#it's a bit early and i've changed my mind several times on angel pairings - but i think angel x darla is my ats otp for him

[gh-0-stcup]

Idk exactly what went down with Darla in this show (though I do have a vague idea), but I can say they clearly did her wrong.

[bringmebackdude]

I Can't Quit You Baby

(gif not mine)

Pairing: Slash x fem!Reader

Concept: Slash has been hooking up with a rich girl, but this time "no ties" starts to bother him.

Word count: 1,454

A/N: Actually I've been thinking about making a fic out of this one, haven't read or seen one like this with the guys and mixing a rich girl with Slash seems very interesting...(if you have, please let me know, I'm not trying to steal any content by mistake!)

(light smut, fluff)

His agitated body dropped next to hers, both chests going up and down from exhaustion and the heat that filled the considerably small room. Their bodies still felt the shivers of pleasure, there was a comfortable silence during the recovery. (Y/N) sat on the edge of the bed looking for her bra, which she spotted right next to Pandora's tank, his snake, alongside her panties. It was a usual scavenger hunt for her clothes, she and Slash wouldn't care where they left their stuff when lust came between them. He lit a cigarette while watching his companion with a frown, slightly smirking seconds later when he laid eyes on the lightning-struck tattoo she had on her left buttock. "You're leaving already?"

"Wasn't two hours enough for you, big boy?" she chuckled, sliding her legs inside the pink skirt.

"It's just that you usually stay longer...y'know" shrugging and letting the smoke escape from his lips, he sat on the bed. Carefully pushing some of his rebel curls back, so he could give a better look to the girl's half-naked body. "And it isn't two hours if you count the smoke breaks."

"I have stuff to do, and I'm already late," her tone was calm, but she buttoned down her blouse in a rush, shoving her panties in her purse after.

"Daddy invited the president over tonight?" he asked mockingly.

"Ha-ha, very funny," she finished tying her boots and walked towards him, holding his face between her hands "You would love to go to one, wouldn't ya?"

"I'd die for," using his reliable sarcasm, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'll see you soon," always her same goodbye, not forgetting about the quick peck on the lips before taking her belongings and walking out of his room. "Bye, Pandora! Bye, Duff!" Slash heard the main door close, letting out a sigh, all the fun was over sooner than he thought. He was quite happy with the dynamic between him and (Y/N), no need for compromises, just sex whenever they were in need. She was funny, hot, friendly, listened to the same music as he did, and not to mention she was rich. Also, her dad hated Slash, which made the friendship more exciting for both of them. Two lovers of trouble, together, were no good. That's exactly what he wanted, a good fuck and then leave. But somehow, it slightly bothered him that she didn't ask for more. All the girls were looking for something serious with him, why not her?

"She left early, huh?" Duff's head poked out of his door before he made an entrance to the curly's bedroom. He shrugged again, taking a puff on his cigarette "Yeah." "Oh dude, I'm so jealous you can bang that anytime you want. Do you mind if I shoot my shot with her?" "It's not up to me. She's probably out of your league" Slash replied. The guys enjoyed having her around, she wasn't stuck up like other ones, but still, she had a very strong character, which would sometimes cause fights between her and Axl. Of course, she had developed quite the friendship with Duff. The blond giraffe was funny as hell. "If she's a Motley Crue girl, there will be no problem to get her" rested his body against the wall and crossed his arms with a smirk. He knew it was gonna piss the guitarist. "What do you mean?" "Izzy and I ran into her a couple of nights ago after a Motley Crue concert. No big deal." "What were you doing there?" Slash interest grew, he threw the cigarette to the floor and step on it. She goes to see Motley but not us? (Y/N) knew that they were making noise around Los Angeles, he talked endlessly to her about many gigs, still, she never attended one. The unusual feeling of resentment invaded him. He shrugged, making his way out of the room "Chicks are horny as fuck at the end of a rock concert, dude." Duff laughed walking through the hall, knowing the effect that his comment had caused on his friend. As much as Slash would deny it, everyone in the band knew there was something much more than just a friendship going between the two of them. Ever since the night they met her, the proprietorial side of the curly had shown. Besides (Y/N) being rad, she would sometimes arrive at their apartment with boxes of beer when she knew it was their rest day, lent them some clothes, or even offer transportation. Although she would disappear very often and for several days, it was a friendship worth keeping. At this point, the guys were just waiting for them to become something a bit more official, but the two lovers were too proud.

