It's been a whirlwind few days, but I'm finally back home. Yawning, I swing my legs out of bed and look out the window to see...
"It's the first snow of the year! I have to call Jenny..."
I pull my phone out and immediately dial her number. It doesn't even ring twice before she answers.
"Have you looked outside yet? It's snowing!"
"Ugh, I will never understand your obsession with solid water falling from the sky."
"Which is why I always call you on the first snow of the year! One of these days, I'm gonna convince you of its magical properties. Besides, this means the holiday season is right around the corner. You love the holidays!"
"You can love time off from work without loving the freezing cold, (Y/N)."
"Well, I can't wait for my first winter with the Lees."
"Are you and Lee Know going to start all sorts of cutesy holiday traditions together?"
"Something like that. Although I think I'm most excited for the corporate competition to finally finish."
"And then you and Lee Know can be together forever. I swear, your life is like something out of a movie."
"Yeah, one with a surprise twist at the end. After our trip to Monte Carlo, I'm a little worried about Robin... He won't make things easy. He's out for blood this time."
"Just make sure it's not yours, okay?"
I'm about to respond when my phone pings with a new message.
"As much as I'd love to whine about my problems all day. Lee Know just texted me."
"Then I'd better let you go. Talk to you later, mwah! "
I tell Jenny goodbye, then check my texts.
Lee Know:
-Hey gorgeous
Me:
-Hey yourself. What're you and the boys up to today?
Lee Know:
-Funny you should ask...
There's a pattern of rapid knocking on my door, and I smile as I pull it open. The boys lunge at me, each one grabbing a leg.
"Whoa, there."
"(Y/N)! We missed you!" Mason shouts while running for a hug on one side of me.
"We were awake at six, but Dad said we had to wait until after breakfast to come over." Mickey states while tackling my other side for a hug.
"Actually, what I said was that it's rude to visit anyone before the sun is up."
"He even made us wait until you texted back to knock." Mickey rolls his eyes.
"You don't care if we visit when it's dark, do you, (Y/N)?" Mason asks.
"We can't stay long. We just wanted to invite you to come ice skating with us."
"We always go on the first snow, but it'll be way more fun with you!" Mickey informs me.
"And we're stopping to pick up Liliana on the way. She's had real lessons and everything." Mason smiles.
"Ever since the opera charity event, Liliana and the boys have been inseparable."
"Not all of the boys." Mickey corrects him.
"I found a place upstate, so it'll be a private family outing. Care to join us?"
"How can I say 'no' to an offer like that? Let me grab my coat."
When we reach the rink, my group tumbles out of the car and heads toward the pond. As promised, it's a remote and picturesque setting that we have all out ourselves.
"It's so beautiful out here..."
Lee Know puts his arm around my waist.
"Just what we need for a private family get-together."
"You're right. This far away, there are only squirrels and Bigfoot to watch us."
"Bigfoot? where?" Mickey asks looking all around him.
Liliana squeaks and hides behind Mason.
"Don't let him eat me!" Liliana screams.
"Bigfoot doesn't live in New York, so we have nothing to worry about. (Y/N)'s just being silly."
"That's me. The silliest."
Lee Know and I help the kids put on their skates, then we all hit the ice.
"Catch me if you can!"
"You won't get away that easily!" Liliana shouts after Mickey.
"Wait for me!" Mason races after them.
Lee Know and I start to skate at a slower pace behind them.
"You know, it's been a while since I've gone ice skating. I hope I don't–"
I hit a slick patch of wet ice, and my foot shoots out from under me.
"Whoaaaaa!"
I throw my arms out to steady myself, catching hold of Lee Know.
"I've got you."
He holds me tight as I get my feet back under me.
"Thanks. That was a close one."
"You okay?"
I look deep in Lee Know's eyes, getting lost in their depth...
"Never better...but maybe we should hold hands while we skate, just in case."
"If we must."
The two of us make lazy circles around the pond as the twins zip by us. Liliana takes the lead, trying to teach the boys how to do some simple tricks.
"Have you guys ever tried the Spiral?" Liliana asks.
"No..." Mason answers.
"Oh. Then what about the Bunny Hop?"
"Like this?" Mickey asks while trying to hop.
"She's gonna wipe the ice with those two."
