against her. After a moment, he raised his head to look into her face. “It was my absolute pleasure.”
That was the most amazing, mind-blowing sex she’d ever had, but he managed to make her want him again with just a crooked smile and a few husky words. She wanted this after-sex warmth to last, but realized they would soon have to untangle their limbs and get off the couch. Then what? Would he expect her to leave right away? No, he wouldn’t be that callous; he’d said he wanted this to be a real relationship, at least while it lasted.
So, putting aside her trepidation, she simply asked, “Do you want to watch a movie?”
“Absolutely,” he said as he shifted his weight off her.
“Perfect.” Jihae must’ve sighed in relief because a knowing grin spread across Colin’s face. “I mean, good. I’m glad.”
“Here.” He handed her the remote control, then began picking his clothes up off the floor. “You choose the movie and I’ll pop the popcorn after I clean up.”
Colin was sweet and considerate, and she sighed dreamily. She wasn’t going to hope for an unattainable future, but would enjoy the here and now to the fullest. Because the here and now was pretty fantastic.
* * *
Colin had been wearing a stupid grin on his face all day. He and Jihae were dating. It was a secret, and it belonged only to them. Hell. He was a grown-ass man, acting like a giddy high-schooler. If he hadn’t been buried in work, he would’ve been drawing heart curlicues on his notepad. Fortunately, the sheer size of his workload prevented him from making an even bigger fool of himself.
To be discreet, they hadn’t appeared in public together more than once a week, and they were even more careful about spending time at each other’s places. They took advantage of as many chances as possible to see each other in their business capacity, but it was a far cry from spending time alone with her. The curtailed opportunities for privacy were frustrating, but it made each meeting all the more precious.
The script was close to being finalized—it was even better than his highest expectations—and the auditions were scheduled to commence in the next month or so. Other than relaying the author’s suggestions to the director, he and Jihae would be relatively hands-off in the initial creative process. They trusted Cora, and the casting director she brought on board, to do an amazing job.
But they definitely wanted to be present when the candidates for the female and male leads did their readings. In a romantic comedy, the hero and heroine’s chemistry was crucial to whether the movie worked or not. They wanted sparks coming off the lead actors when they were together on screen. Cora had some strong favorites she wanted to work with. He and Jihae also saw great potential in her choices, but they wouldn’t know for certain until they saw the candidates read together in person.
He leaned back in his chair and stretched out his stiff neck and shoulders. The clock on his monitor told him it was already past seven thirty in the evening. Damn. He’d wanted to mix business with pleasure with Jihae tonight, but she might already have had dinner. He sat upright and texted her, his pulse picking up speed.
Hungry?
Her response was almost immediate. I’m starving, baby.
He choked on a laugh even as his shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He loved her sexy sass.
I could fix that. What about for food?
Hungry for that, too.
Then allow me to fix that, as well. Where should we meet?
Somewhere that serves cheesy, decadent pizza.
He gave her the name of the perfect place for her craving. She was a bit closer to the restaurant than he, so he only had time to write one more email before he closed shop. That minuscule act of discipline made him feel a bit more in control of himself, and he was able to stop himself from running to his car.
Despite his attempts to slow down, he arrived early at the restaurant. He always came before Jihae. Not that she had a habit of running late, but he simply enjoyed the anticipation of waiting for her arrival, with his heart pumping a little faster each passing minute.
When she finally walked into the restaurant, his stomach clenched in a visceral reaction to her presence. She was wearing a white pantsuit with a pale, off-white blouse. Her patent-leather, nude stilettos completed her signature look. She exuded aloof sophistication and