Kiss Me If You Can [NOVEL] - Chapter 22

When he opened his eyes this time, he was in the hospital. There was a thick bandage on one arm and needles on the other.

“Your stamina is truly amazing.”

Mark, who had just come to see him, dropped his tongue. He made a number of comments about Josh’s condition when he got to the hospital, how he was treated, and the injections he received, but it sounded like “a lot of injections and treatment.”

Josh was the first to pull out a cell phone, among the simple belongings Mark had brought, listening to his explanation in a dry voice. He checked the messages he had received and found a message from Emma.

[Giving me a call. I have a question to ask.]

There was not much sense of crisis in the simple message.

I will try later.

Thinking the same as last time, Josh casually confirmed the remaining message. Meanwhile, Mark’s story was slowly ending.

“I have processed all the rabies and tetanus injections. Fortunately, there was not a broken bone.”

Mark concluded as if he had taken a breath. And added a joke with a smile.

“How did you come up with the idea of ​​facing a group of coyotes? C must have been scared enough, but you passed out and looked dead. Laura was surprised to see him so taken aback.”

It was strange to hear that Chase was so ashamed of himself. Josh, who only smiled vaguely because he didn’t know what to say, soon walked away.

“So when is the return possible?”

“Hey hey. Don’t rush, what’s the rush?”

Mark reached out and calmed Josh …

“It will be around tomorrow because we can see the progress in a day or so. Take a break now, you can relax, and come back after the procedure is done and you are discharged. Maybe you should talk to your son. “

“Yes.”

He thought of Pete immediately. This time, however, they strangely overlapped with Chase, and their faces became confused. Josh quickly changed the subject.

“So what happened?”

He had many questions. Mark began to speak with a deep sigh between them.

“The problem started at the hospital.”

As expected, Josh thought. Mark kept talking.

“It seems that the chocolate we ate had medicine in it. Fortunately, it was not a drug that had serious side effects. After noon, everyone got better. Henry ate more, so he had more hallucinations. It took him twice as long to wake up … Seth, his condition was getting worse. Anyway, he told me he didn’t pick up anything for free. I was lucky that Isaac didn’t eat anything. It was easy to check the ingredients because Henry had had two handfuls of candy. “

Mark shook his head. But Josh’s interest was elsewhere.

“So who is the criminal? Who did that in the first place?”

Of course, Josh thought of Steward. But Mark’s words that followed were different than expected.

“It was the clerk who got us the chocolate.”

“What?”

Without knowing it, Josh let out a high-pitched voice. Mark nodded.

“Come on, you know. The cult that causes attacks on dominant alphas. Must have been a believer there. The hospital is operating a research institute on dominant alpha, right? He went in there on purpose to steal patient information or what he needed, and it turned out we were the target. “

“I don’t think C is the only one receiving treatment there.”

Mark agreed with Josh’s comments.

“Of course he isn’t. Wouldn’t it have changed its lens? But you would have wanted to pick a more eye-catching one. Performance is important too. One hit is enough to get attention anyway. Besides, C, if you get him right , the whole world will be turned upside down. “

When Josh remembered the sight of him lying in a coffin with Chase’s face pale, his spine twitched at that moment.

“Was he a single criminal? What about the accomplice? I’m sure there is another culprit, right?”

“No, I guess he waited for C to go see the doctor and then contacted his colleagues. I heard they’ve been preparing for quite some time. Well that’s the gun and the truck. They must have been upset that they failed.”

While saying that, Mark seemed cheerful. But Josh wasn’t convinced.

“And the doctor?” …

“What?”

“Him, C’s doctor. His name was Steward. Didn’t you investigate him?”

“Oh that gentleman.”

Only then did Mark respond as if he remembered.

“I already did. It is authorized.”

“What?”

Josh’s voice screamed sharply. Can not be. Mark nodded and spoke deeply.

“Not only the doctor, but all the hospital staff was investigated but it turns out that they are all irrelevant, he was a single criminal.”

“No way…”

Mark frowned at the unusual look.

“What’s wrong with you? Do you have any ideas?”

“No, there is no such thing, but …”

Josh replied reluctantly.

