With an impatient sigh, Jihae scrolled through her never-ending emails. It was close to six o’clock, the new close-of-business she’d promised June. She had cheated a bit by starting her day at seven, but her friend didn’t need to know that.
She pushed away her mouse and leaned back in her chair, drumming her fingers on her thighs. There was no use trying to concentrate with only five minutes left until quitting time. She logged off and stood from her desk. Unsure of what to do next, she paced her office in an agitated to-and-fro. She couldn’t understand her peculiar mood. It wasn’t only her disquiet at how much of a distraction Colin Song was promising to be, but for the first time, work hadn’t been enough to fill her day.
Jihae was discontented and restless. That was why she felt so off. She’d gotten a taste of freedom through her “business meetings” with Colin, and remembered how much she used to long for it—to lead a normal life outside the range of her parents’ censuring eyes.
She would indulge in just one more adventure to get the restlessness out of her system. What was something she’d never done before? There were so many things she’d missed out on... What could she do? Then one bright idea lit up in her head.
“June.” Jihae peeked out of her office, and motioned for June to come inside. “Psst, psst.”
“Quiet. You’re making a ruckus,” June said, deadpan, not looking up from her computer. Her friend didn’t stand from her desk until she’d typed a quick succession of words on her keyboard. Then, and only then, did she stride into Jihae’s office. “Now, tell me. Why are you flagging me down like a crazy woman?”
She burst out laughing. June loved teasing her about her reserved manner at work. But her friend would be surprised to know that Jihae felt far from reserved right now. She was craving fun and excitement.
“I want to go to a nightclub.”
“You set up a meeting at a nightclub? Why would you do that? Don’t those sleazeball businessmen usually take other men to those places to have ‘hostesses’ sidle up to them and pour their drinks? Ew.”
“I never said I had a meeting. I want you to go clubbing with me,” Jihae said rather clumsily. She’d never uttered the words go clubbing before. “Not to a Koreanized club. That’ll be too risky. More people are likely to recognize me there. I want to go to a hot, American nightclub.”
“You—you want to go to an American nightclub? A ‘hot’ one?” It took June a couple seconds to close her gaping mouth. “Who are you, charlatan, and what have you done with my bestie?”
“Oh, shut up.” Jihae blushed, regretting her impulsive request. This was so unlike her. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. You can’t back out now.” June rushed to her and wrapped her in her arms. “I can’t believe you waited until you’re close to thirty to rebel against your father a little.”
“Hey, I’m only twenty-seven. Besides, I’m not rebelling...” Wasn’t she? Was she captivated by a newfound hunger for adventure, or was she lashing out against the punishing rigidity of the life that her father forced on her? No. She had found peace with her life, and she counted herself lucky to have a job she loved. “Really, I’m not. I think I’m bored of working nonstop. Of work being the only thing in my life.”
“You’re finally talking sense. Work should never be your everything. You need to let your hair down and get a bit sloppy once in a while. Where is the fun in being so flawless all the time?” Her friend stood back and studied Jihae from head to toe. “I know the perfect place for tonight. All the staff went clubbing a couple weeks ago—it was your treat, of course—and we had such a great time. I think you’ll love it, too. Alas, I can’t let you just walk into a club looking like Princess Jihae.”
“But all my clothes look like these. Or there are the floor-length dresses. I don’t want to draw attention to myself, especially not as a weirdo wearing a white ball gown to a nightclub. My other alternatives are purple, pink or baby blue sweat suits. Even I know that I won’t get past the bouncers in those.”
“Are you forgetting how filthy rich you are? Your stylist isn’t here, but you don’t need her. Instead, you’ll have your best friend pick you the hottest, tiniest dress you’ve ever worn. Rodeo Drive is only twenty minutes away.”
They rushed to the parking structure and hopped into Jihae’s flashy sports car. As soon as her seat belt was secured, June scrolled through her phone until “Oh, Pretty Woman” blared from the speakers.