"That's the plan. With any luck, she'll have them all worn out by the time we head home."
"They make it look so easy to fall down and get back up."
"Tell me about it. My bones hurt just watching them."
The wind feels cold against my face, but I can't stop smiling. The fresh air and the good company is just what I needed today.
"Okay, enough warming up. Are you ready?" Mason asks.
"For what?"
"For the race! We already set up the obstacle course." Mickey explains.
"Why do I get the feeling this is gonna end in a trip to the emergency room?"
"Don't worry. We made it an easy one." Liliana giggles.
"First you skate straight across to the other side..." Mason begins to explain.
"Then you slide under the big tree..." Mickey continues.
"Zigzag around the snow piles..."
"And back to the start again! See? It's easy peasy."
"Right. Easy peasy..."
"Come on, you can line up next to me." Liliana smiles waving me to stand next to her.
Lee Know shrugs at me as all of us take our places at the starting line.
Just gotta keep my feet under me.
"On your mark..."
"Get set..."
"Go!"
All of us jump into action skating as fast as we can across the pond. Once I reach the other side, I know the first obstacle is coming up... I push forward, waiting for just the right time...then duck under the tree branch effortlessly!
"Nailed it!"
"How did she do that? She's supposed to be too tall!" Mickey exclaims.
"Lookout, (Y/N)'s on a tear!" Lee Know laughs.
The race continues, and I can feel the others hot on my trail as I smoothly glide through the snowball piles.
The finish line is in my sight!
"Not so fast..."
I glance behind me and see Lee Know just behind! I pump my legs harder and harder until...
"Victory!!!" I cheer.
"Just by a hair." Lee Know laughs.
"How did you two do that? Aren't you supposed to be old?" Mickey blurts.
"We'll just have to practice. Come on, Mickey!" Mason urges.
"I'll be the timer this time. On your mark..." Liliana prepares the boys.
I smile as the boys head back to the starting line to race again...without Lee Know and I this time.
"Now seems like the perfect time to grab some hot chocolate from the car. Join me?"
Lee Know and I head toward the parking lot together. I can still see the kids skating on the ice, but they're not paying any attention to us.
"Do you really have hot chocolate in the car, or did you just me to yourself for a few minutes?"
"Both."
Lee Know slips his arms around my waist, pulling me close. His lips capture mine in a soft kiss made sweeter by the sweep of his tongue along mine.
"Lee Know..."
I wind my arms around his neck and return his kiss. He backs me up until I'm pressed against the car.
"If it wasn't so cold, I'd strip you naked right here and now."
I tug at Lee Know's waistband and slip my hand inside. I can feel his muscles jump beneath my touch as my fingers graze his bare skin.
"Your hands are like ice."
"And your skin is like fire. The perfect combination..."
Lee Know gasps as I move lower, but instead of pulling away, he presses into me closer, keeping me pinned against the car. I run my hand down Lee Know's impossibly perfect body. He hisses sharply as I trace the hardening shape of him.
"If you don't stop that, I'm going to kiss you senseless."
"Is that a promise?"
His punishment is swift and delicious. Capturing both my wrists, he holds me in place as his mouth crashes over mine. I give as good as I get, refusing to let him dominate this kiss. We're both breathless by the time we pull apart.
"We should, uh, probably grab that hot cocoa now..."
"You're right. We've gotten a bit carried away as it is."
But that doesn't stop Lee Know from pulling me back in for one more kiss... My head is in a whirl and my whole body is thrumming by the time he finally releases me. He steadies me on my feet before grabbing the thermos from the car. At the end of the afternoon, me and the others skate our final laps around the ice.
"See? I told you we just needed to practice, Mickey." Mason encouragnig.
"Kings of the ice!" Mickey cheers."
"Don't forget about the Queen!" Liliana smiles.
Lee Know skates up behind me, sliding his arm around my waist as he drops his voice low.
"All they really needed to do was wear their old man out."
"Your secret's safe with me."
As I look around the ice, my fingertips are frozen and my feet are sore, but all in all, it was a perfect day.
Monday morning, it's back to business as usual... I walk into the lab with my head held high, knowing I did my best in Monte Carlo.
"Look who's back!" Aditya smiles.
"Finally. It was starting to get boring around here again." Kai chuckles.