“Isn’t he the only one who knew which way we would go? No matter how much I think about it …”

I’m sure he is fully aware of the effects of the drug and has heard of the various things about Chase through inquiries, so couldn’t he just throw a hook?

Mark replied puzzled, lost in thought and vaguely said.

“Well, Isaac said the same thing.”

“Isaac?”

“Yes. I heard the doctor say something strange. He asked about the members and talked about the side effects of the drug, creating an atmosphere of hostility towards the dominant alpha.”

Josh was nervous inside, but Mark just shrugged.

“But what can I do? The police say he is innocent. A staff member reported the route on the highway. He said he apologized. It was not the patient’s personal information, so he said it without much thought.”

“But pretending not to know Isaac’s opinion.”

The only thing that came back to Josh, who spoke once more, was a tepid reply.

“Maybe it’s just a physiological aversion.”

“…”

“We also don’t take the job because we like our clients.”

There was nothing more to answer. Josh finally quit. Mark, who looked at him, opened his mouth.

“The police will take over the investigation, so let’s focus on our work first. Got it? Anything you need?”

“What about C? Where did he get hurt or something …”

“Okay, he’s not hurt to this point and of course he should be okay.”

Mark bowed his head and frowned

“I was a bit surprised because, after you collapsed, he tried to chase me to the hospital, so everyone fought to get him out. Originally that guy, he doesn’t care who dies around him, he doesn’t even blink. But then he was really crazy, albeit always He’s crazy. Everybody said he was strange. By chance, he was found out here, so we managed to persuade him of what fans would do if they met him, they would be like a herd, so they sent him back to the mansion, I told him that you will return at the end of your treatment and that this would not help your recovery at all, and he listened …”

Mark asked in awe, playfully.

“What happened? Not that that’s all I’m worried about. Did they get along while they were still there?”

“Maybe the pills blew him away.”

A slip of the tongue, Mark tilted his head back to the other side.

“Is that so?”

“What else could there be? ‘C’ couldn’t care less about a bodyguard.”

When Josh shrugged, Mark muttered, “That’s true.” Still rubbing his chin and seeing him lost in thought, Josh pushed himself off the subject.

“So can I come in tomorrow night? Or during the day?”

“I’ll set your schedule the day after tomorrow, so rest well and come relaxed. C’s filming was postponed due to the police investigation and poor health. It’s good to shoot the other scenes first, because C is resting at the mansion right now as well that you should go there once they discharge you. “

Josh thanked Mark for his consideration. Suddenly, he missed Pete’s face.

“Well Mark, can’t I get discharged today and come back tomorrow to hear the results?

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Mark blinked in surprise. Josh said, scratching his head awkwardly.

“I miss my son. Anyway, I’ll be sleeping tonight, right? I think I can come tomorrow, hear the results, and come back right away.”

Josh’s words were correct. Still, it was something Mark couldn’t immediately agree to. Above all, he needed a doctor’s permission.

“Let me ask first.”

“Thank you, please. I haven’t called you in days. Oh, I’m sure they’re expecting me …”.

“Oh no, you should call Pete. Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Mark hastily got up and left the hospital room. And he came back with good news in just over an hour.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

“Daddy!”

As soon as he saw Josh, Pete burst into tears and ran. Although the urgent child was crying and wetting his shoulder with tears and saliva, Josh left him.

“Why didn’t you contact me? I know you’re busy.”

His mother scold him by looking at Josh’s wounded body and adding a few words was also inevitable

“You should also think about your body, every time you come you are hurt.”

“Not a big deal. Just a few scratches.”

The coyote’s bite wasn’t as bad as I thought. Quite a few stitches were sewn up and wrapped in a large bandage, but other than that it was just scrapes.

“It was common in the military to get hurt so bad.”

His mother looked at him briefly and said nothing. Meanwhile, Pete managed to stop crying. Josh, who patted the boy on the back, sobbed and shrugged, turned his head. Pete looked at him with a soaked face.

How could they be so alike?

Feeling strange and creepy, Josh kissed Pete on the cheek. Suddenly, he remembered Chase’s face. What is that man doing now?

Are you trembling again, hallucinating?

When he stopped in a daze, Pete suddenly slapped his face with both hands.

Late in his senses, Josh asked with a smile.