“You’re like Julia Roberts except you don’t need a man to pay for your clothes,” June shouted over the music.
“Girl power. Woo-hoo,” Jihae hooted, and sped toward Rodeo Drive. Everything around her looked sharper and even the air tasted fresher. It was the taste of freedom.
As the theme song of Pretty Woman played in a loop in Jihae’s head, she tried on every outrageously seductive dress that June piled onto the salesperson’s loaded arms. She felt like she was living a different person’s life, and it felt wonderful. But distress niggled at the back of her mind. If she loved someone else’s life so much, what did that say about her own?
June wouldn’t let Jihae look in a mirror until she’d poked and prodded her for an hour. Thank goodness she was used to being poked and prodded for hours by her stylist. Otherwise, she might’ve shoved her friend to the ground and run to the streets screaming for help. She couldn’t breathe properly in the shimmery silver mini dress they’d chosen, and her butt cheeks were asleep from sitting in the same position for too long.
“There. Go ‘mmm,’” June said, smacking her lips together. Jihae did as she was told, hoping that was the last of it. “You’re all done, and you’re welcome.”
“Thank God. I can’t feel my bum.” Jihae stood from her seat and opened her friend’s closet door for the full-length mirror. Her reflection made her breath catch. “I look smoking hot. I’m so glad you sat in on so many of my styling sessions. I think you’re even better than my stylists.”
June laughed as Jihae twisted this way and that to see all of herself. Her simple, spaghetti-strap dress clung to her curves like magic water, transforming her rather narrow, slender body into a delectable, curvaceous one. Her dramatic cat’s-eye makeup and bloodred lipstick made her look bold and mysterious. But her favorite thing about herself right now was the long, jet-black waves that flowed down her back and shoulders. This—this was no princess. No, the woman staring back at her was the mistress of her own life. She did as she wanted and no one could stop her.
“I’ll get ready fast, then we’ll go clubbing,” June said, ducking into her bathroom.
Jihae nodded distractedly and turned her gaze back to herself. She felt as though she had shed a layer of her skin and revealed a hidden side of her. Perhaps her true self. The one that matched her red, patent-leather stilettos—the only thing on her that she’d already owned before tonight. But Jihae knew who she was. Whenever she was alone, she could be as sloppy and goofy as she wanted. But a sudden rush of melancholy hit her. Maybe the real her wasn’t a silly side character in her persona, but a powerful, vibrant woman that shouldn’t be hidden.
Enough feeling sorry for yourself. This version of her might have some aspects of her true self, but she had to acknowledge that Princess Jihae also held parts of her. Her drive to succeed and her search for perfection had never been feigned.
Her friend stepped out of the bathroom looking beyond gorgeous in her black sleeveless dress. “Let’s go party, babe.”
With a resolute nod, Jihae straightened her spine and let a wicked smile spread across her face. “I’m ready.”
Colin buried his head in work all day, but it didn’t do much to distract him from thoughts of Jihae. Immobilized by his conflicting dread and excitement about the partnership with Rotelle Entertainment, he barely finished half of the tasks he’d set out to get done.
He pulled his hand down his face then eyed his leftover dinner with a grimace. The turkey club and fries had long gone soggy, which was just as well since he didn’t have much of an appetite. He couldn’t figure out why he was so twisted up.
His door cracked open and Kimberly peeked into the office. “Staying much longer?”
“No, I’ll probably follow you out in a few,” he said, rubbing his temples. “You’re here late.”
“I was finishing up my research and presentation for tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Selecting the right director is an essential part of our project.”
“Would it be unprofessional to say ‘Duh’?” She smiled cheekily at him. “Of course it is, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you. So go rest up. I want you sharp tomorrow.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
And just as he promised, Colin logged off his computer and closed shop for the night. It was already past ten, but he needed a drink to wind down, so he decided to head over to Pendulum.
