Although Reckless

Prologue

Characters and locations mentioned in this series are entirely fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons or places is purely coincidental.

This series is set in South Korea, where the characters predominantly converse in Korean. English dialogue spoken by the characters is rendered in <> throughout the text to distinguish the English speech from the Korean dialogue. [] is used for telephone calls or texts.

“I didn’t intend to do this…”

At the man’s low murmuring voice, Serin raised her eyes to look at him.

Didn’t intend what?

Her eyes met his. Her brows knit together, unable to understand what he meant.

“Haa…” She took a short breath, her body trembling, as a heavy, musky scent tickled her nose. While pushed against the wall and locked between his arms, she thought he looked downright haughty.

His strong physique, with a height of 6’3”, made him all the more intimidatingly attractive. He reminded her of a beast stalking its prey.

Her eyes reflected the tension and subtle anticipation as she studied him as well. He had an extremely handsome face with sharp, strong features. Her eyes slowly traced down his face to meet his own, which were nestled under his thick eyebrows.

Of all his well-formed features, a sculpted masterpiece, his eyes were the pièce de résistance. Those eyes were pinning her down firmly, seeming to devour her whole.

She remembered the intense feeling she’d gotten when their eyes had first met. Were they now the source of her inexplicable sense of déjá vu, even inspiring her to suggest a night together?

She gazed into his eyes, asking herself one question after another. Despite the charged atmosphere surrounding them, his black pupils—visible even in the darkness—seemed detached. Yet she clearly saw through them: the strong, burning desire he concealed behind his indifferent facade. She could tell how strictly he controlled his desires and emotions.

She swallowed while wondering what he would be like after taking off his gentleman’s mask, when he laid himself bare. She couldn’t even imagine it.

Is he too tough for me…?

She gently bit her lower lip as a sense of regret flooded in. It was strange. She was fearful, not knowing how to handle such a daunting man, but also excited for that very reason.

His white-hot stare penetrated her skin.

She lowered her eyes, uncharacteristically embarrassed, as her gaze followed the high bridge of his nose down to the sensual lines of his lips. Her eyelids fluttered, and she heard him chuckle in what would later be revealed as self-mockery.

“I’m confused,” he muttered, raising her chin with his thumb until their eyes met again. “I’m unsure whether I’m a helpless pushover who gets excited too easily, or if you are excessively attractive.”

She looked him squarely in the eye. The hint of laughter in his voice and his unwavering eyes provoked her. Only the words coming out of his mouth revealed a hint of self-deprecation while his demeanor oozed confidence.

She gave a slight snort at his condescending attitude and raised her head defiantly. “Let’s just say my irresistible appeal got to you, even though you’re usually so hard-to-get.”

He smiled, proud of the daring answer paired with a compliment that she’d come up with. Serin Han was no pushover.

“I’m enjoying being so easy-to-get this time,” he murmured, stroking her cheek with one hand as the corner of his mouth crept up. He seemed pretty satisfied with her answer.

The hands caressing her cheeks were sizable, more than capable of cradling her entire face. His gaze intensified at her soft skin against the tips of his fingers as her breathing accelerated.

“I’m asking you for the last time, so answer wisely,” he said calmly, the pressure on her chin leaving her no choice but to meet his gaze. “I’m not much of a gentleman. I can be fairly aggressive, and this might take all night.”

Their noses grazed each other as he leaned in, sending a shiver through her body.

“Do you still want to sleep with me?” he whispered.

She examined him as she slowed her staccato breaths. Even though his mouth was asking politely, his eyes had already begun the deed. Her body responded to his feral, domineering expression.

Licking her own lips, she made her consent explicit. “That’s… exactly what I want. Make it so I can’t think of anything else.”

And she meant it. Just for one night, she wanted to banish every headache-inducing problem from her overburdened mind and drench herself in pleasure. She’d chosen a passionate night as her outlet because an impulsive thrill seemed preferable to getting wasted by herself.

Or rather, to be frank—she rationalized it that way after being thoroughly seduced by his charm. If it hadn’t been for this man before her, she would never have imagined suggesting a one-night stand. It would be completely out of character for her.

“How cocky,” he replied as the corners of his mouth curled up. His eyes fixed on hers, and his hand cupped the back of her head. Then he pushed his thigh between her legs, clad in a tight, knit dress.

Emboldened, she parted her lips, and he didn’t miss a beat, quickly nibbling her full, red lip before pressing his tongue into the open gap.

Her eyes widened.

His warning hadn’t been a bluff—she’d never experienced such an intense kiss in her life.

“Hhp…!”

She grabbed his shoulders, squirming as the sensation brought her close to tears.

With his hands holding her head firmly in place, their lips overlapped more tightly, and their kiss became deeper. As she ran out of breath, her vision started to blur.

After practically devouring her lips, he finally released them.

“Haa… Haa…” she panted, gasping for breath. Her heart was pounding, her legs shook, and her chin felt damp.

“Breathe,” his steady voice murmured above her head.

She looked up at him dazedly. Her lips were smudged from the kiss, but he looked put together. She alone was blushing and winded.

“If you can’t even handle this, why would you provoke me?” he muttered before wiping her chin with his thumb.

That intimate gesture left her speechless and even more turned on.

Is this normal?

She surrendered all reason. She couldn’t wait to get into bed and enjoy this man. The firmness between his legs responded as well.

Her mouth went dry with a burning thirst for something salacious, and her fingertips itched to touch the results of his instinct.

With a grin, and without warning, he lifted her up in his arms.

“Oh…!”

Had he read her thoughts?

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and her legs encircled his waist as they were brought face-to-face.

“It’s true I was intrigued faster than usual, but you should know that won’t stop until I’m satisfied,” he warned again, with a dangerously glint in his eyes.

Her mouth dropped open. She watched his expression as his long strides guided them into the bedroom suite, and she realized that she hadn’t chosen him. He had chosen her.

That night was everything she had dreamed of.

All night long, he enjoyed her body, and she responded until her voice was almost gone. She kept her eyes fixed on him so that nothing else could enter her mind.