“Are you sleeping with dad tonight?”

At Josh’s question, Pete opened his eyes and flopped onto his hips onto his arm.

Holding Pete by the butt and arms enthusiastically and helping him climb up his neck. Josh spoke.

“I have to stop by the hospital, so I’ll be back in the afternoon. Can you join me for dinner? And Emma.”

“It is possible at an early hour”

Meanwhile, Pete, who was sitting on Josh’s shoulders, covered his eyes with his small hands.

“Come on! Dad, come on!”

Although he could see everything through his fingers, Pete was so excited that he ordered. Josh deliberately staggered, pretending not to know.

“Dad!”

“Oh, what is this?”

“hahahaha.”

Moving around the house to accommodate the excited, smiling boy, Josh had the strange experience of feeling full and empty at the same time.

What is Chase doing now?

✤✤✤✤✤✤

The cold silence left Mark unable to open his mouth with an embarrassed face. Chase gritted his teeth with a fierce stare, not looking at the food he’d brought.

“What do you mean he went on vacation?”

The low voice was full of anger. Mark opened his mouth in shame.

“He had to stay in the hospital one more day anyway. He preferred to go home since… His mother lives nearby.”

He even mentioned Josh’s unnecessary private life, but Chase’s mood didn’t improve. He shook his fist with all his might, then unfolded it and squeezed it again. Soon after, Chase, who uttered a curse, “Shit!” He jumped out of bed and paced the room.

It was Mark’s own authority to schedule team members first. Even if he gave him a vacation, there’s no reason for Chase to be so angry. Anyway, isn’t it okay if we don’t mess with the guards? Mark quickly raised his furrowed brows.

Maybe Josh did something to offend him while they were alone.

He tried to guess, but it was not acceptable. Still, Josh risked his life to protect Chase. Even a man rumored to be a mad dog would not be ungrateful.

He has nothing to say if it’s our job.

Mark, who came up with a sour thought, opened his mouth and looked at Chase, who kept going back and forth across the room.

“He’ll be back as soon as he’s treated … Maybe Josh has something else to do. I’ll let him know when I get back.”

Chase stopped. For Mark, who had hesitated, he was silent for a moment and then slightly opened his eyes.

“Not bad, right?”

Mark couldn’t understand the meaning of his words. As soon as Josh got back he would put it in front of him.

“Yes.”

Only then did Chase’s face soften a little. Rubbing his forehead in a nervous movement, he exhaled an irritating sigh.

“… I’ll hit you if you lie.”

“Why would I tell such a useless lie?” He swallowed and Mark replied, “Yes” again. 

” … Damn!”

I glanced for a moment at the cart Mark had brought. Mark ran out of the room in a hurry, while Chase opened the lid of the plate and took a cold bite to his mouth with a face that was really irritated.

“Are you telling us not to go on vacation?”

The voice of dissatisfaction, however, only came out of his mouth after exiting the hall, and it didn’t reach Chase at all.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

At first, Josh was in a very refreshing mood for the first time in a long time. The wound was still painful, but nothing compared to a day alone with the boy. Thinking about getting treatment and spending time with Pete, he took the wheel singing his own hum.

The treatment did not last long. All he had to do was bandage the wound and listen to the test results.

“You better come in for regular treatment. You have quite a few stitches, so … I’m sure you had a scar left, but you were bitten by a coyote. You’re very lucky to just have this scar.”

After mechanically admiring the words, the doctor set a date for his next visit.

After thanking him, Josh even finished vaccinating his son right away. When he was about to go home to Pete, he suddenly stopped walking. He could see the park not far away. Thinking for a moment, he soon changed direction and walked towards the park.

“So would you like ice cream?”

“Yes!”

The boy screamed excitedly. Pete spun around as he staggered toward the ice cream parlor not far away. Josh smiled, walked over, and stood behind him.

“What do you want to eat?”

Soon, Pete’s face smiled happily as he took the chocolate ice cream that was set in a cone.

“What a lovely boy.”

The clerk at the ice cream parlor admired Pete and Josh alternately.

“You look like your dad.”

“Thank you.”

Josh laughed and finished the calculation, including some advice.

