Zion's Garden - Chapter 5.1
Zion was talking nonsense again.
“When I kissed the sleeping Zion, his eyes opened wide.”
“Stop.”
“Haha, it’s just like the story. When you hold me like this, I really feel like a princess from a fairy tale.”
Bl00d rushed to his face, and he bit his lip.
“Stop before I shut your mouth. I’m not crazy enough to go along with your delusions.”
I kicked open the bathroom door with my foot and roughly placed Zion in the round whirlpool bathtub I never thought I would use. I immediately turned on the water. Hot water poured out from the jets with a gentle hiss. Without hesitation, I stepped in and sat down across from Zion. Leaving him alone, even for a moment, felt impossible now. He whistled softly.
And he laughed.
“If I had known my bad doctor would care this much, I would have cut my wrists from the beginning.”
His eyes sparkled with a strange excitement. I had suspected earlier that Zion had taken something before returning. The look in his eyes now was unmistakable, exactly like that of someone under the influence.
“I’m joking. You don’t have to look so scared.”
“Don’t even think about moving for thirty minutes. Your body temperature has dropped significantly.”
“No.”
As Zion approached, the hot water splashed around us. He pushed me into a corner, held me in his arms, and whispered.
“Kiss me. Just like before.”
“Why… Do you really think what I did earlier was a kiss?”
It had been a desperate struggle, hardly deserving to be called a kiss. I turned my head to avoid Zion’s statue-like face as it neared mine.
“Well, Doctor, I guess I should learn how to kiss. I didn’t know you’d be so forceful with that indifferent look on your face. It made it better, though. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that excited.”
Zion’s smile widened, and his breath rasped against my ear.
“Get your face away from me.”
“I thought maybe we were a perfect fit for each other. Was that just me?”
Before I could respond, Zion’s tongue gently brushed against my lips, rendering me speechless. It was a deep kiss, as if he were chastising me for my earlier, animalistic attempt. He sucked on my lower lip, his tongue slipping inside my mouth and exploring. Heat flared within me, and it felt like every drop of bl00d in my body rushed to one place. My body betrayed my mind, moving instinctively. No, perhaps I had stopped thinking altogether. Zion enveloped me softly and sweetly, as if showing me what a true kiss was. Our tongues tangled, drawing a low moan from his throat.
“Hmm…”
His hand gripped my chin, and Zion pressed in closer, more insistent. The warm water, set at 40 degrees, continued to rise around us. He broke the kiss momentarily, only to tilt his head and capture my lips from another angle. His long eyelashes, sharp jawline, furrowed brows, and eyes that seemed to glimmer with an inner light—all of it set my heart racing.
“I can’t wait thirty minutes,” Zion muttered as he turned his head slightly, his voice low and deliberate. I was beneath him, half-submerged in the steaming water, my arms wrapped around his neck. My breaths came in shallow, uneven gasps, and my throat felt dry. I averted my face, not wanting him to see the flush that had crept up my cheeks.
“Do it with me, doctor. You want this now, don’t you?”
Unable to confirm or deny his words, I simply wrinkled my nose and looked away. Zion’s fingers deftly tore open his shirt, buttons scattering against the walls of the bathtub. He tossed the soaked fabric onto the bathroom floor, where it landed with a wet, squeaking thud.
“It’s okay if you refuse,” he said, his hand sliding down into the waistband of my training pants, a faint smile gracing his lips. The sight of his pale, flawless skin under the soft, steamy light left me momentarily stunned.
“Tonight, Zion will take the lead.”
He tugged at my soaked black training pants just as I tried to push myself up from the water. My legs, still tangled in the clinging fabric, caught beneath me, and I nearly stumbled. Damn it, suffering a concussion from slipping on the edge of the tub while half-dressed was not in my life plan. With my balance precariously swaying, I felt exposed and vulnerable.
“Oh my, are your legs already giving out?” Zion teased.
I barely managed to avoid the embarrassment of falling when Zion’s hand, now raised, gripped my waist firmly. His eyes sparkled with delight. The childlike excitement in his gaze, as if he were holding a matchbox ready to strike, made my sense of danger flare. I was already overheated and didn’t want to be consumed by the flames any longer.
“The play starts now.”
With a gentle push from Zion, I stumbled back and sank to the edge of the bathtub. The water beneath my feet churned and rippled wildly. My hands trembled, whether from fear or some other emotion I couldn’t name, and the thought of pulling up my pants never even crossed my mind.
“Why… why is it like this?”
“From now on, we’re going to play hospital. Dr. Zion Lee, and Jeong-won is the patient.”
Zion made a playful joke and then laughed, his face lit up with enjoyment. Droplets from his soaked blond hair fell across his forehead and trickled down his smooth cheeks. Even in this situation, I couldn’t help but think how maddeningly beautiful he was—I must have truly lost my mind.
“If you behave, I’ll give you a shot that won’t hurt. But if you don’t, I’ll give you one that stings. Haha, that sounds fun, doesn’t it?”
“What the heck is that…?”
Zion’s soft lips pressed against my forehead, and I clamped my mouth shut. His bare upper body was close enough to touch. The moment I saw the two small bumps on his pale skin, I shut my eyes tightly.