﹆

Her foot stomped on the floor when she tripped on the amp next to the sofa, the dark empty apartment echoed with giggles from the two of them, their mouths refusing to separate. Slash felt the doorknob of his room, quickly opening the door and pulling the girl inside, both wasting no time in starting to take their clothes off. She let her skirt slide down her legs, showing off her pink thong. He, on the other side, was almost naked when he took his pants off, the guy had no problem being commando most of his life. He laid her body delicately on the bed, sliding his mouth towards the female's jaw, where he left traces of saliva from his wet kisses along with a few bites. The rough touch of his blistered fingers running through her body, making her skin crawl as the touch entered between her legs, a smirk appeared in the guitarist's face when he felt how wet she was already, something he never got tired of. A moan escaped from her lips when his mouth positioned on one of her nipples, sucking hard. "Baby" her hands running through his curls, slightly pulling from these, "I need you," she whispered. Needless to say, that unleashed the lust he carried inside.

...

His tanned hand grabbed the delicate one, feeling his fingers locked with hers, a simple but cute thing that Slash usually didn't do. She bit her lip, hiding the smile that the sudden action had provoked on her. "So... Duff told me he saw you at a Motley concert." "Oh yeah, I think it was last weekend or something like that," she shrugged, peering up at him. "I didn't know you liked those types of bands..." trying hard to hide his jealousy, he kept an unworried face. "One of my girlfriends took me with her, and you know I like rock," covering her breasts with the blanket, she reached for a cigarette and took the lighter from the nightstand. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why is this whole interrogation happening, dumbass?" she chuckled, letting the smoke come out right in front of his face. Slash coughed, rolling his eyes before stealing the cigarette from her hand, to which she smiled. "I don't know, it's just that you never come to watch us perform." "So?"

"So? We are friends, and you've never attended one of our gigs, you just drop us off and we're way better than them," he scoffed irritated. The female looked at him with confusion, not understanding where this was all coming from. "Honey, you never invite me to any of your events, I thought this was only hooking up and hanging every now and then," she replied with furrowed brows. He never seemed to have a problem with that. "Well maybe I want more..." with his arms crossed on his chest, he avoided her fazed stare, the last thing he needed was for her to notice his cheeks blushing. The words slipped out of his mouth. Did he regret saying that? No, he didn't, all this time he had been craving more but his pride was too big to admit it. After a few seconds of letting all this new information sink in, slowly a mocking smile was drawn on her face, sliding in bed to be closer to him,"Why didn't you say anything before?" "Cause I guess I didn't realize it completely until a few days ago...whatever, this is stupid" his slight embarrassment was adorable for her, it was a completely new side of the tough carefree guy she knew. "No, it's not," she stopped him before he could get out of the bed."I think we could work something out," a shy smile was attached to the response that was going to change their path from now and on. "I'd like that" he pulled her closed, wrapping his arms around her waist as another round was waiting for them.

[d-noona]

MAKE OVER

Chapter 6: Euphoria

Jung Hoseok x Reader

Reader as Kang Hyeonji

SUMMARY: When Kang Hyeonji transformed herself into a striking redhead, the entire male population of Seoul stood up and took notice. But her make over was for Jung Hoseok’s benefit alone. He began to show interest in the new look but not in the way she wanted. Suddenly he was over-protective, perhaps a little jealous. It seemed that the idea of having a relationship with her couldn’t be further from his mind. The girl however wants more. So it was time for an ultimatum. If Hoseok didn’t want Hyeonji to lose her virginity to another admirer, he had no option but to make love to her himself.

