I Too Had An Unrequited Love Story

30- Boundaries Blurred

Veronica shifted slightly on the couch, trying to find a more comfortable position. But instead of succeeding, she rolled off the edge and landed with a hard thud on the floor, jolting her out of sleep. Groaning, she blinked several times, adjusting to the darkness surrounding her. She sat up, disoriented, and fumbled for her phone on the floor. Finally, she found it, the bright screen illuminating the time—3:05 AM.

She sighed, switching on her phone's flashlight, the narrow beam cutting through the darkness. As the light swept across the room, it dawned on her where she was—Seoul. She had traveled to Seoul with Arek, and she had fallen asleep on the lumpy, uncomfortable couch while he dozed comfortably on the bed. Her gaze wandered to the bed, where Arek was sprawled out, sleeping soundly, oblivious to her restless night. He wasn't even in the middle of the bed, as she'd expected. He lay on the left side, leaving a wide, inviting space next to him. The bed looked so much more comfortable than the couch.

Veronica's shoulders slumped as she weighed her options. She had been restless all night, and now, fully awake, the couch felt more like a torture device than a place to rest. The bed, though tempting, came with its own complication: Arek. Sharing the bed with him would mean sharing close proximity with a man who, although now her husband in name, was more of a complication than a comfort.

Still, she was tired, and the couch had given her a crick in her neck. Unable to resist any longer, she crept toward the carpeted floor near the couch, sitting down and leaning back against it. She surfed through her phone, distracting herself by planning her day in Seoul. She meticulously mapped out the places she wanted to visit and the food she was dying to try. Eventually, despite her earlier restlessness, sleep crept back in. She dozed off, still sitting upright, her head slumping against the couch.

~~~~

The sound of movement startled Veronica awake. She blinked her eyes open, immediately squinting as the bright daylight hit her face. Disoriented, she blinked again, and her breath caught in her throat when she realized what—or rather, who—had woken her. Arek was emerging from the walk-in wardrobe, and the sight of him made Veronica freeze. He was dressed in nothing but a white towel that hung dangerously low around his hips. His hair, still wet from the shower, clung to his forehead dripped water onto his broad shoulders, and beads of water traced a path down his chiseled chest and perfectly defined abs. Veronica's eyes involuntarily traced the lines of his defined six-pack, following the subtle V shape that disappeared beneath the towel. Every muscle in his body flexed slightly as he moved about, searching for his phone. He looked like a living, breathing Greek god.

Veronica was rooted to the spot, unable to tear her gaze away. She was vaguely aware that she should stop staring, but she couldn't. His toned arms, with veins just slightly visible, were a testament to the hours of effort he put into maintaining his physique. Veronica blinked, trying to pull herself together, but her brain seemed to have short-circuited. Arek, oblivious to her wide-eyed stare, moved across the room, muttering under his breath as he searched for his phone, rummaging through his things, searching for his phone, which was still buzzing on the bed. He finally found it, silenced the call, and then turned—only to catch Veronica staring at him. Arek smirked, finding her gawking at him.

Still lost in her stupor, Veronica didn't even flinch when Arek walked toward her. It wasn't until he knelt down, his face only inches from hers, that reality slammed back into her.

Her heart raced as Arek leaned closer. Startled, Veronica jerked her head backward, almost hitting the arm of the couch. Arek's hand shot out just in time, cushioning the back of her head from the hard wood.

"Like what you see, Cake?" he teased, his voice low and playful, the smirk never leaving his lips.

Veronica blinked, struggling to regain her composure. She attempted to move but quickly realized she was trapped—cornered between Arek and the couch. Her brain finally processed the situation. His close proximity, his damp skin, the intoxicating scent of his cologne—a woodsy, spicy fragrance laced with a hint of mint from his freshly washed hair—completely overwhelmed her senses. Just then, a droplet of water fell from his hair and splashed onto her face, jolting her back to full consciousness.