When the boy finished eating the ice cream, he felt slightly tired. Josh sat on the bench while Pete played on the grass.

That’s when he found the man. Sitting on a bench not far away, he had a pudding in his hand.

A grown man might have laughed saying “pudding” sitting alone on a bench, but his condition didn’t make him laugh. There was not a single color on his face as he stared at one place. Stiff as if something had surprised him, he scooped the pudding and raised it to his mouth.

It was Josh, who was watching silently, but when he saw that he still couldn’t move even after dropping the pudding on his leg, he couldn’t help but take a step forward. Josh got up from the bench after seeing Pete sitting on the grass and starting to break the shamrock.

“Hey, are you okay? Is everything okay?”

As he approached and spoke to him, he blinked in shock. Anyway, it was fortunate that there seemed to be an answer. Josh continued after sighing.

“Are you not feeling well? Should I call 911?”

“Oh no… that’s fine. “

The man refused in a shaky voice. Suddenly Josh thought he was familiar.

“Have we … Have we met somewhere?”

He was the first to bring up the memory before Josh. Said the man who soon opened his eyes wide.

“You said you were a bodyguard … Josh, right?”

Immediately, Josh’s memory returned as well. It was a man named Yeonwoo whom he met at Pittman’s party. Only then did Josh greet him cheerfully and sit next to him. Even then, Yeonwoo was having a difficult time because he wasn’t feeling well.

But that was not the end of the surprise. Recognizing Pete’s face, Yeonwoo confessed that he works for the same company as Emma. Unexpectedly, he added.

“Emma said you had a baby too …”

Later, Josh remembered a message from his sister.

<I need to talk to you> Was this it?

I’m glad it’s none of Emma’s business, so Josh opened his mouth.

“So that’s why she texted me asking when I was going to rest. I didn’t know what was going on … Anyway, the result is the same.”

Emma had deliberately contacted me and she couldn’t pretend she didn’t know because she had already met him twice. After adding as much advice as he could about Omega himself, Josh kept his mouth shut. Josh, who gave him time to think and paused for a moment, came up with something.

“You work for the same company as Emma, ​​right? Can I ask you something?”

Yeonwoo nodded happily. Josh asked without hesitation.

“How many men are there in the office?”

Yeonwoo, who blinked not understanding the meaning of the question, answered puzzled.

“The only man working in the secretarial department is me, the team leader. The rest are all women. Including Emma, ​​there are three of them.”

At that moment, Josh’s face hardened. In his mind, a torrent of thoughts passed, where Emma had been flirting. And the memory ended with the man in front of his eyes.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

Why the hell does she have a bad eye for men?

Josh gritted his teeth as they drove down the road. As far as he knows, Emma has recognized that this is a true relationship. If he thinks about it, Yeonwoo’s appearance was perfect, as if it was made to Emma’s taste. When he first saw him, it was natural for him to remember Emma. So it’s understandable that his little sister fell in love with him.

The problem was Yeonwoo. When he remembered the innocent face of Yeonwoo, who had no idea about Emma’s feelings, he was filled with anger again …

Also, she had even texted him saying that she will help the subject, Josh almost hit his weaker opponent. If Yeonwoo hadn’t told him he was pregnant, he would have really hit him.

“Shit!”

Josh hit the steering wheel with a curse. Pete, who was asleep in the car seat, suddenly raised his head. The boy, who blinked in bewilderment, soon fell asleep.

Suddenly he was dejected. It is true. What sin would he have committed? This is all because Emma doesn’t have a good eye. When he thought about that, he got mad again.

What the hell, just pick those kinds of guys.

Josh managed to bear the urge to hit his head against the steering wheel and instead hit the gas to the limit.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

Josh’s anger didn’t subside even after he returned to work. I was going to say something at dinner with Emma, ​​but she didn’t show up …

<She’s busy with work>

His mother also said with disappointment, but Josh, who was so determined, dragged his anger here because he didn’t know where to go. He had put Pete to bed early and when he got to Chase’s mansion, it was after midnight.

After stopping at the designated spot, he went straight to see Mark. As soon as he saw Josh’s face, Mark greeted him happily.

“How is the injury? Can you work?”

“This is nothing, okay.”