After seeking help from one of Taehyung and Jimin's recommendations for her make up tutorial Hyeonji took several lessons with Seokjin. He was a splendid man who had a face of an angel who taught her to differentiate a blusher from a bronzer.

Hyeonji was practicing her daytime make-up routine the following Sunday morning when the telephone rang. "Can you answer that, Mum?" she called out.

There was no reply and the phone kept on ringing. Hyeonji suddenly remembered that her mother had gone down to the corner store to buy the Sunday papers. Carefully, she put down her new mascara wand then hurried downstairs to sweep the receiver.

"Hi there," she said breezily.

"Hyeonji? Is that you?"

Her heart caught the sound of Hoseok's voice, reminding her forcibly how much she loved this man. The realization wrenched her momentarily out of her newly found optimism, bringing her down to earth with a thud. But then she regathered herself, her spirits lifting with the thought that Hoseok was actually calling her. That was a first!

"It certainly is me, Hobi. Don't I sound like me?"

"Actually, no...you sound different, somehow." He replies.

"Really...?" Well I look different too, she was tempted to add, but didn't want to spoil the surprise when he eventually saw her in the flesh. "Sorry. It's just the little old me," she went on, smiling to herself. Her height was one thing she simply could not change. Though the four-inch heels she'd tried on yesterday and which would buy shortly certainly gave her a taller view of the world. "So to what do I owe the dubious honor of you call?"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

Hyeonji chuckled at the shocked tone of his question. "Who, me? Never!"

"Have you been drinking?" he sounded almost crass. "This early on a Sunday morning?" it was five past ten. "Which brings me to a repeat of my question. Why are you calling me?"

"What? Oh, I um...I'm on my way to help Mother move some furniture around. She's decided she's bored with the layout in the living rooms. Actually, I think it was just an excuse to get me home and feed me up. Anyway, I thought of you saying the other night that you don't get fed properly at home, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us for lunch."

"Join you for lunch," she repeated, swallowing convulsively and immediately going blank. "You don't have to sound so thrilled," came his testy remark. "I realize I'm not your Mr. X but I've always thought you enjoyed my company."

"Oh, but I do!" she hastened to assure him. "I mean, I...I..."

"You have something else on? Is that it?"

Hyeonji tried to pull herself together. It was the shock, which was all it was. She glanced in the wall mirror above the telephone table and nerves immediately besieged her. Would Hoseok think she looked fantastic when he saw her? Might he be inspired to ask her out on a date, like Jungkook had? A real date?

"No, nothing else on," she said at last. "And I'd love to join you and your mother for lunch. Would you like me to help you move the furniture as well?"

"Would you?"

"Love to. Make-overs are my thing this week," she says.

"What?"

"Nothing," she muttered, and wished she were more confident of Hoseok's reaction to her own make-over. "I'll come see you in about fifteen minutes, then. Just come over when you see my car."

"But...but..."

"Look, I'm ringing you from my mobile and I'd better hang up before I get into trouble."

He hung up and Hyeonji groaned into the dead receiver.

Fifteen minutes. Oh God...

With a shriek, she dropped the receiver back into place and dashed upstairs, throwing open her wardrobe and searching for something Hoseok might like. No pants, she reminded herself, and past over the cheap tights and track suit pants she lived around the house. Her eyes went to the black crop top she'd bought the previous day, the only item of clothing she could afford.

But she had nothing to go with it. In despair, she pulled a pair of white shorts, though bought two years back when she'd been larger, she never actually got around to wearing the thing since it didn't fit her then. She tried on the shorts, looking at the mirror it hugged her bottom nice and tight. It looked good. Plus it was too hot for jeans, and she didn't have enough time to find anything else.

