Secret Crush Seduction, page 3
He was a thirty-four-year-old divorced man with a train of baggage. He had no business ogling a woman nearly a decade younger than him. Especially since the woman was Garrett’s little sister. Michael tore his gaze from her and swallowed after three attempts.
He stepped into the kitchen and quietly placed the macaron tower on the corner of the counter so it wouldn’t interfere with Adelaide’s cooking. Something smelled delicious and his mouth watered with anticipation. If his nose wasn’t lying to him, she was making Korean food.
“Michael,” she greeted him with a smile. “When did you get here?”
“Just now.” He coughed into his fist, hoping she wouldn’t notice the gift he had left on the counter. “Do you need any help?”
“Could you set the table for four and start setting out the banchan? One set on each side?” Adelaide scanned the kitchen with her chin in her hand, probably considering what else had to be done. He saw the exact moment she registered the colorful macaron tower. Her jaws went slack, then she blinked several times before bursting into laughter. “Are you trying to earn brownie points with my grandmother? That is so ridiculous for a dinner for four, but utterly irresistible because...macarons.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, grinning, relieved Adelaide glossed over his lapse in judgment. “So your dad is having dinner with us?”
“Yup. The Songs are miraculously all home for dinner.”
The thought of a family dinner, even with someone else’s family, broadened his grin. Michael reached the utensils drawer in two steps, and picked out the silver spoon and chopsticks for the elders, and the generic silverware for him and Adelaide.
“So...” It was obvious she was orchestrating the lovely dinner with an ulterior motive. If he was lucky, she might let slip a hint of what she gunning for. “Do you know why Mrs. Song summoned me tonight?”
Adelaide shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe she wants to thank you for ‘coming to my rescue’ the other night.”
“The way I remember it, I didn’t exactly bring you safely home. You walked away from me and drove off into the night.” He drew his brows together, realizing she could’ve driven to another nightclub to dance in a new crowd of men. “Where did you go that night?”
“None of your business.” Her gaze turned glacial.
“It is my business,” he said. She was 100 percent right about it being none of his business, but he suddenly felt very contrary. “I’m practically your big brother. Remember, sis?”
“Well, oppa.” Angry sparks jumped in her eyes. “I got a few of my boy toys together for an all-night orgy. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“That’s fine as long as you let your grandmother know your whereabouts.” He ran his hands down his face. “Like I said, she was very worried about you.”
“Stop treating me like a child, Michael.” Adelaide stomped up to him and tugged down his tie so he would look her in the eye. “This is your last warning. If you ever patronize me again, I will punch you in the throat without hesitation.”
Her vicious snarl did nothing to diminish her beauty, and something feral flared low in his gut. Their noses were nearly touching and they breathed each other in. They stood frozen, as their anger and frustration burned hotter, until something volatile and fierce permeated the empty space between them.
Without conscious thought on his part, Michael’s hand rose and wrapped around the back of her neck. She gasped and tilted her head back in silent invitation, exposing the delicate triangle under her throat. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and brushed the tip of his nose on the sensitive skin behind her ear and traced his way down to where her neck met the curve of her shoulder. The space between them disappeared. Adelaide’s hands were pressed flat on his back, and he pulled her closer. He was hot, hungry and dizzy. He was nothing but this moment... Nothing but need.
Michael inhaled her intoxicating scent—jasmine and verbena—and sighed in wonder. Something held him back from kissing her, and the effort was exhausting him. He slowly traced his way back up and pressed his cheek against hers. A small sigh escaped her and he smiled, journeying to her opposite cheek. This time he let his lips brush across her cheek and slide down her jaws. He needed to taste her. He was losing the will to fight. But fight what? He placed a lingering kiss on her neck with parted lips and blew softly on the damp spot, drawing a shiver from her. Adelaide.
With a jolt of alarm and a rush of air, he and Adelaide were suddenly standing at opposite ends of the kitchen table before his mind grasped what had happened. After several steadying breaths, he heard quiet, slippered footsteps coming down the hallway.
“Michael. Thank you for coming.” Mrs. Song stood in front of him with her hand extended. Her voice sounded faraway and muted, as though he was submerged under water. Somehow, he managed to fit his hand around hers, which she pulled back after a gentle squeeze. He noticed Adelaide’s father standing next to her.
“Mrs. Song,” he said, bending lightly at the waist in a proper greeting to both elders. “Mr. Song. It’s great to see you.”
“James. For heaven’s sake, Mike. I’ve been asking you to call me James for over a decade.” Adelaide’s father smiled widely and slapped him on the back. “I miss my son’s stoic mug. The least you could do is visit more often. Plus, you’re the polar opposite of Garrett, so I’d enjoy your company more.”
“Anytime, James.” Michael laughed, unaccountably pleased. Not that he’d ever admit it, but he missed his best friend, too.
“That was a lovely reunion.” Adelaide’s tart comment brought him to a full stop.
He searched her face, but her cheeky, playful facade hid her true thoughts from him. It was a Song family superpower. They could don any mask in a split second and hide all their feelings behind it. It was annoying as hell on a good day, but he hated those masks with a vengeance now.
