CHAPTER 50
By the time Duri finished his shift, the snow had thickened. Noeul waited for him outside with his hands buried deep inside his coat pockets. His breath turned white in the cold as Duri locked the door behind him.
“You waited?”
“You sound surprised.”
“I thought reliable future partners went home at reasonable hours.”
Noeul rolled his eyes. “Do you want a ride or not?”
Duri grinned. “Your place or mine?”
Noeul stared at him. “What?”
“You made it too easy.”
“Get in the car.”
Duri laughed all the way to the passenger side.
They had barely made it into the underground parking garage beneath Duri’s building when Noeul switched off the engine. For a moment, neither moved. Snow melted slowly across the windshield; the outside world blurred beneath the water.
Duri unfastened his seat belt. “You coming up?”
Noeul looked at him. The answer should have been easy. Instead, he found himself watching Duri’s mouth.
Duri noticed. His lips curved. “Hyung.”
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were going to.”
Duri leaned a little closer. “What was I going to say?”
Noeul caught the front of his jacket and kissed him.
Duri froze for barely a second before kissing him back.
The position was awkward, the center console was between them and Noeul had twisted half-sideways in his seat, but Noeul didn’t care.
Not tonight. Duri’s hand came up to the side of his neck, warm against skin still cold from outside.
Noeul kissed him again, slower this time, feeling Duri smile against his mouth.
“What?” Noeul murmured.
“Nothing.”
“You’re smiling.”
“I’m happy.”
Something about the simple answer made Noeul kiss him again. Duri’s fingers slipped into his hair, and Noeul moved closer until the console made it impossible to go any farther. He pulled back, breathing harder than before.
“This car is terribly designed.”
Duri laughed. “I don’t think they expected this to be one of the features.”
“Shut up.”
Noeul kissed him before he could say anything else.
Duri pulled away first, but not far. His forehead rested against Noeul’s. “You know,” he murmured, “there’s an apartment upstairs. With a bed.”
Noeul laughed softly. “I remember.”
“And no center console.”
“That too.”
Duri kissed the corner of his mouth. “Come upstairs.”
Noeul looked at him. Duri didn’t push.
Noeul reached for his hand. “Okay.”
Duri smiled, but Noeul tightened his fingers around his before he could open the door. “Wait.”
Duri turned back. Noeul leaned across the console and kissed him once more. Just because he wanted to. When he pulled away, Duri looked almost stunned.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Stop saying that.”
“I’m trying very hard not to ruin the moment.”
Noeul laughed. “Come on, liebling.”
This time, when Duri opened the door, Noeul followed him. The snow continued falling outside. Noeul didn’t wonder how long something good would last. He simply let himself have it.
The moment the apartment door closed behind them, Duri bent to take off his shoes. Noeul barely gave him the chance. He caught Duri by the front of his jacket and pulled him back. Duri stumbled, laughing.
Noeul kissed him. Whatever Duri had been about to say disappeared against his mouth.
His back met the door with a soft thud, and Noeul moved closer, one hand still twisted in his jacket.
Duri’s hands settled at his waist, warm even through his clothes.
For a few seconds, neither seemed willing to stop.
Duri pulled back first, just enough to breathe. “You’re different tonight.”
Noeul frowned. “Is that a complaint?”
“Absolutely not.”
Noeul kissed him again. Duri smiled against his lips.
“Stop smiling.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you keep kissing me.”
Noeul stared at him. “Would you prefer I stop?”
The smile vanished immediately. “No.”
A laugh escaped Noeul. “Then shut up.”
“Yes, hyung.”
Noeul kissed him before he could become any more annoying.
This time, Duri’s arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer.
Noeul let himself sink against him. One of Duri’s hands moved slowly up his back while the other remained at his waist, and Noeul’s fingers slipped into the hair at the back of his neck.
Duri’s mouth left his lips and moved along his jaw, then his neck. Noeul inhaled sharply.
Duri stopped.
Noeul opened his eyes. “Why did you stop?”
“You went tense.”
For a moment, Noeul only looked at him. Then he curled his fingers around the back of Duri’s neck and pulled him closer. “I’m okay.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Duri still waited. The ridiculous man actually waited.
Noeul tilted his head slightly. “Do I need to submit a written request?”
Duri laughed against his skin. “Maybe. Signed and dated.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
Duri kissed his neck again, softer this time. Noeul closed his eyes. “No,” he murmured. “I really don’t.”
Somehow they made it to the sofa. Duri dropped onto it first, and Noeul sat beside him, still trying to catch his breath. Then his gaze fell to Duri’s arms.
The tattoos. He had been wondering about them all day.
Noeul reached out and ran his fingers over the ink disappearing beneath Duri’s sleeve. Duri looked down at his hand.