Ten minutes had flown since Hoseok had called. Shoving her feet into tan sandals, Hyeonji spun round to the dressing-table to finish her make-up, but her hands were shaking so badly she had to abandon applying mascara. Fortunately, she'd already done her eyeshadow and eyeliner, adding enough depth and definition to her eyes for casual daytime wear. She had a light powder on and cheek tint were in place. All that was left to do was her lip tint.

This last thought sent Hyeonji's pulse racing. There was only one man she'd want to wake up with in the morning with her make-up still intact. Somehow, the red lip tint found its proper place without wondering all over her face. It gave an impression of a plump luscious lips.

She did a quick brush of her hair, several deep, steadying breaths and she was ready. Just in time, too, for when she leant across her bed to glance through her bedroom window she was greeted by the sight of Hoseok's new red car coming up the hill.

Her stomach tightened another notch, her heart pounding. One last glance at her shorts and crop top brought a grimace of and another flicker of doubt. The last thing Hyeonji needed at that moment was to come downstairs and be met with her mother's open scorn.

Zil walked in the front door just as Hyeonji approached it. "And where do you think you're off to with your face all done up like a dog's dinner? No. You don't have to tell me. I can guess. I saw his car pass by as I walked up the hill, and you're running straight over to parade yourself in front of him. Dear heaven, but you're a fool, Kang Hyeonji! That girlfriend of his would still run rings around you for looks and style. You can tart yourself up all you like and it won't make a blind bit of difference. Not where Hoseok is concerned. Of course there are other men around here who aren't so particular. Not that they ever marry the girls they ask out."

For a few seconds, Hyeonji's confidence in her appearance wavered. But she'd come too far to allow anyone to undermine her newly found self-esteem. Not that her mother's nasty comments hadn't hurt.

"Maybe I'm not in Tinashe's league in the looks department Mum," she said, her voice shaking with emotion. "But I still think I look pretty good. And I'll have you know I'm not running over there to parade myself in front of Hobi. He rang me while you were out and asked me over for lunch. It seems that he and Tinashe have broken up. Maybe I don't stand a chance with him, Mum, but that's no excuse for your trying to put me down like that. It was mean."

To give her credit her mother looked shocked, then stricken with remorse. "Oh, Hyeonji... I... I... Oh, dear. Oh, I'm so sorry. I... I just don't want to see you hurt..."

"Then stop hurting me," she countered, sweeping out of the house before her mother could say another word, anger propelling her down the front path. As she stalked out onto the roadway and turned right, Hyeonji indulged in some none too ladylike mutterings.

"My, my," drawled a male voice. "Does that brand-new temper come with the brand-new hair?"

Hyeonji scudded to a ragged halt, her eyes whipping up to see Hoseok leaning against his open car door, watching her. His eyes immediately narrowed on her newly made-up face, then lifted to once again take in her new crowning glory. She couldn't tell if he approved of her transformation or not.

"You...you don't like it?" she almost groaned after a few seconds silence, one hand flying up to touch her hair in that age-old feminine gesture which invited reassurance. Hoseok straightened and slammed the cardoor before glaring back her way. "Don't be ridiculous. What's not to like? You look fantastic. But I think you already know that, don't you?"

Hyeonji glared back at him. So much for Hoseok being bowled over her sudden beauty. "I only did what you suggested the other night," she defended hotly. "True. But honestly I never expected you to do it. I guess I underestimated the power of your Mr. X. So...has he seen the new hair yet?"

Hyeonji bristled, then lifted her small chin too at Hoseok straight in the eye. "Yes, he has, as a matter of fact."

"I suppose he said you looked fantastic."

Once again, Hyeonji was spurred on to play an ironic game with the truth. Somehow, it soothed the pain of Hoseok's ongoing blindness. How could he not guess? She agonized inside. Couldn't he see her love for him?