The pressure in his chest eased a bit as he drove his car onto the road. He was letting his emotions get the best of him, and that wasn’t like him when it came to business. He hadn’t made millions by his midtwenties by being wishy-washy. He laughed wryly at the cocky observation. His confidence hadn’t hurt, either.
But now he questioned what was up and what was down. Was Jihae a spoiled villainess or was she a brilliant businesswoman with the allure of an angel? Who the hell knew? He certainly didn’t. No. No, that wasn’t true. Colin stubbornly tipped the scale toward villainess and quelled his doubts. He had to keep his crap together if he was going to get anywhere in his investigation.
By the time he parked his car at Pendulum, he’d almost convinced himself of Jihae’s culpability. All the evidence, albeit circumstantial, pointed to her involvement in the Hansol espionage. Her arrival right at the onset of the suspicious activities, and the targeted attack on Garrett and his marriage, implied that she had been seeking revenge against his cousin. With long, impatient strides, he walked into the club and headed straight for the bar. He planned to down a double cognac then take another into his office to enjoy more leisurely.
“Hey, Tim,” he said, waving down the bartender. “How’s your evening going?”
“Like a pretty typical weeknight. It’s just busy enough for it to be fun, but not enough to make me sweat.”
“Then you won’t mind if I trouble you for a drink.”
“Not a problem. Double cognac?” Tim asked.
“You know me so well,” Colin said with a grin.
Something about the music made him turn his head toward the stage and his suspicion was confirmed. Tucker was mixing the songs. He got the complete picture when he spotted the regularly scheduled DJ nursing a beer at the bar.
“Hey, Dan. Did Tucker beg you to sit out for a bit?”
“He’s this huge, intimidating dude, right? But he does a damn good puppy-dog look.” Dan shrugged sheepishly. “I can’t say no when he pulls that on me. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s the manager.”
“You did good. He misses being up there, and it helps him let loose a little. Managing this place isn’t an easy job.”
“Yeah. I totally get that.” The DJ sipped his drink as his eyes drifted to the stage. He whistled under his breath, shaking his head. “Those two women have been dancing like crazy for the last hour or so, and they’re distracting as hell. In a way, I was relieved to let Tucker take over, so I could stare at them properly. They look like goddesses but dance like unoiled automatons.”
With a wry smile, Colin turned toward the direction of Dan’s gaze and froze. June from Rotelle Entertainment was dancing with a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Jihae Park. The woman was wearing a dress that looked like liquid metal poured over her. It hugged her curves and moved sinuously against her body as she danced. Her dramatic eye makeup and her red pouty lips made her look sultry and enigmatic at the same time.
Whether he could believe his eyes or not, she was indeed Jihae. She was so far outside her brand that she was nearly unrecognizable. He didn’t like surprises but he could definitely live with this one. He wondered if this seductive, bold Jihae was closer to her real self than the armor-wearing businesswoman. This side of her made Colin’s desire spike even higher.
Goddesses who dance like unoiled automatons. He chuckled under his breath. Jihae and June weren’t the best dancers, but they made up for it with enthusiasm. He admired their complete disregard for what people might think of them, focusing on their joy instead. Shaking their heads, jumping in place, waving their arms...everywhere. Their sheer abandon made them shine, and Jihae glowed like a multifaceted crystal, too mesmerizing to look away from.
When Tucker dragged down the tempo and transitioned into a slow, sexy number, Colin shook himself out of his stupor. He welcomed the break from their dancing. His tongue was on the verge of unrolling out of his mouth, and his heart was already doing its damnedest to shove itself out of his chest. He was turning into a freaking cartoon wolf.
But as he swiveled back toward the bar, he caught a glimpse of Jihae and June stepping closer together. Oh, hell no. He swung his stool back to face the dance floor and lost the battle to keep his mouth closed. It was completely innocuous. They were hugging each other and laughing as they swayed from side from side. But the problem was, they were touching. No matter how innocent and playful they were being, watching two beautiful women dance and touch was too much to handle. Colin’s eyes were threatening to pop out of their sockets.