At Josh’s reliable response, Mark was visibly relieved. In fact, he wanted him to get more rest, but it wasn’t easy to give him a vacation with a reduced workforce. Josh also accepted it lightly because he knew it. In fact, this kind of injury meant nothing to him.

“How is Seth? Has he come back?”

“Yes, he’s back today too. He asked me how you’re doing. Tell him you’re back … you have a schedule for tomorrow afternoon,

Mark, who had finished speaking, said, “Oh my head.” At the curious Josh, he sighed and continued.

“Go see C before you go to bed.”

“Mr. Miller? Why?”

When he asked him unknowingly at one point, Mark said, rubbing his eyebrows like it was a headache, he said:

“That’s right, he was furious because I gave you a vacation without telling him. No, it’s my authority to make a schedule. Does he want me to report each one by one? Anyway, I’m supposed to report as soon as you get back, so go and show your face. He’s a complicated guy anyway. “

Josh had no choice but to say, “I get it,” when he seemed to barely hold back to curse. He greeted briefly and returned to the room he shared with Seth. He was thinking of looking for Seth first to say hello and then looking for Chase. He thought he might have wanted to postpone the time when he should meet him, but he pretended not to know.

“Seth, how is your body …?”

He opened the door and asked, but the room was empty. Josh was embarrassed, so he looked around the empty room once and put down his luggage. When he came out of the bathroom after a rough shower, being careful not to let the wound come into contact with the water, the door suddenly opened and Seth entered.

“Seth.”

“Josh”.

The two called out to each other in amazement, and soon they shook hands and hugged.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling better now?”

Josh answered Seth’s question with a smile.

“Well, how are you doing with the shot?”

“Good.”

Seth, who repeated Josh’s words as they were, quickly looked at him. After confirming Josh with a towel below the waist, he turned the line back to his face.

“What really happened? You were alone with the dominant alpha.”

Oh, and Josh understood the situation. Seth’s face, staring at him seriously, showed unusual signs of anxiety. Josh responded rather modestly.

“Thanks for your concern, nothing happened. Coyotes were more troublesome than pheromones.”

He added a little joke and Seth looked at him seriously.

“Heard you were bitten? Did you get a rabies shot?”

Josh nodded and added.

“The wound is not as big as I thought it would be. Is it better to get shot?”

“It’s just a flash. It’s the strangest medicine I’ve ever had … I barely opened my eyes and discovered I was in the hospital. Isaac suffered alone.”

I remembered Mark’s comment that Isaac was the only one still okay. In an obvious situation, Josh smiled bitterly.

“I owe you one, Isaac.”

Seth also shook his head and laughed.

“I thought you would be the one I was getting help from.”

“It was fortunate that Isaac was there. I’ll ask him in detail later.”

Seth, who had agreed with Josh, asked belatedly.

“Do you take medicine for pheromones?”

“No, I don’t usually drink often …”

Now that he thinks about it, he hasn’t had a drink since the day Chase came to see him. Without realizing it, he raised the doll to his nose and sniffed it, Seth paused and leaned over to Josh and said, “Wait a minute.”

“It tickles.”

“Be patient.”

When he got tired of the breath on the back of his neck, Seth spoke bluntly and sniffed.

“You really do smell weak.”

Speaking beautifully, he sniffed around him. Josh asked, shrugging.

“Not so, is it?”

Seth nodded.

“Well that’s enough. It’s not that I can’t smell it at all, but I usually don’t smell it that much. Maybe it’s because the detergent smell is stronger …”

“What are you two doing now?”

At the same time, the two of them turned their heads at the sudden voice. Outside the open door was Isaac. Henry was seen behind him. It wasn’t gossip, but Josh giggled when he remembered talking about Isaac so far.

“Good.”

If it was Isaac, he wouldn’t care much, but this time it was different.

His gaze turned to Seth and soon back to Josh.

“… What were you doing now? You two, why are you here?”

Somewhere in the calm voice, the atmosphere was strange. Somehow I felt nervous. I prayed. Josh responded in amazement.

“I just wanted to talk to you about something … what are you …”

“What were you two doing here alone? Don’t tell me you are …”

“Good that?”