"Actually they were his exact words," she tossed back coolly. His frown was instant "Where is it that you see this...Don Juan?" he demanded to know. Hyeonji smiled a darkly devious smile. It amused her that Mr. X didn't favor with Hoseok. If only he knew!

"Oh he lives nearby, and I run into him from time to time. But as I said before, my love life is really none of your business, is it? Now shouldn't we be going inside to help your mother with the furniture?" she went on with more forcefulness than was usually her nature. "Time is wasting, you know, and I have to get back to practicing my new make-up before the working week begins. I aim to knock their socks off tomorrow morning."

He threw her an incredulous glance, then shook his head "They say women change their personalities when they change their hair color. I'm beginning to believe it."

"Oh? Did you know Tinashe before she peroxided her hair? Was she a sweet little thing before she became a bottle-blonde?" raising an eyebrow at Hoseok. "We're not talking about Tinashe here, Miss Sarcasm. Which is exactly the sort of thing I'm referring to. You were never one to be bitchy before. Neither did you go around swearing under your breath."

Hyeonji places one hand on her waist then looks at Hoseok straight in the eyes "Maybe you just never heard me before. Maybe you don't know the real me at all, Hoseok. Maybe you've never stopped to smell the flowers."

"Stopped to smell the flowers? What in the hell has my stopping to smell the flowers got to do with you turning into a shrew?" says the infuriated man. Hyeonji laughed while Hoseok scowled. It was that moment when his mother opened her front door and came onto the porch to stare over them.

Mrs. Jung was a beautiful woman. Somewhere in her late forties, she was tall and slender, intelligent brown eyes and a shimmering black hair which fell to her shoulders in a stylish bob. Unlike her son she obviously liked women in trousers for she lived in them. Today she was wearing a loose pair of fawn cotton trousers with a bright floral floaty over blouse.

She lifted her hand to shade her eyes from the sunlight, squinting down at this strange young woman with her son. Heyonji smiled with satisfaction when she realized Hoseok's mothers didn't recognize her.

"Hi Mother," Hoseok waved. "Be right with you. Hyeonji here is going to help us."

"Hyeonji?" his mother repeated, frowning.

"Hyeonji? Oh my goodness, it's Hyeonji! From next door!" she smiled at her. "Yes, it's Hyeonji from next door," Hoseok said as he pecked his mother on the cheek, then threw Hyeonji a dry look over his shoulder. "In a fashion..."

"I'm so sorry Hyeonji dear," Hoseok's mother directed at Hyeonji with an apologetic smile. "I didn't recognize you with that stunning new hair color and style. My, but it suits her, doesn't it, Hoseok? She looks like a different girl entirely."

"She does indeed," Hoseok said in a tone which had his mother raising her eyebrows at him before turning to take Hyeonji's arm. "Who did it for you, dear?" she asked as she led her inside. "I'm always on the lookout for a good hairdresser."

They stopped together in the tiled foyer while Hyeonji raved about Taehyung's abilities and moderate prices, till Hoseok finally interrupted. "Have I come home to move furniture or not?"

"Don't be rude, dear," Mrs. Jung told him dismissively. "The furniture can wait. It's not going anywhere. I'll just go put on the jug and catch up with Hyeonji here for a bit. I haven't had a good talk to her in ages. Remember when she used to come over every Sunday, Hoseok, and you would make her sit in your room all afternoon while you showed her whatever game you were working on that week? I used to think she deserved a medal for how patient she was with you. And how kind. Not too many girls her age would have bothered being friends with an egocentric computer nut like you, dear."

"I didn't mind, Mrs. Jung," Hyeonji confessed. "Truth is I enjoyed it though I can't say I always understood everything. Hobi's nothing short of a creative genius. I dare say he gets that from you."

Mrs. Jung smiled her pleasure at the compliment. "What a nice girl you are," she said. "But my son is no genius. Not in the things which count, that is," she muttered as she turned to walk down several steps into the sunken living areas of the house.

