Taking It Slow

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shen Shu," said Fu Jian.

"Nice to meet you too," she responded.

"Good. You two met, now let's go," Luo Nuying said to both of them.

Shen Shu and Fu Jian followed her until they reached the set. They spent the entire afternoon up until midnight filming and capturing photos. Fu Jian was a natural the whole time. Next to each other, they looked like siblings who cherished each other like family. More actors joined, playing as their parents.

Some parts of Shen Shu felt moved by their performances. But it was Fu Jian who treated her like they knew each other their entire lives, so it made it easier for her.

When the shoot was over, she told him, "Your acting is astonishing."

He smiled. "Thank you, but it felt easy being around you." His brows furrowed. "It feels like I know you?"

Shen Shu felt the same way, but she did not understand why. She wanted to get to know him better, but she looked at the time and noticed how late it was!

"I have to go," she told him, "but it was nice to meet you, Fu Jian." Shen Shu gave him one last glance before she ran off to part with Luo Nuying before she left.

…

Shen Shu went back to the apartment, but she saw no sign of Niko being home or having come home. She sighed as she went straight to her room and prepared for bed.

Niko would probably dodge their conversation for as long as he could. But like hell would she let him!

She slumped on top of her blankets and felt no wave of tiredness even as she worked all day.

She flipped over to her side and thought about how Niko touched her, felt her. How could something like that feel so good? It was maddening.

She remembered the sound of his groans and how his lips sucked on her neck. Her hand slid beneath her waistband, and she whimpered as she touched herself.

Shen Shu pretended it was Niko who slipped his fingers over her folds, massaging her clit. She arched her back, keeping up with the momentum. She then slipped two fingers in her entrance, and she shouted Niko's name as she came.

She then heard someone come inside. Niko's eyes were wide and wild as he saw her, knuckles deep beneath her panties.

He took her in, her position. The way her hand was beneath her shorts with her back arched. Shen Shu should have felt embarrassed she was caught, but she only slipped her fingers out and sat on her bed, facing him.

He was staring at her. "I—" he began. "I'm sorry. I thought you were hurt…I heard you call out my name."

Shen Shu rose from the bed as she slowly stalked toward him. "It's fine, Niko," she said to him, low. "I was thinking about you."

Niko only watched her intently as she prowled toward him. His gaze was low and heavy-lidded. Once Shen Shu was close enough, Niko grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against him. He met her gaze, gray eyes boring into yellow-green.

Shen Shu's heart was nearly beating out of her chest, butterflies swarming in her lower belly.

Niko's hand went to her hip, then lower. Shen Shu put a hand over his and guided him beneath her shorts.

"Fuck," Niko breathed as he felt the dampness of the fabric. "You're so fucking hot."

"I am a mess because of you," Shen Shu told him, her gaze never breaking contact. "What should I do, Niko? I want you—"

He lifted her over his waist, and Shen Shu wrapped her legs around him as he kissed her hard. Niko carried her to the bed as he sucked and nipped at her mouth, then her neck. Shen Shu moaned, not giving a damn about what prevented them from giving in to their desires before. She had Niko now.

Shen Shu wrapped her arms around him as he tugged down her shirt, freeing her breasts. He took one in his mouth and sucked the nipple between his teeth. Shen Shu's hand slid down to his crotch, and she felt him harden in her hand.

Niko then removed his mouth from her breast to look at her. "Cat…"

Shen Shu stroked him over his pants. He groaned.

"Yes?" she asked.

"We… can't do this," he said but made no moves to get away from her.

"Why?" she asked. She wasn't going to make any other moves unless Niko wanted it. Niko stared and caressed her face, not pulling away from her. He kissed her, this time light and sweet, not as rough and urgent.

"Because we'd never work," he told her. "We'd have to keep us a secret. There will be a time when people will question why we don't marry. Father will nag you to marry. I will only get in your way."

Shen Shu grabbed his face gently. "I don't care what people will think. I will refuse to marry even if father forces me. I want this."

Niko looked at her, torn. "What if someone found out?"

"I will deny it to my last breath."

"I don't want you sacrificing anything for me."

"Niko," she said, "if you deny us this chance, you will deny us answers. Answers we've been looking for."

"I'm afraid," he admitted.

"Me too," she said. "But can we give it a try?"

Niko stared at her. "We'll take it slow." He kissed her sweetly again over her lips, nose, and chin. "I don't want to ruin us just because of our attraction to each other."

Shen Shu's lips curved upward. "You find me attractive?"

He rolled his eyes. "Who wouldn't be attracted to you? You are as beautiful as you are smart. I was the lucky one to have been close to you when we were young but cursed to have been bound to you as someone else."

Shen Shu's eyes threatened to well with tears. She was so happy to learn what Niko thought about her. She thought she was going crazy. She thought she was the only one that felt like this.

Niko then pulled apart from her body, but Shen Shut grabbed his wrist. "Can you stay?"

He nodded. "I have to take care of something first. I will be back."

Shen Shu beamed. "Okay," she said to him.

Niko left, and she realized that she needed to shower and change again since she messed up her panties.

Once she finished, Niko slipped back into her room and locked the door. He was shirtless this time. He joined her in the bed and draped his arm around her, cocooning her to him. Shen Shu was happy yet terrified she'd lose this one day.