The Kinsman: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #5

Chapter 28: Silky Secrets

Dan Se stared in consternation at her chest of drawers. His clothes were in her room. Her new room. His room. At least, he had thought it was now his room. But she had slipped into that bed before him last night. Possibly believing that he was going to continue to occupy this room. But hadn't she heard his words yesterday? And seen him remove his clothes from these drawers?

He was still puzzled by her presence in his bed last night.

He recalled a question that she had asked him once. And their ensuing discussion.

"Why don't you smile more often?"

"Because where I grew up, joy was a weakness."

"That ought not be so!"

She had sounded so indignant. Her continued response rang out in his heart like the loud clanging of a bell. Marking a moment as precious. And defining a day as set apart for something important. Unforgettable.

"Joy is strength!"

"Is it?"

"Yes! I will prove it to you."

And she had. In marvelous form. With those luscious lips of hers. Lips which he longed to taste again.

He had enjoyed several brief moments of joy in her presence. Before she had turned away from him. But last night...she had crawled into his bed. Had it truly been a mistake? A misunderstanding between the two of them?

If it had been, then why had she asked him for help? Had she just been so miserable that she would ask even a man whom she feared to lend her a bit of relief?

If so, was the opportunity likely to arise again?

––

Mi Sook lay on her tummy remembering her husband's sweet, shocking words.

"I still remember the first time I saw her. She was like a dream...A wild fantasy that only my heart could dream up."

He had been speaking of her. She still had a hard time believing it. But he must have been because as he had continued his story, he had then referred to her in the second person instead of the third. And he had outright admitted it, hadn't he?

"You realize, don't you, that I just admitted to liking you the very first time we met?"

And then the unfathomable words that had followed those.

"You were an angel."

A tear slid down her cheek as she considered him. How on earth was she going to cross the great divide that had split them apart yesterday? In her foolishness – in her fear – she had shoved him away. And her feeble attempt to fix things had further repulsed him apparently.

How could Jung Sook be so certain that the man still loved her?

She felt no such certainty herself.

But she did recall his tenderness of last night. Perhaps that was simply a revealing of his true character. It might not have anything to do with how he truly felt about her. He was simply a sweetheart. Even towards someone who had injured him terribly.

She sighed deeply as she buried her cheek against her mattress. She groaned. The pain was becoming unbearable again. She should have asked Jung Sook to salve her back before she left. She mentally kicked herself for missing that opportunity. She wasn't willing to bare her bruised back to a servant. And there was no way that she could smear that lotion on herself.

––

He heard her moan. And it gave him courage.

He knocked on the door separating their rooms.