Before the words could register in his mind, her soft lips were on his, clumsily moving against the surface. With a groan, his hand rose to the back of her neck, and he took over, biting and licking at her lips until they opened, allowing him inside. The movie played still, screams and cries coming from the television, but the only thing he could hear was her breathy moans as his tongue wrapped around hers. When they finally broke away, her breath was coming in ragged gasps, and her head drooped down against his. Her hands wandered along his chest, tracing the muscles through his shirt. Grasping at the small piece of sanity he had left, Gu Cheng reached up and grabbed both of her wrists in his right hand, leaning her back with his left.

"Miss Joseph," his voice was rough, and he swallowed against the fire inside. "You are drunk, and we need to get you home."

Zaria obediently rose from his lap, swaying slightly as she stood in front of him. Her hands in his grasp reached for the hem of her shirt, and she started to raise it. "I'm not drunk. Why is it that when a woman tries to take what she wants, everyone makes excuses? If you don't want me, then just say that." Her eyes were still closed, and her head dipped to the side as though half asleep.

Gu Cheng let go of her hands and stood up. "Oh, I definitely want you, but I know you well enough that I can be sure that you will be furious when you wake up in the morning and remember all this. Let's get you home."

Gu Cheng started for the door but stopped halfway when he realized that she was not following him. He turned to find her sitting on the couch, obviously pouting. "Come on, Zaria," he took her hand and pulled her up, holding it as he led her across the room and out the door. They walked slowly so that she would not stumble, not bothering to change back into shoes, their slippers making scuffing noises against the carpet in the hallway between apartments. When she balked at getting into bed, he moved the comforter aside and scooped her up, laying her down gently on the pillow. With a quick motion, her slippers were taken off and placed on the floor beside the bed. For just a moment, he wondered if he should help her change into something more comfortable, but then she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer once more.

"Gu Cheng, do you like me?" She asked, her eyes watery and the rims turning red.

The normally cold man looked at her tenderly, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "I really do." Her eyes closed, and soft snores filled his ears as he covered her up with the blanket. Gu Cheng turned off the lights and left the apartment. When he got back to his own, he turned off the television and picked up the glasses left behind. He didn't think she would make up stories about being a good drinker, and there were only two fingers of scotch in the glass when he gave it to her. Yet another thing about her that didn't quite add up. Even a light weight would have a hard time getting that drunk with so little. He stared at the glass for a moment. His skin was still hot, and the memory of her lips filled his mind. The glasses were returned to the table, and Gu Cheng went into the bathroom to take a long and cold shower.

*****

The next morning, Zaria woke up confused. A look around showed that she was in her own bed, but she was fully dressed and didn't remember getting there. The last thing she did remember was grabbing onto Gu Cheng's arm in a moment of fear. Her face grew warm, and she buried herself under the comforter. The warm and firm muscles had not felt hard. Rather, they had given just a little as though they were made to be comfortable against her hand...

Zaria shook her throbbing head and screamed from the safety of her comforter hide-away. One long month of keeping her distance and trying not to admire the male god that was so near all the time, of being professional and detached, and a moment of insanity plus an arm grope destroyed it all. That alcohol had felt so strong, but she didn't realize how tipsy she was because it was so little. Had she fallen asleep after feeling up his arm? She really, really hoped so.

The doorbell rang through the apartment, and Zaria pulled her head out from below the comforter, checking her phone for the time. It was just past 9 am. With a sigh, she slid her feet into the slippers lined up beside the bed and went to answer the door.

In the hallway, Gu Cheng stood holding a pot with steam curling above it.

"I made you something for your hangover, may I come in?" She nodded and moved aside so that he could enter.

"I'm not hungover. The air is just a little dry in here." She rubbed her forehead with a grimace. The sound of the slippers shuffling across her entryway sounded impossibly loud in her ears. She slid onto a stool and watched his back closely. His movements were smooth and natural, and he did not appear upset at all. "Did I... I am sorry for holding onto your arm last night. I guess the movie was scarier than I thought it would be."

"It's alright," he replied as he slid a bowl of thin porridge in front of her. "You were drunk. You are not allowed to drink anymore."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I was not drunk," she argued emphatically. "I barely had anything to drink. I was just surprised when the ghost grabbed that guy!"

Zaria looked up as Gu Cheng rounded the corner of the counter and bent over her, his arms trapping her against the counter. "You were not drunk?" His voice was low and smooth, like luscious hot cocoa on a cold day. "So you don't mind continuing what you did after that?"

Large brown eyes grew even larger in a fearful face. " I was drunk, totally drunk, I am so sorry!" He stepped away with a smile, ladling a bowl for himself as well before sitting down next to her.

"I know you were drunk, or you would not have been brave enough to do those things. At least not yet." Gu Cheng blew gently on a spoonful of congee before eating it. "Did you enjoy the meal?"

