HeartBeat (Saranghaeyo Book 2) (20 page)

Young got up, approaching them with a serious expression, "What?" He asked somewhat dryly.

G.K. interjected, "Sam wants to dance with you."

Young's eyes widened, eyes flying toward Sam's face. "You want to dance?" He asked her softly looking her in the eye.

Silently Sam stared back at Young for a moment, before nodding her head in response. Young bestowed a wide smile upon her before grabbing her hand and leading her onto the crowded dance floor.

               Kwan got up and asked Marcia to dance a few minutes later, to her obvious delight and Boom also found a partner soon thereafter; a pretty petite brunette in a low cut blue dress.

G.K. was the last to stand, asking Leila if she also wanted to dance. She smiled her acquiescence.

Once safely on the dance floor Leila wrapped her hands around G.K.'s shoulders, sighing at the feeling of happiness that bloomed from once again being in his arms. He rested his hands low on her waist while moving against her in time with the music.

              
Give me strength
, G.K. pleaded to the heavens, at the feel of Leila's slow winding hips against his own. He wanted nothing more than to take her into the bathroom, the car, heck on the table and strip her naked. But he controlled himself, all the while gripping her tighter and moving her closer.

G.K. tried counting, thinking of his ABC's,
hangul
, anything to distract him from the raging fire Leila's dancing was creating below his belt.

               Leila fought a groan at the sweeping heat that seared a path through her body and the gush of moisture that settled itself in her center.

Just being close to him wreaks havoc on my body
, she complained internally. The heat from his fingertips blazed through the thin fabric of her dress, causing her to feel feverish.

Leila tried to pull back a little but G.K.'s strong arm prevented her retreat. And when she felt his arousal, pressed firmly against her she smiled.

I see I'm not alone
, she thought.

"Don't move," he whispered, a smile playing on his lips.

               In an attempt to distract herself from her arousal she turned her head looking at the other couples around them.

At first she didn’t spot any of the other group members in the dense crowd on the dance floor. But after a few moments she noticed Young and Sam who were dancing about five feet away from them.

Even with the others, moving between them, she had a direct view of the couple that was dancing as if they were all alone.

               Leila felt her eyes widen as she watched them over G.K.'s shoulder. She had thought that she and G.K. had been dancing a little raunchy, but they had nothing on Young and her sister.

When the song changed from a faster tune to a slower one, Sam turned her back on Young, moving slowly against his front.

There didn’t seem to be an ounce of space between them, as they moved together, fitted closely against one another.

               Leila thought she would have to cover her eyes, when Young took one of his hands that had been resting on Sam's hips and slid it over her exposed shoulder and down her side, as moved his hips confidently against her rear.

Leila watched as her sister subtly bit her bottom lip, before mumbling something that caused Young to smile and whisper a response into her ear. A moment later he deftly spun her around, leaving Leila with only a view of Sam’s back.

Leila couldn’t help but grin as she once again focused her attention onto her own sexy dance partner. When her eyes locked with G.K.’s warm brown ones, she felt her heart skip a beat and all thoughts of anyone else in the room slowly disappeared.
 

***
 

               When Leila and G.K. later returned to their booth, Kai, Noel, Kwan, and Marcia were already seated.

The couple joined them, and Leila grabbed her previously abandoned beverage, taking deep sips of the still-cold fruity drink in an effort to cool her over heated body.

Sam and Young approached soon after, walking shyly next to each other. The innocent and curious glances that they occasionally gave each other made Leila question if the display she’d seen earlier had been a figment of her imagination.  

               "Did you two have fun dancing?" Kwan asked.

Sam merely nodded and Young did as well, before saying, "Sam's the best partner I've ever had. She has an amazing rhythm." he finished with another look toward Leila's sister and a timid smile.

In response to Young’s seemingly innocent statement, Sam blushed.

Chapter 17

The group left several hours later, the sun creeping up over the horizon when they re-appeared outside. Tiredly, they all piled into the limo, to head back to their respective homes.

               Seated in the car, Leila placed her head on G.K.'s shoulder in exhaustion.

They had danced several more times with each other, and Leila was pooped.

               They all agreed to take Sam, Marcia, and Leila home first before heading back to T4L’s hotel.

Leila soon felt her eyes grow heavy in the silent vehicle. It seemed that none of them was up for much conversation, leaving the car shrouded in a comfortable quiet.

She closed her eyes and scooted closer to G.K.'s side. And when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, she drifted into a light sleep.

               Leila woke when G.K. gently shook her shoulder, rousing her from her slumber. She blinked unresponsively at first, before rubbing her eyes.

She looked around the car, seeing the men and Noel getting out. Marcia and Sam were nowhere in sight.

"Where are we?" She asked him, sleep reverberating in her voice.

G.K. gave her a small smile, "We're at the hotel..."

"I thought I was going home with Sam and Marcia."

G.K. shook his head, moving to also get out of the car, "I've gotten so used to you sleeping next to me. If I plan on getting any rest, I need you there."

Leila grinned, scooting out of the limo. G.K. helped her out completely, and held her hand as they went through the lobby.

***

               In the elevator Leila looked at G.K. "Do you know what time it is?"

He reached into his jacket and pulled out his cell phone. Glancing at the screen, his eyes widened. “It’s five a.m.”

