Courage to Love

When Lianne opened the door after checking the camera, Kai immediately stepped in and wrapped her up in a hug while taking a deep sniff of her hair.

Lianne rolled her eyes and hugged him back, saying, "You're so clingy."

She felt his chest rumble as he laughed, "But you don't mind now, do you?"

"You're lucky that I don't," Lianne said, kissing him on the cheek as she stepped out of his hug. She then closed the door and he took off his shoes.

As she turned to go to the living room, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his arms. This time, to seal her lips with his.

One thing's for sure.

He would never, ever, get tired of this and would kiss her whenever he had the chance. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had been kiss-blocked several times before finally being able to kiss her.

All those near-misses made him dream about it often and when he finally could, it was like the Nectar of the Gods.

If Lianne was to have heard him think like this, she'd just tell him it was nothing of the sort.

He was just a big pervert.

Still, he was making her a big pervert as well because he really was a good kisser.

After getting his fill of her for the day … well, okay, for the hour, Kai broke the kiss and gave her enticing lips one final, soft touch with his lips before finally letting her go.

"There, am recharged," Kai said happily as he followed her in.

Lianne rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I'm surprised that the great CEO is so free nowadays. You're able to come home so early?"

Kai's face brightened up immediately upon hearing her words and he practically ran over to her side, "Home? I'll always come home early when you're waiting for me."

Lianne groaned and hit her forehead. How could she have been so careless and say that? Worse, she hadn't even realised it until Kai mentioned it.

"I meant MY home," Lianne huffed, turning away from him.

Kai didn't push his luck and instead, just hugged her from behind, putting his chin on her shoulder, "Wherever you are, is where my heart is. Where my heart is, is my home."

He kissed the side of her neck and she whacked his head.

"Stop it," she hissed, poking his forehead, "You still haven't answered my question. How can you be here so early? Don't you have work?"

Kai shrugged, not letting go, "Done for the day."

"You pushed most of it to Zayn, didn't you?" Lianne asked him, turning her head to look at him as she tried to get out of his arms.

He gave her a grin, "That's what his high pay is for."

"Really, Kai?" Lianne admonished him.

He laughed and replied, "Relax. There really isn't much going on this week, so the things I handed over to Zayn are the basic stuff. I'll probably be busy next week though."

He snuggled more into her neck, saying, "So I need to stock up before then."

"Fine," Lianne replied, relieved when he finally let her go, "The last thing I would want is for your work to suffer just because you're with me."

Kai sat down on the sofa, patting the spot next to him, saying, "I wouldn't do that to you. But will you be okay when I can't come over so often next time?"

Lianne sat down next to him and he immediately pulled her to sit on his lap. Her back was held up by his arm and she leaned on his chest so as not to put too much of her weight on his arm.

"I survived just well before meeting you, you know," Lianne said with a laugh.

"You mean you won't even miss me? Not even a little bit?" Kai asked, sounding aggrieved.

She hit him on the chest, "Of course I would, you fool. I just know how to pass my time."

"Which reminds me," Kai said, tilting his head to try and look at her, "Just what do you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what's your job? You know me and my full thing but I don't really know about you," he said, "Other than the fact that you're perfect."

"Gah, your cheesy lines haven't gotten any better," Lianne said with a roll of her eyes, "What if I was to say I don't have a job?"

Kai shrugged, "No biggie. I can support you, not a problem. I'll tell your father that, once we meet so he doesn't have to keep giving you money anymore."

"As if he'll say yes to that," Lianne said, "We aren't even married and you want to support me? Sounds like a mistress to me."

"That is easily solved," Kai replied, "Let's go and get married now."

"Stupid," Lianne scolded him, "Marriage is a serious business. You shouldn't joke about it like that."

"Who said I was joking?" Kai said, his voice low and serious suddenly.

Lianne looked up at him and saw how displeased he was and she sighed softly. She put her hand on his cheek, then said, "So don't say it in such an off-hand manner then, like it was some business deal you thought of suddenly."

Kai took her hand and looked at her seriously, "Lianne, my sayang. I love you. I am with you right now with only one thought in mind: that I want you as my wife. Know that my feelings for you have not changed from the first time I saw you. It just got stronger."

He kissed her on the lips softly, saying, "In fact, I find it extremely hard to keep my hands off you because I want to make you mine. Exclusively mine. If I could, I'd tie you up to me so that you are always by my side 24/7."

He kissed her again, this time, snaking his tongue in for a while, "So never think I am not serious when I suggest things like that. I am always serious."

He kissed her forehead, "But I know you're not ready yet. So I will wait. But it doesn't mean that I won't try to slip in a proposal now and then."

Lianne, who was all jelly by now, laughed a bit and hid her face in his chest, as she mumbled, "You call that a proposal? Sounded more like a demand than a request."

"Fine, I'll do better next time," Kai replied with a smile, "But don't change the subject now. Even if we aren't married, I don't want your father to continue to support you. I should do that."

"Ah, don't worry," Lianne said, "I'm an independent woman, you know. Granted, my father did give me this apartment but that's about it."

"Oh?" Kai responded, "So you do have a job."

"Yeah," Lianne replied.

"I know you do covers for your brother's novel but that can hardly be enough to cover your daily living expenses," Kai pointed out.

"Well …" Lianne began, "I do have some stocks and investments, so that is my main source of income. On the side, I'm also a hidden boss of some super-secret organisation that has nationwide links and coverage."

Kai sighed and kissed the top of her head.

"Fine, fine," he replied, not hurt or bothered by it.

He took her words as a jest for no one really earns that much money from stocks unless they have a huge percentage of it. Lianne said that she had some stocks, and not that she played with stocks so the former wouldn't generate that much income.

He also didn't think Lianne's investments amounted to much as it would require a lot of capital in order to make any investments really worthwhile.

It's like what they say.

It takes money to make money.

As for the hidden boss thing?

He hugged Lianne tighter, not minding her not wanting to reveal much. Perhaps most people would be bothered by it, but not him. He loved her and trusted her completely. So long as he knew that she was fine financially, he was okay with that.

How she earned her money was not an issue. Perhaps, when they got married, he would know but even then, it was fine.

Lianne snuggled more to Kai, knowing that he didn't really believe her. She didn't mind and was glad that he didn't press the issue. It was still too early to reveal her cards but this was the first step.

She knew that Kai was a gem.

His family may not be one that she liked, and it may mean that she could not be low key in the future … but he was such a perfect man.

Was he enough to continue to give her the courage to love?