Boyfriend? Husband?

Long Jie woke up Song Luli with kisses, showering her face in the morning. Song Luli stirred awake, opening her eyes, smiling up at him.  

She lifted a hand, caressing his cheek, tracing the lines of his sharp jaw, feeling the stubble of his facial hair. He gazed at her with depthless ocean eyes. She then flipped over him, gripping his jaw, taking control. 

Long Jie's eyes widened in astonishment; a blazing desire roiled in him. She lifted his chin with her index finger, exposing his neck fully. Long Jie's nostrils flared; he couldn't anticipate what Song Luli wanted to do with him. 

He could admit that only she made him feel that way. The stir of his desire did not come easily; she aroused him in ways that other women couldn't. And living with Song Luli, he was trying to figure it out. 

It wasn't just the fact that they were a man and woman living in the same house alone; it was the fact that he liked her, and he was too stubborn to realize it sooner. 

He felt like he wasn't afraid anymore to try to be with her, physically and emotionally. He didn't expect her to reciprocate his feelings. But when Song Luli admitted that Miss Mao had made her feel embarrassed, anger dispersed throughout his body. He felt that it was his responsibility to take care of her, to assure what she felt was valid.  

He confessed suddenly because he wanted to assure her that he belonged to her, even if she did not feel the same way. He was willing to let her dig a hole in his aching heart. 

But she told him she liked him too. That made him smile like an idiot when she wasn't looking. 

Song Luli leaned down to nip on his neck, bruising his skin. Long Jie groaned, and he wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that Song Luli had good self-control, because she was testing his. And his desire flared yesterday the moment he realized they shared the same feelings. 

Long Jie let Song Luli mark his body, her territory as it seemed. When she pulled away from him, she dragged him out of bed to pack up and check out from the Inn. They parted from the owner and thanked her for their stay. 

On the way out, Miss Mao was walking up the gravel of the road. She wore a dress, and she had curled her honey-brown hair. She held a smile on her face as she approached them. 

Song Luli didn't frown; she kept her face neutral. She understood that her husband was a catch, but he wasn't on the market for a reason. And she trusted him. 

"I want to send you off," Miss Mao said. Song Luli noticed she said, 'you' instead of 'both of you.' 

When Miss Mao faced Long Jie closer, her eyes widened subtly. Long Jie was tall, so she noticed that marks on his neck and throat, and smaller ones underneath his chin. 

Miss Mao composed herself as there was no mistaking what she interpreted; they were love bites. 

It was Song Luli's turn to smile. 

Long Jie took Song Luli's hand, entwining their fingers, pulling her close. "Miss Mao, I hope to receive the reports on the biomass project." 

"Yes, Mr. Long. How does two weeks from now sound?" she asked him politely. 

Long Jie began to walk past her, towards the car with Song Luli. He opened the passenger seat for his wife as he said to Miss Mao, "I want it by tomorrow. Or you're fired." His voice held a sharp coldness to it that Song Luli shivered, but it wasn't with fear. 

Miss Mao let out a short snarl. "Of course, Mr. Long," she gritted out. She then stormed out of their sight. Good riddance, Song Luli thought. 

Song Luli then settled her things in the car, and they drove back, on their way home. 

They made more stops on the way, and instead of visiting other people this time, Long Jie showed her some scenery away from towns and businesses. Ever since the night before, Song Luli became more conscious of him. She now knew that he was serious, and he considered her romantically. 

It was a strange feeling. She felt like Long Jie was her boyfriend now, but how could he be if he was already her husband? She supposed that titles didn't matter now, but the pit in her stomach fluttered when he's around, now more than ever since they signed the marriage papers.

During one of the stops, Long Jie and Song Luli went to the back of the car, where he went down on her. He ravished her, and Song Luli felt as if she was getting addicted to his touch, his scent, to his flashing grin, to him.  

Afterward, it took another few hours to reach home. And what was different now than when they left was that they were alone again, but this time, as two people who awknowledged their undeniably raw feelings. 

Song Luli still wanted to take things slow, to prepare herself, to open her heart in every aspect. She wanted to give it her all and not half-heartidely. Otherwise, it will hurt them both.

She liked him, even more than what she was ready to admit just how much she did. 

In the bedroom, Song Luli approached him with some cream to mend the skin she had bitten. Long Jie caught her wrist. "Leave it," he said. Song Luli's ears reddened. She couldn't handle this new dynamic between them--he was flirting, and he kept his mark of ownership, reminding her that she, indeed, belonged to him and no one else. 

Song Luli unpacked again to do some laundry. Long Jie helped her fold the clothes after it washed and dried. They both stayed quiet, peacefully doing a chore together. 

"I was thinking of taking you on a date," Long Jie said to her casually. 

Song Luli froze. "Oh?" She responded. 

"I want us to do normal things couples do," he said straightforward. Song Luli flushed. He was so forthright that she wasn't sure if she could keep up with him. He was ready to move forward, and she was still adapting to the fact that Long Jie wanted to court her.

If they rekindled years ago, in high school, and if he had told her 'I like you,' she wouldn't have believed him. He was a handsome and intelligent man, way beyond reach. Now, they're adults, and by chance, they got together. But she realized she wouldn't ever want to let him go.