"I'm glad you didn't completely embarrass the division at the expo, (Y/N). I had my concerns when Sofia said she was taking you in my place." Evan states.
"We heard you had to do a live demo on the spot?" Charlies informs.
"That's true, but it was a team effort. I knew I could trust in our product and our team, and it paid off. But we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Sofia wants us to be market-ready by the end of the quarter."
"You think we can pull that off?" Aditya asks.
"If we crunch between now and then, it should be double. I came up with a production schedule that outlines everyone's new role."
I pass around the detailed schedule I came up with on the flight home. The team breaks off into their groups to get started.
"We missed you around here. Evan was pouting the whole time, and my wife has all but banned from eating any more onion bagels."
"Aditya, I'm sorry you had to deal with Evan. I imagine he was...a lot."
"That's an understatement. Evan probably just feels a little threatened, but he'll get over it. But now that you're back, everything can return to normal."
"Speaking of...hand me that chart, will ya?"
The morning passes in a blur of meetings, testing, and troubleshooting. The rest of the team has already left for lunch when I'm approached by one of the executive receptionists.
"Excuse me, Ms. (YLN)? I hope I'm not interrupting..."
"Not at all. What can I do for you?"
"Well, I was asked to arrange a meeting between Evan Webb and Mr. Lee, but Dr. Webb said he was too busy before I could even get the request out. And it looks like the rest of the team is already gone. I really need someone from the environmental lab. Can you do it?"
A meeting with Lee Know? He was very clear about keeping boundaries at work...
I force myself to stay calm.
"Of course. I just need a few minutes to finish up here. I'll be right up."
"Thank you sooo much."
She grins at me and passes Evan on her way out. He eyes me suspiciously.
"What did an executive assistant want from you?"
"It was about the meeting with Mr. Lee. You know, the one you were 'too busy' for?"
"But why would she ask you instead?"
I gesture around the empty lab.
"I'm the only one available."
"Hmmph. Well, don't go spilling all our division's secrets."
Evan turns abruptly, but something about his expression makes me feel uneasy... A few minutes later, I'm on my way up to Lee Know's office when the elevator stops in the lobby. I glance up and see...
"Lana? What're you doing here?"
"(Y/N)? I...I'm having coffee with Sofia. What're you doing here? We haven't seen you around since...the opera, was it?"
"I work here now. For your best friend, Sofia, actually."
"Oh. I didn't realize you...could do that. I wonder why Sofia never mentioned it."
"Sofia has no reason to talk to you about it. I mean, how often do the two of you talk shop?"
"I can keep up with her!"
Looks like I struck a nerve...
"It was nice to see you, Lana, but I Have a meeting to get to upstairs."
Lana's smirk tells me that she has a good idea who I'm going to see.
"Give Min-ho my love, won't you?"
The elevator doors close before I have to respond, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
I do not miss that woman.
A few minutes later, I knock on Lee Know's office door and walk inside.
"(Y/N)! What are you doing here?"
"You're the one who asked to see me. I'm here for our 12:30 appointment? You wanted to meet with someone from the environmental lab, remember?"
"She scheduled that with you? I asked for Evan... You know what? Never mind. This is even better. Plus, plausible deniability. The record will show I asked to meet with Evan to start."
Lee Know clicks off his computer and moves toward the door.
"Uh, are we going somewhere?"
"If you're up for it. I've been trapped in this stuffy office all morning. Why don't we hold our meeting somewhere off-site? It'll take us away from prying eyes and we can discuss some private matters."
"I could use the fresh air."
Lee Know and I walk to a local coffee shop to take our meeting. The shop is nearly empty at this time of the day, so Lee Know grabs a table near the back where we can be comfortable.
"I needed this. I feel more productive already."
"Just wait until you try the coffee. You'll be bouncing off the walls until dinnertime."
Lee Know hands me a menu, letting his fingers linger against mine...
"I know you prefer fancy hot chocolate to actual coffee. They have a really good peppermint hot cocoa here."
"Sounds perfect."
Lee Know heads to the counter to place the order. When he returns, he's holding a plate of colorful cookies arranged on it.
"That doesn't look like coffee." I giggle.
"The barista will bring the drinks out when they're ready. In the meantime, I figured we could use a treat."
