Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 180

“What? Ah!”

Startled, his hand slipped while cutting the steak, and Koi involuntarily let out a sound close to a scream. Koi, who had unconsciously twisted his face at the unpleasant scraping sound of the knife on the plate, looked at Ashley sitting opposite him in bewilderment. Ashley said, cutting his steak as if nothing was amiss,

“It’s all resolved. He won’t appear in front of you again, so don’t worry.”

“How…”

Koi, who had been bewildered, then widened his eyes.

“No way, Ash, that jaw… that’s why…”

“Don’t worry, I hit him too. I probably hit him more.”

Ashley mimicked Koi’s words and spoke jokingly, but it was the clear truth. Nelson had been beaten to within an inch of his life.

However, Koi, who had no way of knowing that, saw it only as Ashley putting on a brave face to reassure him. He looked at Ashley with trembling eyes and asked in a shaky voice,

“Does it hurt a lot? No, of course it must hurt. What should I do?”

To Koi, who couldn’t take his eyes off the red mark remaining on his jaw, Ashley put a piece of steak in his mouth and answered,

“It’s bearable.”

He frowned as he began to chew the meat. Oh no, he must be badly hurt. Koi turned pale. Ashley drank some wine, then continued,

“Anyway, don’t worry about Nelson anymore. He won’t be able to appear in front of you again.”

“Okay…”

Koi mumbled softly. Nelson wasn’t the problem now. Koi, who barely ate, staring only at Ashley’s jaw, spoke when the meal was almost over.

“Um, Ash. Is there anything I can help you with? Please tell me anything, I’ll do whatever I can.”

Ashley, who had emptied his wine glass, smiled at Koi. Does that mean it’s okay? Koi looked disheartened, his shoulders slumping. Ashley poured wine into his empty glass and continued,

“There is one thing.”

“Oh, yeah. Tell me, quickly.”

Koi pricked up his ears and tensed his body. Ashley postponed something he wanted to order immediately and instead made another request.

“I’d like you to help me with my work for a while. Would that be alright?”

“Of course, I’ll do it, whatever it is.”

Koi answered without thinking. Ashley unconsciously frowned. Shouldn’t he break that habit of answering so readily? It was perfectly fine if it was only for Ashley, but if he acted like that anywhere else, it would be very problematic. Ariel’s face flashed through Ashley’s mind. I guess it would be better to confine him. It was very bad for him to act like that to anyone, but Koi acting like that to him was very cute, so there was no need to correct the habit. Confining Koi would solve everything.

Unaware of Ashley’s thoughts, Koi cautiously asked,

“Nelson didn’t come looking for you first to harm you, did he…?”

Ashley just drank his wine instead of answering. Immediately, Koi turned pale and didn’t know what to do. Leaving Koi like that, Ashley leisurely replied,

“It’s okay, it’s all resolved anyway.”

After all, Koi had no way of checking. Nelson would never open his mouth again.

Ashley spoke again after they had cleared the table and moved to the tea room to have tea and cake.

“Koi, have you looked for your next job?”

“Huh? Oh, no.”

He couldn’t stay here forever. Koi quickly added to emphasize that he would be leaving soon,

“I’ve looked at a few places, but I haven’t had any interviews yet. I’ve sent emails, so I should get a reply soon.”

Unnecessarily diligent, he is.

Ashley inwardly clicked his tongue but feigned ignorance and continued.

“Actually, a position opened up at a place I know, and I was thinking of introducing you. What do you think?”

“What?”

Koi was surprised by the unexpected offer. Ashley continued to speak.

“It’s a company specializing in interior and exterior design. They happened to need an experienced person, so I’d like to introduce you. Would that be alright?”

“Uh, uh, yeah. Of course.”

A company Ashley introduced would be trustworthy enough. Koi nodded, his eyes sparkling, and smiled brightly for the first time in a while.

“Thank you, Ash. Even for my job…”

How could he ever repay all this kindness? Just as he unconsciously sighed, feeling absurdly small compared to Ashley, Ashley suddenly spoke.

“There’s a condition.”

“Huh?”

To Koi, who was suddenly nervous, he said nonchalantly,

“It’s nothing to worry about, you just need to have a physical examination.”

“Physical examination?”

Koi blinked in bewilderment. Ashley continued in an indifferent tone,

“You need to have a health check-up before joining the company. Don’t be so surprised, it’s routine. The company also covers the cost of the examination.”

Ashley narrowed his eyes and smiled.

“Isn’t it even better that you can get a free health check-up with this opportunity?”

“Uh, yeah…”

Koi nodded, feeling dazed. A health check-up—it was a completely unfamiliar term for Koi, who had never even stepped foot in a hospital in his life.

“It must be a really big company, to even do something like that…”

As Koi mumbled, Ashley listed the company’s conditions. Koi’s eyes widened at the mention of insurance, a substantial salary, and even a car provided for commuting. Furthermore, the company paid for gas if he filled up the car, and if he got sick and needed hospital treatment, the company covered that too.

“There’s a company like that?”

Koi’s mouth, which had been opening wider with each new condition, finally let out a high-pitched sound. Ashley leisurely drank his coffee and replied,

“Most decent companies do that much. It’s a basic benefit my law firm employees receive.”

That’s just for your level.

Koi felt dazed but also a little bitter. While such conditions were basic for Ashley, Koi found it difficult even to find a job with insurance. He was about to become gloomy for a moment, but then he straightened his shoulders.

“Thank you, Ash. It’s the first time I’ve heard of such a good company. Um, those conditions are definitely not basic for me.”

When he thanked him again, Ashley smiled and said,

“It’s good for me too, so you don’t need to be so grateful.”

“Huh?”

To Koi, who was bewildered, Ashley lightly raised and lowered his hands.

“Because if you’re safe, I’ll be at ease too.”

“Ah.”

Recalling that he had received Ashley’s help again, he couldn’t just let it pass. Koi, his face flushed, mumbled a small “Okay.” Ashley, seeing his face, fixed his gaze on him and suddenly said,

“Koi, come here.”

“Huh? Yeah.”

Recalling their conversation during dinner, Koi immediately moved towards him, and Ashley suddenly reached out his hand.

“Ah!”

Suddenly pulled, Koi let out a short shriek. Ashley sat Koi on his thigh. Koi, who found himself straddling one of Ashley’s widely spread thighs, blinked in surprise as Ashley looked at his face and said,

“If I kiss you now, you could sue me for sexual harassment.”

“What? Why would I do something like that…”

Koi thought. My heart is pounding so much with Ashley’s face so close that I can feel his breath.

I’m the one who wants to kiss you.

As if he had read Koi’s thoughts, Ashley whispered,

“It’s a different story if you do it to me.”

Thump, Koi’s heart dropped with a loud thud. Thump, thump, thump, thump, his pulse began to race madly.

Ashley was still waiting, looking at Koi. He wanted Koi to kiss him first.

Koi, as if possessed, brought his face closer, then suddenly remembered. If I do this, then I’m doing it to Ash, so wouldn’t Ash sue me for sexual harassment?

Ashley was still waiting. Koi swallowed hard, then made up his mind.

It’s okay, Ash allowed it.

Koi tilted his head with a trembling heart. He saw Ashley’s long eyelashes slowly lower. Koi opened his mouth, and his breath, suppressed by tension, touched Ashley’s lips.

“Can I…?”

Just before kissing, Koi asked. Ashley didn’t wait any longer, grabbed the back of his head, and immediately pressed their lips together. Koi involuntarily gasped and wrapped his arms around Ashley’s neck.