Backing away from his turbulent thoughts, Michael started setting out the banchan on the informal kitchen table, reserved for casual family dinners. Once he was done putting out the small plates of accompaniments for the rice, next came the bowls of rice themselves, customized for each person’s appetite. Slightly below the rim of the bowl for Mrs. Song and piled in a gentle curve above the rim for James. He couldn’t help but smile when Adelaide handed him a bowl, piled high like shaved ice.
“Oh, you remembered,” he teased. Maybe they could pretend nothing happened earlier.
“Of course, I remembered. I cook double portions when you and Garrett are around. I’m surprised you guys don’t inhale the table.” Her tone was light and casual, but she didn’t meet his eyes. “Let’s go eat.”
Although he was distracted by their almost kiss, the home-cooked meal tasted fantastic. It nourished him, body and soul. Michael hoped it carried him through what she had planned for them.
She picked at her food, hardly eating anything at all, and took nervous peeks at her grandmother and him. Michael didn’t like that. He didn’t like it at all. When she put her spoon down and sipped her water, he tensed for whatever was coming.
“Hal-muh-nee,” she said, pausing to clear her throat. “Michael and I wanted to ask your permission to work on a charity event on behalf of Hansol.”
He nearly choked on a mouthful of short ribs.
“The two of you? A charity event?” James said, looking back and forth between them.
“Yoon-ah.” Mrs. Song usually switched to her grandchildren’s Korean names as a sign of affection or when she needed to soften the blow. “I don’t think you’re—”
“I’m not asking for a permanent position at Hansol. At least not yet,” Adelaide interrupted, desperation creeping into her voice. “I know you’ve been holding me back because I’ve tarnished our family’s reputation before, but this could be my chance to turn that around. A chance to show the public that the youngest of the Songs has her act together.”
The eldest Song pressed her lips together with an inscrutable expression. Adelaide took that as her cue to continue. “And I know better than anyone I don’t have much hands-on experience. That’s why Michael has offered to help.”
The water he’d gulped after choking on the short ribs went down the wrong pipe, throwing him into a coughing fit. What the hell? I offered? Michael should stop this train wreck but shock and panic rampaged through his mind. He didn’t trust himself to be alone with Adelaide for more than a few minutes. There was no way he could spend extended periods of time with her and not slip up.
“Both of you trust and respect Michael, and he is our family’s PR specialist. He could help me make the right decisions for the charity event, and maximize the chance to rehabilitate my wild-child image.”
The table was eerily silent as Mrs. Song gazed down at her folded hands. Then she raised her head with a sigh.
“My reasons for ‘holding you back,’ as you put it, are not what you think,” she said softly. Michael gripped the sides of his chair. Adelaide deserved this chance, and he desperately wanted it for her even though she had chosen the wrong way to get it. “But I think your idea has promise, and your enthusiasm tells me you are determined to succeed.”
“Thank you, Hal-muh-nee.”
“Don’t thank me, yet. I have no intention of helping you, because this is your project and you must succeed on your own. You’re going to have to go through the proper channels at Hansol to receive the funds to put together the event. While Michael’s guidance would be appreciated, he could only advise you, not make your decisions for you.” Grace Song’s expression grew a shade harder. “Adelaide, you will be representing Hansol in your endeavors. You must act with utmost professionalism, and I don’t want so much as a whiff of scandal surrounding you while you’re working on behalf of Hansol. Remember, the company has a very proficient CSR department, which is capable of taking over the event if the need ever arises.”
“I won’t forget.” Adelaide lifted her chin. “I won’t disappoint you and Dad.”
James nodded solemnly. “I know you won’t, sweetheart.”
Michael sat unmoving as his role in the project was decided for him. He was elated for Adelaide, but she’d disappointed him by roping him into her project without his permission. His anger rose close to the surface, replacing his relief and happiness for Adelaide. He’d known she was spoiled, but this kind of manipulation was beneath her. He clenched his jaws tight to control his expression until the elders left the kitchen.
The Song family matriarch had made her decision, and Michael would not oppose her without good reason. There was definitely good reason to stop this, but he couldn’t tell Mrs. Song he ached to make love to her granddaughter. Adelaide’s goals for charitable work and repairing her reputation were important to her and her family. That was precisely why he’d encouraged her to pursue this. What infuriated him was her complete disregard of his autonomy. Did she think so little of him?
He finished his meal in silence as the Song family members discussed the charity organizations while they ate. They were surprised Adelaide had chosen LearnAutism as her charity—she’d never mentioned her interest in autism awareness before—but they were impressed by her passion and knowledge about the cause. She was animated and excited about the project, but avoided his eyes throughout the meal.
The elder Songs moved to the family room for macarons and tea, and Liliana followed them with the macaron tower. Michael and Adelaide cleared the table in silence but when she began pulling on rubber gloves to do the dishes, he turned her to face him and trapped her against the sink with his hands planted firmly by her waist.