Mrs. Jung's home was roomy, split-level and messy, Hyeonji saw as she traipsed after Hoseok's mother. And it smelt like a tavern. Housework was clearly not a priority with Mrs. Jung. Funny. Hyeonji couldn't remember it being so unkempt in the old days.

"Sorry about the mess," Mrs. Jung excused with an unconcerned but elegant wave of her right hand. "My cleaner had to quit through ill health a couple of weeks back and I'm on a deadline for a book. I've been meaning to advertise for a replacement but haven't got around to it."

An idea popped into Hyeonji's brain "How much does a cleaner earn

"What?" Mrs. Jung asked in confusion. She repeated her question. Hoseok's mother slanted her a sharp look. "Do you know someone who might be interested?" Hyeonji hesitated "I might..."

"Your mother?" Mrs. Jung guessed, turning to put the kettle to plug it in. "Well...yes. Dad left her with a lot of debts, you see, and her pension doesn't go far. I suggested that we take in a boarder to help make ends meet better, but I don't think Mum liked that idea much."

"Why don't I go ask her, then, right now?" Mrs. Jung offered. "And while I'm at it I'll ask her over to lunch with us. I've got plenty of food. Meanwhile, Hoseok, load up the dishwasher for me, like a good boy, will you? If Hyeonji's mother's house is anything like her garden then she'll be horrified at the state of this place. Hyeonji, love, would you mind collecting the dirty glasses from the living room?"

Hyeonji was happy to. What a nice lady Hoseok's mother was. As soon as Mrs. Jung left, she whizzed around the living room, straightening it up a bit while Hoseok made clattering noises in the kitchen. When she came out with the last four dirty glasses he had just closed the dishwasher door and started a cycle.

"I'll wash this up in the sink," she said, and set to work straight away. Hoseok leaned against a nearby counter, his arms crossed his eyes thoughtful upon her, "When you say your father left debts behind, just how much debt do you mean?"

She sighed "A lot," Hyeonji admitted. "The year before he died, he took out loans against the house to finance his latest business venture, which went bust like every other one of his great get-rich-quick schemes. Unfortunately there was no life insurance to cover these loans. The repayments take nearly all my salary each week."

Hoseok straightened, his expression appalled. "But that's terrible! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"Why should I have? It's not your problem Hobi."

"Some best friend you must think I am," he said sharply. Hyeonji was astonished by his annoyance. "But I... I..."

"I want you to tell me exactly who these loans are with and what interest you're paying" he said sharply. "Why?" Hyeonji confused with what Hoseok was trying to imply. "Because I want to help you that's why. That depends if you'll let me, it depends on how much stupid pride you've got."

Her chin shot up. "I have quite a bit. And I don't think pride is stupid!"

"That's what I thought, so I could do one of two things. I could have my accountant look at these loans and see what's the best way to refinance them at the lowest possible interest. Men like your father always have to borrow at exorbitant interest rates because they're a credit risk. On top of that, interest rates have dropped lately. Alternatively, I could organize to pay off debts myself by giving you an interest-free loan. Either way, your repayments would be substantially less than they are now."

Hyeonji's face lit up. "An interest-free loan! Oh, Hobi, that would be wonderful! Simply wonderful!" but her face fell. "But they're not my debts. In a legal sense, that is. They're Mother's. She would have to sign any documents. And I don't think she would agree to your last suggestion. I mean... she might think it was funny."

"What do you mean funny?" he asks. "She might think there were strings attached to such an arrangement." Hyeonji replies honestly. However this left Hoseok with a confused look. "Strings? What strings?"

"Hoseok, don't be thick, please. Between you and me." Hoseok's shock was not altogether flattering. "She think I would demand you sleep with me in exchange for money? Why in God's name would she think such a thing?"

"Don't take it personally. Mum doesn't have a great opinion of men in general when it comes to sex," she said "My father was a womanizer, you know."