Leila was surprised. She had gone out many times before, however; this had to be the latest she'd ever come in.

"Do you all have schedule today?" She asked.

G.K. nodded with a pained expression, "Yes, we have to be up and dressed by nine."

Leila started laughing again, as the elevator dinged on their floor.

"I don't see what's so funny, we're all going to be zombies on television." G.K. huffed, as he grabbed her hand, walking off the elevator.

               Leila kissed his cheek and G.K. turned his head to look at her, as they came to a stop in front of his room door. “I guess some sleep is better than none, right?"

G.K. slid the keycard into the lock before pushing it open. "Well actually, I was thinking, it'd be better if I just stayed awake until nine."

Leila's eyes narrowed, "And what would you be awake doing exactly?" she asked as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I'm sure we could think of something," he whispered as he leaned in for a kiss.

               Leila felt her breath halt in anticipation of feeling his lips on hers. Just before they came into contact, Leila was hit by the sensation that they were no longer alone in the hallway.

She placed a halting hand on his arm as she glanced over his shoulder, spotting an older Asian couple coming toward them.

G.K. turned his head, following her line of vision. G.K. cursed mentally at the sight of his parents.
Of all the mornings
, his mind complained.

               When he felt Leila nervously fidget against him he looked at her.

"Are those your parents?" She asked, her eyes watching their approach.

G.K. nodded, “If you want you can go into the room, I'll be inside in a few minutes I promise."

Leila hesitated. She wanted to meet them however she didn't really want to do so sweaty, tired, and in the dress she had partied in all night. She shot him an apologetic look before attempting to slide into the room undetected.

However, she wasn’t quick enough and his parents came to a stop in front of them, their fixed stare pinning her to the spot where she stood.

               G.K. laced his fingers with hers in support, to his father’s obvious displeasure.

G.K. noticed his mother's eyes flicked between him and Leila before settling on their conjoined hands.

"
Umma
, how are you this morning?" G.K. asked in Korean, purposefully excluding his father from his question.

His father opened his mouth as if to respond however his mother shot him a silencing stare. To G.K.’s shock his father’s lips tightened and he remained silent. “We're fine, son." She answered.

               His mother continued, "We came to take you to breakfast with us. We have to talk."

G.K. was torn, on one hand he did need to talk to his mother, but on the other, he was tired, and didn't feel up to anymore arguments with his father.

"
Umma.
..I don't..." She raised a hand to silence his refusal.

"It wasn't a question. Clearly no one has been telling me what's been going on in my family, and that is unacceptable." She paused, "So I expect to see you AND Kai downstairs, within the hour."

               G.K. nodded silently, at his mother's stern orders.

Satisfied, his mother turned to look at Leila. "And you are?" She asked in English with a smile.

Leila raised a tentative hand in greeting, "I'm Leila, Leila Parker."

"I'm Minsoo Park, G.K.'s mother. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said with a smile.

Her warm smile put Leila at ease, "Thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well."

Minsoo turning back to her son. "You, and Kai, downstairs in one hour."

"
Ye
, yes,
Umma
."

G.K.'s mother nodded confidently, taking her husband’s hand and turning away.

"Come; let's give him some time to ready himself."

               G.K.'s father sent another glare his way, but remained silent, turning with his wife to head in the opposite direction.

              
That was the docile, obedient, mother G.K. had described to her?

While Leila hadn’t understood most of the conversation between G.K. and his parents, as it had been spoken in Korean. From what she had seen, his mother seemed to have a lot of authority over both her son and her husband.

Once parents disappeared onto the elevator, G.K. turned and gently pulled her through the room door. He walked in slowly, plopping down on his bed.

Leila made her way over to him. "So those were your parents." She said, using an obvious statement to ease some of the tension in the room.

G.K. gave a short nod. Leila watched the tightness increase in G.K.'s shoulders, with each moment that passed. She lifted a hand and slid across the stiff muscles in his back.

               "I...I don't know if I can do this." G.K. said, his eyes not meeting hers.

"Can’t do what?"

"I’m ashamed to admit that I have obeyed my parents my entire life. Only recently have I gotten a voice against my father. I hurt him, and to be honest it didn’t even bother me. Sadly, I never truly thought he cared about my well being. He only saw me as a way to make profit."

G.K.'s worried brown eyes, met her own. Leila saw the slight sheen that pooled at the corners, and felt her heart break.

He continued, "In a way I expected his rejection. But with
Umma
, I don't know if I can handle her disappointment too.”

               "She couldn’t possibly be disappointed in you," Leila reassured him softly, "You're successful, you've achieved both your dream and the one your father had for you as well. You may have hit some bumps, but that's life. In a family, you have fights, arguments...but you make up. You get over it, and move on."

G.K. adamantly shook his head, "Clearly you don't know my father. There is no moving on...no making up. It’s his way or the no way at all. He'll try and force me to do what he wants. He’ll make me choose, just like he did o Kai."

Leila’s face contorted in confusion. "Make you choose? Make you choose what?"

G.K.'s eyes bored a hole into hers, as he grabbed her hand. His fingers running along the skin gently, "I've always been closer to
umma
, and he knows that. He'll make me choose, between
Umma
...and..." he paused and his eyes hardened as he finished. "Between
Umma
...and you."