Lee Know slides into the seat next to me. The warm length of his thigh presses against mine.
"I thought this was supposed to be a serious meeting."
"This is serious. These macarons are world-famous. Here, close your eyes and I'll show you."
"Fine. Who am I to stand in the way of world-famous macarons?"
I close my eyes and try to focus on my other senses. I can hear Lee Know's gentle breath, feel the warm pulse of his body next to mine...
"Open your mouth for me."
A shiver of longing tingles down my spine. Lee Know brings one of the macarons to my lips. I bite to find a sugary-sweet burst of cocoa on my tongue.
"Now you're supposed to guess the flavor."
"It's chocolate."
"Chocolate and...?"
I shake my head, unsure. Lee Know offers me another bite. This time, he allows one of his fingers to slip between my lips.
"What do you taste now?"
I give Lee Know's finger a playful lick before focusing on the flavor on my tongue.
"It's chocolate plus raspberry and rose. The raspberry adds a sharp contrast, and the rose gives the whole thing a floral note."
"That's exactly right."
Lee Know puts his hand on my knee under the table, lowering his voice.
"I swear, your mouth is driving me mad right now."
"Kinda like how your fingers are making me feel? "
His hand slides up my thigh, and my breath catches... I open my eyes and look at Lee Know.
"...The barista is coming."
Lee Know clears his throat and puts his hand back on my knee, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I can't help but be pleased that he didn't pull away completely as he thanks the barista. As the barista hands us our drinks, I take a sip of the peppermint cocoa.
"Oh wow, you were right. This is amazing."
"I'm glad you like it."
I take another sip, letting the drink warm me from the inside.
"Alright, we should probably get down to business, or everyone at the office is gonna wonder what happened to us."
I put on my most professional expression. Lee Know smiles and plays along.
"Well, Mr. Lee? What can I do for you?"
"Well, it's not you so much as the entire environmental division that I need. I had an idea for a small program that could potentially have a big impact."
Lee Know leans close, his expression earnest.
"What do you know about recycling machine parts?"
"Well...it's not easy to do. Is this about reducing spend, like Robin?"
"I'd never do anything to hurt the company the way he did."
"Of course not. I didn't mean–"
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped, I just...he's a sore spot."
I nod and return to the main topic of conversation.
"Implementing a division-wide machine recycling program would take a lot of time and effort, but once it's up and running, it could make a big difference. I'm not sure it'll help your department's bottom line by the holiday party, though. The start-up costs are high. It could take years for this to have any sort of positive financial impact."
"But it would help the environment right away?"
"If handled correctly, yeah."
"Then that's what matters. We could use some input and oversight from the lab if you're willing to help us out?"
"I'm sure we can work out some sort of partnership between the robotics and environmental divisions..."
"I can feel myself starting to get excited. Opportunities like these are exactly why I wanted to work at Lee in the first place..."
"But isn't this project a little...small for someone who's vying for CEO of the entire company to worry about?"
Lee Know shakes his head.
"The whole point of this competition is for us to get our hands dirty. And besides, it's the right thing to do for the future, even if it doesn't help me win."
Lee Know puts a reassuring hand on my arm.
"I'm glad Evan was busy today. I can't imagine doing any of this without you."
I flush with pleasure, but I don't let myself get distracted. Instead, Lee Know and I brainstorm until we come up with the perfect plan for moving forward. After another hour of plotting and planning, Lee Know and I are satisfied with the afternoon's work.
"Thanks, (Y/N). I can't wait to start putting this into action."
"I'm happy to help."
Lee Know holds the door open for me.
"Let's take the long way back to the office. It's a beautiful day."
"Good idea. Let's walk through the park."
"After you."
Lee Know and I head outside, both of us bundled up against the chill in the air. As we walk side by side, I can't help noticing several couples holding hands, snuggling up, and getting warm in each other's arms.
"I love when autumn starts to turn into winter. It's the best time for romance."
"Is that a hint?"
"Just an observation. Everybody's getting ready to hunker down with their special someone..." I smirk.
Lee Know pulls me into a secluded spot and takes me in his arms. He reaches out to cup my cheek.
"There's no one I'd rather hunker down with than you, (Y/N)."
