Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 53

For a while, only the tranquil sound of waves continued to echo in their ears. Neither Chase nor Josh spoke. They just gazed at each other.

However, Josh was experiencing the loudest ears he had ever known. His heart was pounding so wildly that he couldn’t think straight. It was the first time he realized his own pulse could be so thunderous.

Nevertheless, his gaze kept drifting downwards. His ears flushed crimson at his inability to tear his eyes away, a feeling that filled him with self-loathing.

He finally managed to look away and glance upwards, only to have his breath catch again. There was a face. That damn beautiful face was staring back at Josh.

“……”

“……”

Silence descended between them. The sound of the waves, present or not, offered no help. Instead, his own ragged breathing sounded even louder. Embarrassed, Josh belatedly cleared his throat with a hum.

“I apologize for being late. I heard the message, but…”

Suddenly, Josh remembered that this man had tried to drown him. Why now, of all times? He asked himself, but no answer came. The only saving grace was that the sudden surge of fear had chilled his heart.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll just…”

Don’t swim alone in the ocean, don’t wander around freely at night like this, you just got attacked by terrorists and you’re still not thinking straight. There was an overflowing amount to say, but Josh didn’t utter a single word. He planned to report it to Mark later and have him issue a separate warning. Right now, he could think of nothing but getting out of this place immediately. But Chase wouldn’t let him casually mumble an excuse and leave.

Suddenly, Chase grabbed his shoulder. Josh had only taken one step, but he stopped dead. Holding his breath, he slowly turned around, and Chase approached. The soft sand rustled gently under his feet, scattering softly. Josh just watched him as he drew closer.

Suddenly, Josh felt as if he was meeting him after a very long time. Even though it had only been three, or at most four, days.

As a mix of welcome and unfamiliarity crossed him, Chase stood directly in front of him. Josh quietly waited for him to speak. No, he tried to. If only the situation didn’t make his ears burn no matter where he looked.

Looking down at him, Chase suddenly narrowed his eyes.

…Huh?

Josh blinked in surprise at the unexpected expression. Just as he wondered what it meant, the hand that had been on his shoulder moved down to grasp his arm. Long fingers pressed down, and the pressure felt through the bandage made Josh’s face contort.

“Ow.”

He let out a small gasp without realizing it, and Chase’s gaze dropped. His lowered eyes calmly fixed on Josh’s arm. The shadowed, sharply defined face made it difficult to gauge his emotions. Josh wanted to know what he was thinking, but of course, it was impossible.

Will the day ever come when I can understand this man’s thoughts?

Josh immediately dismissed the thought that had suddenly popped into his head. More than that, he wondered why this man was holding his arm, and when he would let go. It wasn’t a very strong grip, but a throbbing pain spread throughout his entire arm.

Josh waited as Chase opened his mouth as if to say something. But he soon closed it again. His gaze remained fixed on Josh’s arm. Finally, when his patience ran out, Chase spoke.

“…Does it hurt?”

“Of course it does.”

Josh answered immediately without hesitation. Hidden within his words was the meaning, ‘So let go quickly,’ but Chase, far from releasing his hand, pressed down harder, gripping him even tighter. Josh hastily tried to pull his arm away. At that moment, Chase shifted his gaze and stared at Josh’s face. Under his calm gaze, Josh stopped moving again.

The gentle sound of waves disoriented his ears. Chase raised a hand, looking at Josh, who was breathing in shallow gasps.

Cold, water-soaked fingers touched his cheek. He instinctively flinched, and Chase paused. After a brief silence, he reached out again. His fingers seemed to trace Josh’s cheek, then gently brushed back his hair, and with surprising naturalness, pulled his head back.

“…!”

Josh stumbled, crashing into him as if falling. Chase’s still-damp body pressed against Josh’s. His thin shirt slowly began to get wet. Hesitantly, Josh lifted his head. Chase lowered his hand and pulled him closer by the waist. Their bodies pressed tightly together, without an inch of space between them.

His lower body instantly flared with heat. The sound of his pounding heart seemed to echo throughout the world.

When their lips met, Josh momentarily couldn’t grasp what was happening. He simply blinked his wide eyes and let him do as he pleased.

Chase’s tongue entered his unguarded mouth. With just one kiss, a familiar warmth and weight filled his mouth.

Haa, haa.

His breath quickly grew ragged, and his vision blurred. This wasn’t solely due to Chase’s pheromones. Chase’s drenched, naked body pressed tightly against Josh’s, their tongues intertwining stickily. Josh hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do with his arms.

Their lips parted briefly. They met each other’s gaze. Their equally ragged breaths moistened each other’s lips. Chase, looking down at Josh, whispered.

“If you don’t say anything, how am I supposed to know if it hurts or not?”

“……”

“Tell me, isn’t that right?”

Reluctantly, Josh replied.

“That’s right.”

“Whose fault is it?”

Chase asked, his voice still low. The grip on Josh’s arm tightened. Josh couldn’t help but let his face contort as he barely managed to answer.

“…Mine?”

The upward inflection was the bare minimum of defiance. Chase raised an eyebrow, noticing it, but Josh didn’t correct himself.

After a moment of silently looking down at Josh, Chase spoke.

“Joshua.”

Josh was startled for a moment, forgetting the pain. It was the first time he had called him by his full name, ‘Joshua,’ not a nickname. Chase smiled, looking amused at Josh’s blank blinking eyes.

“Shall we sleep?”

Josh didn’t understand what he meant. As he blinked in confusion, Chase gave him a suggestive smile. When he thought he had seen that smile before, Josh realized those were his own words.

The next moment, their lips met again, and his tongue thrust inside. Chase’s sweet scent permeated Josh’s mouth with the breath he unconsciously inhaled.

It was the strong, spreading scent of pheromones, filled with sexual desire.