“I’ve been wondering about something,” Noeul said.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“Are these the only ones?”
Duri’s eyebrows rose. Noeul immediately regretted asking.
A slow grin spread across Duri’s face. “Hyung. You’ve been thinking about my tattoos?”
“No.”
“You have.”
“I was curious.”
“About my tattoos.” He paused. “Under my clothes.”
Noeul narrowed his eyes. “You’re making this very difficult.”
“I’m enjoying myself.”
“I can tell.”
Duri laughed. Noeul looked at the sleeve again, then at him. “Take it off.”
Duri went completely still.
Noeul felt heat creep into his face but refused to look away. “Your shirt,” he clarified.
“I know what you meant.”
“Then why are you staring at me?”
“Because I’m trying to remember whether I’ve died and this is some kind of reward.”
Noeul rolled his eyes. “Fine. Keep it on,” he said while he reached for Duri’s shirt himself.
He caught the hem and slowly pulled it upward. Duri lifted his arms without a word, letting Noeul draw the shirt over his head before tossing it onto the other end of the sofa.
For several seconds, Noeul forgot he was supposed to say something. There were more tattoos. Ink stretched across Duri’s shoulder and continued over part of his chest, another design tracing his side. Duri leaned back against the sofa, watching him.
“Well?”
Noeul touched the tattoo on his shoulder first. His fingertips followed the dark lines slowly, tracing them toward his chest. Duri’s breathing changed.
Noeul noticed. That sent an unexpected rush of warmth through him.
He moved to the tattoo along Duri’s side. “This one too?”
Duri nodded.
“When did you get it?”
“Last year.”
Noeul traced the edge of it. Duri caught his wrist. Not hard. Just enough to stop him.
Noeul looked up.
“If you keep doing that,” Duri said quietly, “I’m going to have a very difficult time behaving.”
Noeul’s heart kicked harder. “Who asked you to behave?” Noeul smiled. It lasted approximately two seconds.
Then Duri kissed him.
Noeul laughed against his mouth as Duri guided him backward onto the sofa. Duri followed, bracing himself above him rather than letting his full weight settle against Noeul.
For a moment, they simply looked at each other. Duri’s hair had fallen forward over his forehead. His lips were slightly swollen from kissing, his tattoos exposed beneath the warm apartment light.
Noeul had never seen him like this. Or maybe he had never allowed himself to look.
Duri lowered his head and kissed him again. Noeul’s hands went instinctively to his bare shoulders. Warm skin beneath his palms. He slid one hand down Duri’s back, feeling muscle move beneath his fingers, then returned to the tattoo at his shoulder.
Duri kissed him deeper. Noeul responded without thinking, one hand moving into Duri’s hair as he pulled him closer. There was nothing hesitant about the want moving through him now. And strangely, that didn’t frighten him.
Duri’s hand moved from Noeul’s waist to his side. Noeul shifted beneath him, drawing him closer. Then Duri’s mouth found his neck again.
Noeul’s fingers tightened against his shoulder. Duri immediately lifted his head.
“Still okay?”
Noeul stared at him, breathing hard. “Yes.”
Only then did Duri lower his head again.
Noeul closed his eyes as Duri kissed his neck, his jaw, then returned to his mouth. He could feel how much Duri wanted him. But Duri wasn’t taking anything.
Every time Noeul moved closer, Duri followed. Every time he hesitated, Duri waited.
Noeul had been kissed with anger before. With desperation. With grief. He knew what it felt like to have someone else’s feelings pressed against him so strongly that there was barely room left for his own.
This wasn’t like that. Here, his wanting mattered too.
Noeul slid both arms around Duri’s neck and pulled him down for another kiss. Because he wanted him closer. Because he could.
Duri eventually broke away, breathing heavily, and rested his forehead against Noeul’s. “If we keep going like this,” he murmured, “I’m never getting off this sofa.”
Noeul smiled. “Sounds like your problem.”
Duri laughed and kissed him once more before shifting to the side. Noeul immediately missed the warmth.
Apparently, Duri noticed that too. “Come here.”
Noeul moved against him, resting partly against his chest. Duri wrapped an arm around him while Noeul returned his attention to the tattoos.
“You’re obsessed.”
“I’m examining them.”
“With your fingers.”
“How else am I supposed to examine them?”
“I can think of…”
Noeul covered his mouth with his hand. Duri laughed beneath it.
“You brat!”
Duri pulled his hand away and kissed his palm.
Noeul went quiet. Duri did too.
Outside, snow gathered against the windows. After a while, Duri traced his fingers lightly over the back of Noeul’s hand.
“You staying?”
Noeul listened to the steady beat of his heart beneath his ear. “Yes.”
Duri kissed his hair. Noeul intertwined their fingers.