" I did," she mumbled, her brain slowly starting up with the soothing warmth of the food. She concentrated on eating, spooning the thick mixture slowly into her mouth for several minutes. "I really am sorry for behaving so awfully. Wait, you said what I did after...the ...with your arm. What did I do?"

"I would enjoy cooking for you again sometime. Would you like that?"

"I...CEO Gu-"

"Gu Cheng"

Zaria blinked and looked up at him finally. "What?"

"When we are alone, call me Gu Cheng." Gu Cheng nudged her hand holding the spoon toward the bowl. "Eat."

"Gu Cheng," she said, resting her spoon against the side of the bowl. "Why are you being so nice? You don't ... like me, do you?"

"Would that make you angry?" He stood and took his empty bowl to the sink to clean. "Finish your bowl so I can wash it. Then take the day off and relax. I will drive you wherever you need to go later. I don't have plans."

Zaria finished her bowl of porridge and thanked him as he took the bowl away. "I'm sorry that I am making you do all this for me. You are my boss, I should be the one driving you around."

"We aren't at work. I am not your boss right now. It is okay if you treat me casually when we are not at work. And I have not said that I don't want to help, so why should you apologize?" Gu Cheng dried his hands and stuck them in his pockets as he leaned against the counter and watched her. "Do you know where you need to go later? To the grocery?"

"I...yes...I do need to go to the grocery and maybe somewhere else. Can I think about it?" Zaria rubbed her face with her hands. Her mind was clearer after her meal, but she was still struggling to catch up with the conversation. "I'm sorry, my brain is trying to catch up. I swear, I have never reacted to alcohol that way before. Are you sure that I wasn't really offensive? Did I say anything weird?"

Gu Cheng smiled, watching her closely as her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "No, you didn't say anything offensive. But you aren't allowed to drink anymore."

"Alright, alright," she agreed as she saw him to the door. "Thank you for the food, I feel a little better already. You should try and relax as well." She rested her head on the door until his footsteps faded away. "Good grief, what did I say to make him all warm and fuzzy? At least I didn't seem to make him angry..."

Shortly before lunch, there was a buzz of the doorbell, and Zaria untangled herself from the throw blanket on the couch and hurried over to answer it. The only person who would visit was Gu Cheng, and she was surprised to feel a smile on her face as she opened the door. The smile dropped immediately when she found the older Gu standing just outside.

The old man had a serious look on his face as he rested his hands against his cane handle. "Miss Joseph, I have come to apologize to you! I treated you very rudely at our first meeting."

She sighed and slid her hands into the snug pockets of her jeans. The old man did not seem like he was saying empty words, he seemed sincere. There was no reason not to forgive him, and getting angry again seemed like it would be exhausting. Maybe it was the lingering effects of her hangover speaking, but she was too tired to be enemies with anyone.

"Mr Gu, I accept your apology, and I should say sorry as well. I was in a lot of pain yesterday. Normally, I would not have let that sort of thing get to me, and I would not have spoken to somebody like that while at work. I hear things like that a lot working for CEO Gu. It really shouldn't have bothered me hearing them from one more person.Please don't worry about it anymore."

"I accept your apology as well. And now I would like you to help me with something." At Zaria's suspicious look, he chuckled warmly and leaned closer. "I would like to go out for something sweet, but I don't like to go out and eat alone, and I don't want to order it to my home. Will you go with me?"

"Sweets?" She asked curiously. It had been a long time since she ate anything sweet other than fruit. "Are you sure you don't want to ask your grandson? You don't know me, after all, would you be comfortable with me there?"

"Ah Cheng is too concerned with being healthy. He will just tell me I am not allowed to have any. Come, I know of a good cake shop, my driver can take us there and we can talk more."

Zaria slid on her hiking boots and laced them up, tugging her t-shirt down over her hips. She grabbed her wallet from a little basket atop the shoe cabinet and closed the door behind her. "I am trusting you because there is the possibility of cake," she told him with a grin, pressing the elevator button. At the loud ding signaling its arrival, the door at the other end of the hall opened up.

"Miss Joseph, are you leaving? Did you need a ride somewhere?"

There was no chance to respond as she was pulled into the elevator by Gu Heping, who stuck his head back out of the elevator and grinned mischievously before hitting the door close button. Zaria could hear Gu Cheng calling out as the doors slid shut, but he was too late to stop the elevator before it descended. The old man cackled and thumped his cane down on the ground. "That surely steamed him," he chortled. "He won't keep me from my cake or good company today!" As they exited in the lobby, he reached back inside and pressed the buttons for every floor before leading the way outside. "That will keep him from following us right away."

Zaria laughed out loud at his antics as they stepped outside, and the sunlight warmed her skin. With a smile, she followed the man into the shiny black four-door car waiting at the curb.