Destination Desire

“It smells great.”

“I think you’ll like it. Here.” He grabbed a lettuce leaf. “You put some meat in here and top it with whatever sides you want. A little ssamjang is good.” He spooned some of the red sauce onto the meat.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a spicy sauce made from soybeans.” He added some kimchi, tossed in a few mushrooms, and placed the filled leaf on her plate. “You eat it kind of like a taco.”

“Okay, here goes.” She picked up her lettuce wrap and took a bite. Mmm, succulent beef mixed with the pungent kimchi and savory mushrooms. She chewed and swallowed. “It’s wonderful.”

“I’m glad you like it. Experiment a little with your next one.” He smiled.

A blaze shot through her body and landed between her legs. Why was he so damned gorgeous? His sinewy forearms bunched as he prepared his own plate. What a delicious specimen of masculinity.

“Tell me,” she said between bites. “Does someone live in the other bedroom?”

“I do.”

“You? Mike never said he had a roommate.”

“He didn’t, until recently. A friend of ours needed to sublease this place, and it was too great of a deal to pass up. You did notice the steam shower, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“It’s almost a necessity around here. Seoul is really smoggy. Coming home to the steam clears out the sinuses.”

“Of course you have smog. That traffic today was ridiculous.”

“That’s what happens when you put ten million people in a city this size.”

“Ten million?” Alli took a sip of the glass of water Dylan had set next to her plate. “That’s more than New York City.”

“Yeah, and about two percent are foreigners, like Mike and me. You probably noticed all the high rises while we were driving.” Dylan laughed. “We just all live on top of each other.”

Allison couldn’t help smiling. “So where are you from, anyway?”

“Indiana.”

“American all the way, huh?”

“Hot dogs and apple pie.” He winked.

Her insides tumbled. “Then when did you learn to speak Korean?”

“My mom’s Korean, and she spoke it to us at home, so I learned it right along with English growing up. My dad’s American, of English descent.”

“So you’re only half Asian then.”

“That’s right.”

“God.” Allison shook her head. “I just assumed you were Korean. You must think I’m incredibly stupid.”

“Why would I think that, honey? You had just landed in Seoul, and I do look Asian. Of course you thought I was Korean.”

Allison pushed her plate away. “Thanks for dinner. It was delicious. But I’m exhausted and I want to go to bed.”

“Come on. Don’t leave us like this.” Dylan rose and pulled her to her feet. “We’re amazing together. I want you so badly I can hardly see straight.” He entwined her fingers through his and placed both their hands against his arousal. “Feel how much I want you.”

“Dylan…”