Seth intervened. Isaac glared at him. Josh was surprised because he had never seen such a reaction before. He can’t believe he made that face when he always smiled slightly. Josh wasn’t the only one who felt embarrassed. Henry also blinked and looked at the two alternately

“Hey what’s wrong?”

Henry intervened, but Isaac never tried to suppress his hostility towards Seth. Rather, he shook Henry’s hand harshly and looked at Seth. Seth unexpectedly sighed at his answer and asked:

“What the hell are you thinking of? Josh and I don’t have that kind of relationship.”

” So what did you just do? You were kissing Josh’s neck! And are you saying no? Hey son of a bitch do I look like an idiot to you? “

Isaac screamed in quick succession. Josh tried to say it was a misunderstanding, but if he asks him what they were doing, he will have nothing to say. Also, it was the first time I had seen Isaac so moved by such abusive language. Unlike Josh, who was embarrassed and speechless, Seth spoke as usual.

“So it’s a misunderstanding, what we’ve been doing is between me and Josh. I’m not required to inform you, am I?”

“What, you bastard?”

“Just because you like Josh, not everyone is like you.”

“…?”

The bomb fell so calmly that for a moment they did not realize what had happened. It was only after a few seconds of absence that Seth understood.

“Now what?”

When Josh asked puzzled, Seth replied nonchalantly.

“Isaac likes you. That’s why he’s so excited right now, thinking I’m going to rob you”

“What?”

“What?”

“Listens!”

Josh, Henry and Isaac exclaimed. The three looked at each other alternately. The same happened with all parties. Only Seth was as serene as ever. The boy gritted his teeth with a little red face.

“Son of a bitch, how …”

Seth replied lightly, shaking with anger.

“You’ve been pushing me so hard. I have to resolve the misunderstanding too.”

He breathed and didn’t know what to do. This was the first time Isaac got mad at Josh. When feelings were tangled, strange and embarrassing, and a complicated mind, Henry stepped in out of nowhere.

“Really?”

Josh knew for the first time that his voice was so loud. Isaac looked at him and hesitated. His voice, which was several steps higher than usual, turned pale and he screamed.

“You’re serious, you bastard! Are you sure you like Josh? Really?”

Isaac couldn’t answer. Only his face got redder. That made Henry even angrier …

“Henry!”

Without a moment to dry himself off, Henry hit Isaac hard on the cheek with his fist. A terrible pounding sound and Isaac staggered away.

It was such a great sound that he thought his jaw might be broken. But even then Henry’s insides weren’t relieved. He immediately chased after him and grabbed him by the neck, but he didn’t have to be that far. After waving his next fist in the air, he finally uttered a short curse, turned around, and ran like a madman somewhere.

What the hell is this??

He couldn’t understand what was happening right in front of him, so Josh blinked and his eyes widened. Noting Henry’s distant back in an instant, he told him casually.

“You didn’t know? That guy likes Isaac. It was so obvious.”

“What?”

He screamed, but Isaac’s reaction was unexpectedly nonchalant. Seth added when he thought Josh couldn’t see him.

“But I’m surprised you knew. I thought you wouldn’t know until the end.”

Isaac muttered sheepishly, avoiding his gaze.

“… That’s because he confessed it to me.”

“Henry confessed?”

He repeated his words in amazement, Isaac answered quietly, still staring at the wrong place.

“At Pittman’s party … he called me to say something, and that’s how it happened.”

Only then did Josh know why the two of them disappeared at the same time and then gave off an unusual atmosphere. Seth spoke to himself next to Josh, speechless and empty-headed.

“It is a disaster”.

Josh couldn’t say anything, and Isaac was just trying to hide his flushed face with his mouth shut.

“… I’ll leave you alone.”

After muttering unnecessary greetings, Isaac turned his back and disappeared. Josh, who was still blinking, looked at Seth.

“How did you know?”

“How the hell don’t they know? It’s so obvious.”

Seth asked him as if he was pathetic. Josh had nothing more to say.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

The mansion was as still as death. Josh lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

It’s been almost an hour and he couldn’t sleep at all. Since the monitor room today, it’s run by Seth. Josh, who used the same room, was able to relax in a long time. Thanks to this, he went around and around, listened to music, and touched the cell phone because it didn’t make sense, but time passed and his mind became clearer.

