replaced by a jarring dissonance in my head.

"Oh no," I groaned, a mixture of panic and amusement bubbling in my chest.

A sheepish grin flickered across Namjoon's face. "Right," he mumbled, the memory of his earlier proclamation about a perfect evening clearly forgotten. "We should probably answer that."

He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine before retracting with a sigh. "Unless," he began, a playful glint returning to his eyes, "you think they'd be understanding if we pretended we weren't here?"

The image of a disgruntled hotel neighbor peering through the window at the steam billowing from beneath the bathroom door sent a giggle erupting from my lips.

"Hilarious," I teased, swatting at his arm playfully. "But tempting as that sounds, I don't think they'd appreciate it."

With a resigned sigh, Namjoon untangled himself from my embrace, the warmth of the water lingering on my skin as he stood. Grabbing a nearby towel, he wrapped it around himself in a hurried fashion, the damp fabric clinging to his skin.

"Go," I urged, gesturing towards the door. "Before they decide to break it down."

Namjoon chuckled, a low rumble vibrating through the steam-filled bathroom. He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear. "This isn't over," he murmured, his voice making my heart do a happy little dance.