BLISSFUL ENCOUNTER [Jenlisa FF]

Part 15

Black was definitely reflecting her mood, but maybe her mother would get suspicious. Sohyun had a sixth sense where her daughter was concerned, maybe something all mothers had in common. Yellow would instantly rise her mother's hackles. She never wore yellow, so why should she now. And red – hadn't she read something about red being aggressive?

Jennie stared into her closet, annoyed with her own indecision. It was only a dinner with her mother, for heaven's sake. Maybe she'd just take blue or green. A neutral colour. Yeah, light blue would be good. She grabbed the long-sleeved dress, sighing slightly. She'd never particularly liked it, but for tonight it would do.

She stood staring into her mirror, hairbrush in hand. Down or up? Up was showing control, making her sophisticated, giving her the image of a cool businesswoman. On the other hand, she never wore her hair up out of the office. She sighed again, threw the brush onto her dressing table, moving from annoyance with herself to irritation.

Stepping into her black pumps, she sighed for the third time – deeply. Lisa had taken over her thoughts, her feelings, her very life. It was physical, she told herself. She'd never thought herself to be such a physical woman – although she knew she could be passionate – yet since she'd known Lisa, cool and reserved Jennie had to force herself to keep from moaning at the mere reminder of her touch. It was all she could do to keep her mind on work.

Usually, Jennie would say get the physical out of the way, so she could regain control of her mind and gain some perspective. The problem was, they had done the physical already, but instead of feeling sated and contend, the way it had been with the other men in her life, she craved more. And that – on top of her recent discovery that she'd been too eager to even think about protection – made her doubt her own sanity.

She reached for her wide leather belt and cinched it around her waist. It was a little late in her life to have such teenage thoughts over a girl. And Lisa was – after all – just a girl. A handsome girl seven years her junior. She knew that many women had physical relationships with younger and relegated them to that compartment of their lives while functioning separately in their business lives. Perhaps that would be the answer to her problems – or it should have been. A strong friendship, a satisfactory physical relationship, with no ties. But somehow, she knew, this wouldn't work in Lisa's book. And so, she had to admit, not in hers either.

After a final glance in her mirror, Jennie nodded. At least she looked presentable. Today of all days her mother had decided to invite herself for dinner, no doubt trying to talk some reason into her again, no doubt trying to discuss Taehyung. But maybe it was just as well. Taehyung was a safe topic, something that might get her thoughts off Lisa – if that was even possible.

When the doorbell rang, Jennie took a last glance into the mirror, then left her bedroom, closing the door behind her. With a practiced daughter smile on her face, she opened the door, only to have the smile freezing on her lips, seeing the unexpected visitor standing there and grinning from ear to ear, holding a bucket of flowers.

"Hey, beautiful." He took a step back, his blue eyes wandering up and down her body, taking in her clothes, the shoes, her stylish makeup. "And what a sight you are." He made a slight bow, held the flowers out for her. "Seems I've chosen the right time to show up."

Maybe if she had expected him, Jennie might have accepted the present with a smile, but somehow, she just couldn't find it in her to act casual, or even pleased to see him. Instead, she took a deep breath not to kill him on the spot, but her voice was still like a bucket of cold water, when she said, "What the Hell are you doing here, Hanbin?"

*****

"What the Hell are you doing here?"