“Damn.”

Josh finally got up and sat down with abusive language. He stopped in the bathroom and went out, and suddenly remembered what he had forgotten. He forgot he had to visit Chase.

“Whoops.”

He left the room and regretted again after shouting exclamations. He can’t believe he forgot about that, Mark told him.

No matter how shocking Isaac and Henry were, Josh was the one to blame for delaying as long as possible and then forgetting about it. There was nothing to say when Chase hit him.

Wasn’t he sleeping now?

He thought as he walked down the long hall. But going tomorrow morning, he thought he would hear Mark again. Anyway, it’s my job so I’ll figure it out. Josh made up his mind and tried to urge him to walk slowly.

After climbing the stairs, going down the hall, and passing a few more doors, he finally stopped in front of Chase’s room.

“Hmm.”

When Josh saw the door shut, he shut down his nervousness and coughed hastily. He raised his hand, but it took more courage to call. Was he that cowardly? Josh knocked on the door wondering.

Knock Knock

The blow was exceptionally strong in the hallway. There was no answer, but it was the same old thing, so Josh took the time and grabbed the doorknob. He could see his hands shaking slightly. He opened the door with heart and strength.

I do not know…

The heavy door backed away with a grim sound. Josh swallowed dry saliva and walked into the room.

“Mr. Miller, I heard you were looking for me. Sorry, I …”

He tore his eyes away from the elegant, empty bed and looked around the flat room. Chase’s shadow was not in sight.

What happened?…

He blinked in embarrassment. He moved slowly. There was no sign of anything in the connected bathroom. Standing in the middle of a spacious room, where there was nowhere to hide, Josh confirmed that Chase was not there.

“What the hell…”

He brushed his hair back in a daze. Suddenly, a faint sound of the waves reached his ears.

Now that he thinks about it.

The fact that it came to mind late made him walk to the side of the room. When he opened the closed door, he immediately saw a wide, smooth spiral staircase leading to the shore. Although Chase was like a side path with a structure that allowed him to jump into the sea whenever he wanted, Josh had never seen him swim. Of course, he was also unknown to the rest of the team, including Josh. To the shame of the fact that it was a private beach, there was always no human shade.

Except for that moment.

Who the hell is he?

Josh stood blankly on the stairs and stared at the human image in the distance. Appearing through the waves, disappearing and reappearing was clearly a human form.

Are you paparazzi or another member of that damn religious group? Who else did you say you were, who are you blackmailing? Are you a big fan?

As he quickly searched his head and tried to grab his opponent, he suddenly realized that he had been struck by lightning.

First of all, no one but a team member or owner of this place can join the private beach. Among them, there was only one person who could swim with such pride right now.

It was Chase Miller.

He heard the sound of the waves again. He stood there for a while and watched the figure of a man rocking in the waves.

The hesitation did not last long. He descended the stairs, drawn by the regular sound of the waves breaking the silence from time to time.

✤✤✤✤✤✤

The sand that lay on the wide shore was soaked only in the prescribed area. It is because of the seawater that enters the same interval each time. The order makes people comfortable, but seeing the current return after soaking the same range of sand each time, he somehow felt the desire to destroy it.

Josh now did exactly that. When he thought he wanted to spoil the balance by grabbing just a fixed amount of sand and chasing the retreating waves, he came into view.

“…! “

Josh stared blankly at the distant sea. The man changed direction and began swimming toward the beach where Josh was. Suddenly, Josh’s announcement came to mind. Leaving the sea with his body soaked, his purple eyes staring straight ahead, his blonde disheveled, his skin pale from the cold and his red lips parted.

It emerged as a reality now. Chase, who got up from the water, went up and down the waves one step at a time. Josh just looked at him as he gradually got closer to him.

As an annoyance, he ran his hand through his hair and stopped his gaze. Josh looked at him in dismay. The flowing seawater traveled from his hair to his face, his long neck, his clavicles and his chest, and caught him in his nipples, forming drops of water. Soon it descended on a solid abdomen. Josh stopped breathing as his gaze moved along with the drops of water to her sexy pelvis and long thigh muscles. Chase was completely naked.