unrivaled

chapter 18

All those thoughts fled as Jin found a quiet spot in a corner far away from their tables.  As soon as they got there a slow, soft ballad began.  Dae looked at him in surprise.

“What?” he asked innocently, “you don’t want to slow dance with me?”

Dae shook her head at him and he laughed as he gathered her in his arms.

They started a proper distance apart and Jin began by asking all the polite questions.

After he had finished with “Are you well tonight?” and “ Are you having fun?” followed by “ Did you enjoy dinner?” he fell silent and simply looked at her.

Pulling her closer he whispered, “Damn it Dae!  I have missed holding you.  You are driving me mad tonight.” He pulled her even closer to him.

Dae relaxed in his arms and just allowed herself to feel.  There was always an undercurrent of excitement mixed with a bit of fear when she was this close to Jin, especially if they were in public like this. 

She cautioned herself she should be on guard, but he always made her feel a bit reckless.

Jin bowed his head to whisper close in her ear, “You are so very beautiful.  I just want to….” The rest was lost as he pulled her close and breathed her in. 

Dae was struggling to maintain her composure.  This song had to be over soon. Right?

Then it dawned on her.  This song was not only had a very sexy vibe, but this was the club mix. 

Then she noticed several of the couples around them were taking advantage of the combination to start liaisons they would likely regret in the morning.

She looked at Jin and narrowed her eyes.  Her suspicions were confirmed by the smirk on his face and the seamless blend of a second club mix preserving the vibe.

“Jin?” She asked, the slightest hint of guilt crossing his features, “What have you done?”

He tried to deny he knew what was going on, but finally he admitted he was caught.

“Ok,” he confessed,” I paid the DJ $2,000 to play these songs back to back.  I am desperate to hold you, to talk to you and they are the longest slow songs I know.

Dae just stared at him.  She did not know whether she should be mad or flattered, think he was crazy or a genius.

He did not give her a chance to puzzle it out.

“Dae.  Don’t leave with him.” He told her.

Immediately he saw that was the wrong thing to say.   He watched her turn and raise a perfectly arched brow at Alex, who was looking daggers at both of them.

“Wait…..please…..please,” he said, pulling her closer.

“Let it be me,” he whispered, slipping his hand inside her coat, “pick me."

His hand settled low on the small of her back.  His fingers eased to the waist of her pants and under the lace top.  As his warm fingers slipped into touch her bare skin, she shuddered. 

Her eyes flew wide, seeking his and seeing that simple touch had rocked him as well.

He began to trace circles on her skin and pulled her tight against his chest.
He still swayed with her as his breath became harder to draw. 

“Please,” his whisper quieter, gentler this time. “Let me take you home tonight.”

Dae looked at him and a dozen responses formed in her mind at once, none of them seeming appropriate to her.

Finally, he turned her slowly and she caught sight of Jimin, standing at the edge of the dance floor waiting for her.

“Jin.  What about our dates?  We can’t do that to them.”

Jin laughed. “Our dates?  Dae look,” he said tilting his head in Alex's direction.

She had a young man literally sitting at her feet.  A man old enough to be her grandfather was demanding her attention.

“She will be fine.  She will find a face, or a bank account she likes better than mine and be perfectly happy," he said.

“And Dae, be honest.  Have you ever known Jimin to leave a party alone if he did not want to?" He let the question linger in the air between them.

“Jin.  I just can’t…” she whispered.

“Don’t,” he interrupted her, “I will not pressure you.  I want you.  I want to take you home tonight.  If that’s uncomfortable for you…..” he stopped and looked away, swallowing hard.
“I will leave after this, we only have a few seconds left,” he said, drawing her even tighter to him.

“No matter what you decide I will not go with her.  I will wait for you to call if you change your mind,” he promised.

He danced her into the darkest corner and turned so she was shielded from view.  He dropped a gentle kiss on her parted lips and groaned as he pulled away.

“God, I hope you change your mind,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

With that he led her back to the table and bowed at her before disappearing into the crowd.