I throw my arms around Lee Know's neck and pull his mouth to mine. He tastes like coffee and chocolate, his lips impossibly warm against the cold air.
"I know this is a terrible idea, but I can't help myself."
I stroke his tongue with my own, my whole body giving itself over to him.
"We should definitely stop..."
He tightens his hold on me as his lips travel down my neck...
"People are gonna start to wonder where we are..."
"Let them wonder."
Even through all my layers, I can feel how hot Lee Know's body is, how solid and determined. His dark, intense gaze holds me in place. I let my head fall back as he lavishes my neck with kisses.
"Lee Know..."
"I like when you're at my mercy like this."
"Please..."
He teases me with a series of soft, slow kisses. One hand trails down my side until it cups my ass, forcing me to hitch my leg around his hip.
"Yes..."
Lee Know shows no mercy as he takes control, and the feeling of his mouth moving relentlessly over mine is almost too much to bear until he groans as he pulls himself away, his breathing ragged. He reaches up to cup my cheek again.
"You're dangerous."
"You're one to talk."
He kisses me one last time, a fleeting promise of more to come...and he steps back and offers me his hand. Lee Know and I make our way to the lobby elevators to say goodbye. The lobby isn't crowded at this time of the day, so he relaxes into a smile.
"Great work today, (Y/N). I'm happy you're here."
"Thank you. That means a lot."
Lee Know leans closer, intensity in every line of his bearing.
"In fact..."
A cough from behind me causes me to turn around. A few feet away, I spot Aditya. His expression is casually neutral. Almost too casually neutral.
"Hey, (Y/N). I was coming to see if you're done with your meeting yet. I have a few questions about the polymer structures we discussed."
"Yes! I was just saying goodbye to Mr. Lee."
I do my best to appear natural.
"Sorry about that. We got to talking about the twins and lost track of time."
Lee Know takes his cue from me and nods with friendly detachment.
"I'll be sure to tell them you said hello."
Aditya waits until Lee Know walks away before joining me in the elevator.
"(Y/N)? What's going on? That didn't look like a business conversation..."
"What do you mean?"
"Just that...everyone knows you used to work for Mr. Lee. And now I have to wonder where your true loyalty lies, robotics or the lab?"
"I care about the whole company. Min-ho had some questions about making the robotics division more eco-friendly. It's for the good of everyone."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I wouldn't lie to you."
Aditya looks like he wants to believe me, but there's a troubled expression in his eyes.
"Go on. Say it."
"There's something between you two, isn't there? I can feel it."
"Min-ho and I are good friends."
It's as close to the truth as I can get, and I really don't want to lie to Aditya. I feel a pang of frustration at Lee Know for putting me in this position.
"I try not to talk about it too much, especially in the lab, but sometimes we hang out outside of work."
"I thought so. You're close with his kids, right?"
"Yeah, they're rascals, but I love 'em."
"Sorry to jump on you like that. I just wanted to make sure you don't get caught between Lee Know and Sofia. It's obvious they have a hard time being professional after their breakup."
I fight a grimace. Considering my current position, it's a little late for that.
"Come on. I'll fill you in on the details of my meeting. You'll like what Lee Know has in mind..."
Over the next couple of weeks, things start to calm down. Everyone at work is busy and happy, especially since the Thanksgiving holidays are fast approaching.
"The Friday before a whole week of vacation is always my favorite time at the office." Charles says.
"You can say that again. Evan almost smiled at me today." Kai tells me.
"Pics or it didn't happen."
"I can hear you, you know." Evan shouts.
I shoot him an apologetic look, but Evan ignores me as he hands everyone copies of the cost analyst for my plastic alternative.
"These numbers look good now, but if you spend too much time standing around talking, that'll change."
As Evan continues talking, I look through the rest of the papers. At the bottom, I see numbers for other departments.
Looks like manufacturing isn't doing that well...
"Are you listening, (Y/N)? I asked you to come to my office for a moment."
"Sorry! Yes, I'll be right there."
I follow Evan to his office. He closes the door behind me.
"So is this about the project? There are a few things I need to wrap up before the break, so if there's anything you need–"
"Things like slipping upstairs for a secret meeting?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I know everything, (Y/N). The meeting, the sneaking out, the lies... It all makes sense now. You've been sleeping your way to the top!"