"No," he said slowly, that frown still in place. "I didn't know. You never told me. You never told me anything about yourself or your family." Now he was sounding frustrated.

"You never asked..." Hyeonji shrugged. "Well, I'm asking you now!" says Hoseok who is now irate.

"Why?" as she tilts her head and looks at him. "Why?" he immediately responds. "Yes, why this sudden interest?" Hoseok was taken aback, thoroughly exasperated. "Why must women make mountains out of mole hills? There is no mystery to my interest. Neither is it sudden. I've always cared about you, Hyeonji, I guess, I've been so wrapped up in my business going that I haven't had much time to think of other's problems. I suggest you put this change of heart down to my maturing at long last, of you have to put it down to anything. I did just turn twenty five."

"Yes I know," she said dryly. "I bought and lit the candles on your cake"

"You still haven't forgiven me for forgetting your birthday, have you?" he asked.

"I'll forgive you anything if you have your accountant get me some more money each week. I'm dying to buy myself some lovely new clothes to go with my new look. Believe me, Hobi, you can organize that refinancing business. I'll be your willing slave forever." He gave her a decidedly disgruntled look. "So I'm to be responsible for even more changes in my Hyeonji. Your Mr. X won't be able to resist you soon. Frankly I'm not so sure I want to send you into the arms of some good-looking bastard who's had oodles of women and who didn't appreciate the lovely person you were before you became a fashion plate."

Hyeonji was startled, then flattered by the jealous edge in his words. It occurred to her that inventing the mythical Mr. X was the best she'd ever done. She'd never had so much attention from Hoseok in her life. Suddenly, she was a reasonably attractive female, complete with her secret sexual obsession. The fact that the secret sexual obsession was Hoseok himself might have escaped him, but the concept of her madly in love with some good-looking Casanova clearly bothered him. Surely that had to be a reason to keep going?

"I don't think you're in love with this man at all," Hoseok pronounced abruptly. "From what I've heard, it's a simple case of infatuation. When and if he ever takes you to bed, you'll realize that. Men like him rarely live up to the romantic and sexual fantasies women weave around them. They're much too selfish to be good lovers."

"That's a very interesting theory," Hyeonji said thoughtfully. "And do you think you're a good lover, Hobi?"

"Me? We're not talking about me!" he grumbled irritably. "We're talking about lover boy here."

"I was just wondering," she said with feigned innocence. "After all, you confessed the other day to being selfish. And you just said selfish men weren't good lovers."

"Yes, well, there's selfish and there's selfish. I like to think I excel in anything I put my mind to. So yes, I think I'm a good lover. Are you going to argue the point, Miss Picky, or accept my word for it?" Hoseok says extremely annoyed.

Actually, I'd like a demonstration...

Hyronji thought with a quickening of her heartbeat. She stared first into Hoseok's beautiful brown eyes, then down to his equally beautiful mouth before letting her hopefully unreadable gaze drift down his even more beautiful body. Her own ached with longing for that body. It was a bittersweet ache, filled with delicious sexual awareness, yet framed with in a frustration so acute, she wanted to scream and shout and stamp her feet.

"I guess I'll have to accept your word for it," she managed to say, though her words were clipped. "I certainly won't be ringing Tinashe and asking her, that's for sure. The best thing you ever did was to break up with her."

"Break up with Tinashe? I haven't broken up with Tinashe. Wherever did you get that idea?"

"But the other night...you said..."

"I said we were having a trial separation. Actually it was her idea. She had some bee in her bonnet about my taking her for granted, which was probably true. So she told me she wasn't going to see me for a month, during which we were to have no contact whatsoever, even by telephone."

"I see." Hyeonji felt her brave and exciting new world tip out of kilter. "So when is this month up?" she asked, voice flat and heavy. "Next Sunday." He raked his hand through his hair. "And it can't come soon enough, I can tell you. This has been the longest, most frustrating four weeks in my life!"

Chapter 07

Masterlist