“Damn,” Dan said, and whistled quietly by his side.
Colin had forgotten that he wasn’t their only audience. A low growl started at the back of his throat, but he swallowed it with supernatural willpower. He wanted to punch the drooling DJ off the barstool, which was ridiculous since he’d been doing the same thing a second ago. Even so, he wanted the younger man’s eyes off Jihae.
“Dan, go relieve Tucker,” Colin said in a deceptively casual voice. “Playtime is over.”
“But...”
The protest died on his employee’s lips when he saw Colin’s expression, and he hurried toward the stage. The unexpected surge of possessiveness left Colin unsettled and on edge. He’d dated his fair share of women, but he’d never been the jealous sort. But it was different tonight. He didn’t like other men looking at Jihae that way. At all.
After downing his glass of cognac, he strode to the dance floor with deliberate steps. He braced himself for their shock at coming face-to-face with him on their night out on the town.
“Jihae,” he said, drawing her attention. “What an unexpected pleasure.”
June slowly stepped away from Jihae and stood beside her in a protective stance. Jihae lowered her eyes to her shoes as a lovely flush spread onto her chest, neck and cheeks. After a few breaths, she shifted her gaze to his face, and he couldn’t find a trace of her shyness or surprise.
“Colin.” She nodded her head in a regal manner that Colin couldn’t reconcile with the playful, happy woman he’d seen a moment before. The carefree Jihae was disappearing and he wanted to hold on to her before she could hide away completely.
Possessed by an inexplicable urgency, he stepped close to Jihae and pulled her into his arms. “May I cut in?”
He glanced briefly at June, who exchanged a look with Jihae, then shrugged. “By all means. I’ll be at our table.”
Jihae watched her assistant—who was obviously a close friend—walk off the dance floor, and met his eyes again. She placed one hand near his collar and drew it slowly down to his shoulder. Then she offered him her other hand, which he wrapped up in his own, and cradled it to his heart. Colin gulped audibly as he placed his free hand on her back and pulled her a little closer. Her soft body fit so perfectly against the hard planes of his own.
“Well, this is rather awkward. It was supposed to be my secret night of debauchery,” Jihae said in an even voice that didn’t reveal a hint of nerves, whereas he was trembling inside. Did she have the slightest idea what she was doing to him? Maybe he was too late and she’d gone back inside her armor.
“Was it?” he replied in a slightly rough voice. Because he could certainly oblige and assist her with the debauchery. “Well, I think it’s a perfect chance meeting to celebrate our partnership.”
“By dancing together at a nightclub? Besides, we already celebrated our partnership at the awards ceremony.” Her dismissive laugh did something to him, and he pulled her flush against him. Her aloof demeanor changed to one of surprise...and awareness. Colin’s lips curled in triumph. Her voice was a husky whisper when she said, “This is not exactly how I usually conduct business.”
His shoulders tensed at the thought of her dancing with other men, looking the way she did tonight. He blew out a breath through his nose and deliberately drew his shoulder back down. It was none of his goddamn business whom she danced with.
“Like I said, sometimes impulsivity leads to the best sort of fun.” Taking on a life of its own, his thumb drew soft circles on her lower back. “How else would we have had this great opportunity to build rapport?”
“Now it’s rapport-building?” She held his eyes and her lips lifted into a Mona Lisa smile. “This keeps getting better and better.”
With their heads bent close to hear each other, the sexy-as-hell hint of whiskey on her breath was driving him wild. He lowered his head imperceptibly to breathe in her scent, and she shivered in his arms. She felt the magnetic pull, too, and it was damn hot. When her eyes searched his, he slowly angled his head until their lips were mere inches apart.