“Explain yourself.” His voice sounded like a rough scrape against cement.
Her lashes fluttered in a rare show of nerves. She knew what she’d done was wrong, but she’d done it anyway. “You would’ve said no.”
“You’re right.”
“But why?” Frustration burst out of her without warning, her face for once an open book. “I don’t understand why things have to be so weird between us. Why can’t you help me do this?”
“I would have said no because... I have my reasons. Besides, the whole point is to prove yourself. Instead, you used me as a pawn to get your grandmother’s approval.” He shifted closer, eliminating the gap between their bodies. “And didn’t we discover earlier why things have to be weird between us?”
“But...” When he leaned his face closer to hers, she automatically rose up on her toes before she caught herself. “Oh.”
He couldn’t hold back his chuckle at her crestfallen expression. He leaned back to break the electricity churning between them. “Oh is right.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her eyebrows low over her eyes. It was her thinking face. She was freaking adorable, but the next words out of her scared the crap out of him.
“There’s this crazy chemistry between us,” she said as though she was talking to herself.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he quickly replied. Her words made their attraction seem all too real, and that was dangerous. Michael hastily retreated a few steps, but it did nothing to diminish the magnetic pull of their desire.
“Then what would you call it?” She arched an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Sibling-like affection?”
“Adelaide, just stop this. Whatever it is, we are not going anywhere near that land mine.” He wanted to be firm, but he just sounded desperate to his own ears. “Look, I’ll find you a good fit from Reynolds PR to work on the project.”
She opened her mouth as though to protest, but her reasonable mask slid in place. “That guy Aiden seems nice.”
“The point of this charity project is to elevate your public image,” he bit out. Aiden had given Adelaide lovesick glances the few times she’d visited Michael at the office. “Pairing you with him would be PR suicide.”
“You think I’m going to have a fling with Aiden?” Her head jerked back as though Michael had slapped her. “You think I’m going to risk the most important project of my life to screw one of your employees? That I have so little self-control that I’d put Hansol’s reputation at risk?”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, his alarm rising as Adelaide crumbled in front of him. Her fear, heartbreak and vulnerability gutted him.
“I thought you and I...we were...” Her chin trembled as her beseeching eyes sought his. But whatever she saw there brought a defensive wall crashing down around her, and all emotion seeped out of her. No. Please, don’t. “I apologize for misunderstanding our relationship so abysmally. You’re right. I shouldn’t have tried to rope you into this. I’ll do it on my own.”
Three
Hansol’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department accepted her proposal for a charity fashion show but allotted her a rather tight budget. Adelaide focused her energy on putting together a design contest for local college students. For the first round, the designers had entered their most recent portfolios, and Adelaide selected the top ten entries. Now for round two, the finalists would form her design team, and create sensory-friendly clothing for the runway. The contest would culminate in the charity fashion show where the grand prize winner would receive a coveted summer internship at Hansol.
“Thank you so much for coming to meet with me today.” Adelaide was nervous yet determined as she addressed her ten finalists in their first meeting at Hansol.
She stood at the head of the table in the conference room with a steady tremor in her gut. As she looked out at the eager, excited faces of the student designers, the weight of responsibility settled around her shoulders. This was happening. Oh, God. If she failed, they would fail with her, because of her.
“I’m sure many of you don’t know this, but I majored in fashion design...” Adelaide’s words trailed off as a cacophony of protests erupted around the conference table. The room filled with disbelieving laughter.
“Not know?” said a guy who resembled a young lumberjack in his flannel shirt. “I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t seen your work in the Cornell Fashion Collective Runway Show.”
A lovely brunette with a pixie cut bounced on her chair with her hand raised high in the air. Embarrassed to the tips of her toes, Adelaide quickly pointed at her. “You were the freaking winner of the Cornell Design Award.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you weren’t born into a fashion giant’s family. You were born to be a fashion designer,” said one of the older students. “Just like me. I took a detour to raise three beautiful children, but here I am now.”
Adelaide pressed trembling fingers to her mouth to stop a sob. These strangers had more faith in her than her own family and friends. By some miracle, they saw past the spoiled heiress and saw the person she dreamed of becoming. Failure was not an option. She would take these beautiful dreamers and give them wings to fly. She was born into privilege, and it would be her privilege to help these talented designers with every advantage in her arsenal.
“Thank you. I’ll do everything in my power not to let you down.”
Adelaide swallowed the lump in her throat as laughter and applause followed her words. She proceeded to make her presentation on a wave of adrenaline.
“In conclusion, I know it was more than your love of fashion that brought you here today. It is our shared passion to raise autism awareness that will inspire and motivate us to make this charity fashion show one for the ages.”
After thundering applause, handshakes and hugs, Adelaide soon found herself in an empty conference room with excitement and energy lingering in the air. She wanted to change for the better not so others would love and accept her, but so she could love and accept herself. Chasing fleeting pleasures and distractions had only hollowed her out more, and she’d grown tired of being a human mash-up of grief, loneliness and loss. She still had a long road to achieving that purpose, but she was proud of how far she’d come.
