May 1, 2020
Book Two of the UNDONE series, following unrivaled
Jeon Jungkook is one of the youngest security experts in the country and he is working to keep his boss's company out of crisis. He is not alone. His friends are all professionals and d...
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The next several weeks were hard, both personally and professionally.
The partnership between the companies seemed to be moving smoothly, even if there was something going on between the owners.
JK kept an eye out for opportunities to see Lyra. He did not understand why, but she had seemed cool toward him since that last team meeting.
One Tuesday afternoon he was taking his break in the vending lounge. He lost his coins in the drink machine and was tilting it to shake the drink out.
Just then, Lyra walked in.
He looked at her and then away and then back to her. He flushed to his ears as he realized he was standing there fighting with a vending machine.
He slowly eased the machine back down and looked around the room, avoiding eye contact.
She stood and stared at him. A smile broke across her face despite the bruised feelings from the “elevator incident".
She had convinced herself that she was being foolish. He was a healthy young man and it was natural for him to respond to advances, especially from beautiful woman.
She shook the memory away. Today was different. He was here with her. He looked so adorable standing there, tilting the vending machine.
He looked like a mischievous boy caught doing something wrong.
She laughed as he slowly set the machine down. She watched the thoughts dash across his face as he decided what to do next.
It was fascinating to watch the initial embarrassment morph into boldness as he crossed his arms and leaned against the machine.
So he was going to try to play it off? She decided to have a bit of fun with him.
“Is there a problem here?” she asked.
He blinked, unsure how to answer.
“Brute force is not always the answer,” she continued as she walked up to the machine.
He was having trouble concentrating as he watched her move toward him.
She had a gleam in her eye, a hint of mischief he had never seen there before. He didn’t move, afraid to startle away this open, laughing, fun Lyra.
She stood right next to him, his warmth, the intoxicating smell of him making her blush. She lost a bit of her courage until she looked up into his face.
JK looked down into her eyes and smiled, a real smile where his nose crinkled the tiniest bit and his front teeth caught his bottom lip. She was so tiny and cute; his heart began to beat a bit faster at her nearness.
“What should I do next?” he asked and for a few seconds, both of them forgot they were supposed to be talking about the vending machine.
He searched her face and watched the color change and shift in her eyes, first light, now dark.
He wondered what it would be like…his thoughts wandered in all directions.
She looked at him and gave herself permission to enjoy this moment, to pretend she was an ordinary girl staring into the face of an extraordinary man.
What would it be like to know him, learn his fears, earn his trust?
She backed away at that thought. That would not happen. There was only this time, these few minutes to steal.
“I need you to move,” she said, breaking him out of his thoughts.
He did as she asked and she moved to stand in front of the machine.
“It's broken,” he added helpfully as she stood staring at it.
She just rolled her eyes at him and slowly placed her hands on the machine.
He watched with narrowed eyes as her hands ran down the front of the machine, touching gently, stopping for seconds until starting again.
JK swallowed hard, taken off balance by the slow, delicate touch of her hand, the sweep of her fingers.
What in the hell is wrong with me? And when did it get so hot in here? he thought to himself.
He thudded back to reality as she drew back those delicate hands.
The same hands that had been giving him erotic thoughts just minutes ago now expertly pounded into the hapless machine in three specific spots.
He stared, open mouthed, as the machine rumbled. She turned to him in triumph, her face glowing, as his drink- and his money- tumbled from the machine.
She laughed at the expression on his face and proceeded to put her coins in for a drink of her own.
“Where did you learn that?” he laughed, retrieving the bottle and waiting for hers to fall.
A loud group entered the lounge, intruding into the safe place they had created. He watched in dismay as the light in her eyes dimmed and her smile faded. She had closed herself off again. He cursed at the lost opportunity.
“I would be ashamed to tell you,” she answered honestly, taking her drink from him and turning away.
“No! Wait! Please…” he asked, touching her elbow. “Stay and drink it here. I want to hear, really, I do. And I promise- no judgements. And I won’t scare you off by sharing some the crazy stuff I have done.”
She could tell he was sincere, and his promise thawed her the tiniest bit, but she just could not risk it.
“Not this time,” she whispered and quietly left as the noise and laughter of the others filled the room.
He stood watching her leave, deciding not to push right now.
“Not this time,” he whispered,” but there will be a time when you tell me.”