Both of them drew back as though lightning had struck them. They were dancing in the middle of a crowd. They couldn’t do this. Breathing roughly, they gazed at each other in wonder and panic, not quite knowing what to do next. Then a look of stubborn determination filled her face, and Jihae slowly rose to her toes, shocking the hell out of him. She was so bold and true to her feelings. He respected her and wanted her exponentially more. And he wanted to kiss her full, red lips. So badly.
But he jerked himself back at the last second and eased her into a spin. When they faced each other again, he held himself stiffly apart from her. No matter what happened, he wouldn’t seduce her. What had compelled him to nearly kiss her had nothing to do with his plans to earn her trust, but the end result would be the same. He couldn’t use her that way.
“Yes, rapport-building,” he continued as though there hadn’t been a sizable lapse in their conversation. “This is definitely more effective than a company retreat.”
“I trust you’re as discreet as you are professional.” Her determined expression was replaced by a hint of mortification. Damn it. He hated making her feel rejected, but it was the honorable thing to do. “Jumping around and dancing like a crazy woman doesn’t meld with my business image. Neither does dancing in the arms of my partner. I don’t intend to repeat either of these activities.”
“I’m not the gossiping sort if that’s what you’re asking,” he said, hoping to ease her concern. “But this is hardly a matter that requires discretion. We’re two adults sharing a dance. Not exactly top gossip material. Besides, I don’t think anyone here recognizes you, and my presence here is expected.”
“So you’re a regular here?” She leaned back in his arms to look at him. “Should I assume you’re something of a party animal by night and a businessman by day?”
“I’m a businessman day and night.” He allowed himself a small smile, anticipating her surprise. “I own Pendulum.”
She didn’t disappoint. She gasped sharply, her eyes becoming wide saucers. Nightclub Jihae was the perfect amalgam of sexy and adorable. “What do you mean you own Pendulum? Wait, forget I just said that. That was a silly question. Of course I understand what you’re saying.”
“You’re right to be surprised. Not everyone runs nightclubs on the side while growing a production company. It’s not a well-known fact, especially in the film industry. I’m just known as the new kid on the block.”
“Did you say ‘nightclubs’?”
“Yes, I own three others, but I started with Pendulum.” To his regret, the song came to an end, and he let his arms drop to his sides, sadly bereft of her warmth. “She’s something special.”
“Well, then.” Curiosity saturated her face, as they arrived at her table to find June’s rapt attention on them. “It was nice running in to you, Colin.”
“Yes. It was very nice,” he said, extending his hand to her. The jolt of electricity made his body hum again. His body was even more aware of her after having held her in his arms. He quickly withdrew his hand, breaking contact. He had to walk away this minute because he was barely holding it together. “Good seeing you, June.”
“Mmm-hmm.” June didn’t exactly roll her eyes, but he sensed her attitude nonetheless. He must have looked like an eager pup, panting after Jihae. He had to stop being so obvious, so he furrowed his brow to look more serious. Because, well, he was an idiot. He probably looked like a ridiculous caricature.
“Well, then. I hope you ladies enjoy the rest of the night, and your drinks are on the house.”
“You don’t need to—”
“Thank you, Colin,” June said cheerily, cutting off her friend’s protest.
He smiled his approval at her, then inclined his head to both of them. “Good night.”
Jihae bit her bottom lip as though she wanted to say something but simply said, “Good night.”
Colin sighed in relief. He didn’t think he could handle her company much longer without doing things that could jeopardize their partnership as well as his personal objective. The woman was sinfully alluring and he was no saint.
He went back to the bar, walked behind it and grabbed himself a half-empty bottle of cognac and a glass. Tim acknowledged Colin’s little indulgence with a wave of his hand and shooed him out of his space. After throwing a smirk over his shoulder, Colin went inside his office and closed the door.
He intended to drown his lust in liquor so it wouldn’t be able to resurface too soon. Yes, it would resurface. Colin was never one to deny the inevitable. He just wanted to delay it.