For a while, only the quiet sound of the waves lingered in the air. Neither Chase nor Josh spoke. They simply stared at each other.
But Josh was experiencing the noisiest moment of his life. His heart was pounding so violently that he couldn't even think. He never realized his pulse could be this deafening.
Even so, his gaze kept drifting downward. The fact that he couldn't tear his eyes away, to the point of self-loathing, made his ears burn hot.
He barely managed to look up, only to have his breath caught again. Because there was a face. That damnably beautiful face staring back at him.
"......."
"......."
Silence settled between them. The sound of the waves was neither helpful nor distracting. If anything, Josh’s own ragged breathing was louder. Feeling self-conscious, he cleared his throat belatedly.
"I apologize for being late. I received the message, but......"
Suddenly, Josh remembered. This man had once tried to drown him. Right now, of all times, why did that memory surface? Even asking himself didn’t yield an answer. The only fortunate thing was that the fear that surged up momentarily had cooled his overheating heart.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going......"
He had plenty to say—telling Chase not to go swimming alone at night, to stop wandering around recklessly, to get his act together after the recent attack. But Josh didn't say a word. He decided to report this to Mark later so he could issue a proper warning. Right now, all he wanted was to leave.
But Chase didn’t let him.
Suddenly, Chase grabbed his shoulder. Josh had only taken a single step, but that was enough to make him freeze. Holding his breath, he slowly turned around, and Chase was approaching him. The soft sand beneath his feet shifted gently with each step. Josh could do nothing but watch him come closer.
For some reason, Josh felt like it had been a long time since they'd faced each other. At most, three or four days had passed.
The mixture of familiarity and strangeness crossed his mind just as Chase stopped in front of him. Josh silently waited for him to speak. No—he tried to. If only looking at him didn’t make his face heat up no matter where he turned his eyes.
As he gazed down at Josh, Chase suddenly narrowed his eyes.
......Huh?
Josh blinked, startled by the unexpected expression. What did that mean? Before he could figure it out, the hand on his shoulder slid down to his arm. Long fingers gripped him firmly, pressing over the bandages. Josh grimaced before he could stop himself.
"Ah."
A small, involuntary sound escaped him, drawing Chase’s gaze downward. His lowered eyes fixated on Josh’s arm. The darkness cast sharp lines over his face, making his expression unreadable.
Josh wanted to know what was going through his mind. But of course, that was impossible.
Will I ever understand what this man is thinking?
Josh dismissed the fleeting thought. More than that, he was wondering why Chase was still holding onto his arm. And when he was going to let go. The grip wasn't even that strong, yet a dull ache spread through his entire limb.
Chase parted his lips slightly, as if about to say something. So Josh waited.
But then Chase closed his mouth again, his eyes still locked on Josh’s arm. When his patience finally ran out, Chase spoke.
"......Does it hurt?"
"Of course it does."
Josh answered immediately, without hesitation. Hidden in those words was an implicit demand: So let go already.
But instead of releasing him, Chase squeezed harder. Josh quickly tried to yank his arm away, but just then, Chase lifted his gaze, staring straight into his face. Under that steady watch, Josh froze again.
The gentle sound of the waves made his head spin. Chase raised a hand, watching as Josh exhaled shakily.
Cold, wet fingers brushed against his cheek.
Josh flinched instinctively, and Chase hesitated. After a brief pause, he reached out again. His fingers traced over Josh’s cheek before slipping into his damp hair. Then, so naturally it was almost seamless, he grasped the back of his head and pulled him in.
"......!"
Josh stumbled forward, colliding against him.
Their bodies met, and Chase’s damp skin pressed against Josh’s. His thin shirt gradually absorbed the lingering moisture.
Josh hesitated, then looked up. Chase’s hand slid down to his waist, pulling him in. No space remained between them.
Heat surged through his lower abdomen. His heart pounded so loudly it felt like the entire world could hear it.
When their lips met, for a moment, Josh couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He just blinked, wide-eyed, letting it happen.
Chase’s tongue slipped in through the brief opening in his lips. Even with just one kiss, the familiar warmth and weight filled Josh’s mouth completely.
Haah, haah.
Breaths turned ragged, his vision blurred.
It wasn’t just the pheromones.
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Chase’s drenched body pressed against him, and their tongues entwined. Josh didn’t know what to do with his hands. He hesitated, unable to move.
Their lips parted slightly. Their eyes met.
Breathless, lips slick with heat, Chase murmured,
"If you don’t say anything, how am I supposed to know whether it hurts or not?"
"......."
"Tell me, isn’t that right?"
Reluctantly, Josh answered.
"That’s right."
"Who’s at fault?"
Chase’s voice remained low as he asked.
His grip tightened. Josh barely held back a grimace before answering,
"......Me?"
The slight lilt at the end of his words was the only resistance he could manage. Chase noticed it. His brows lifted slightly, but Josh didn’t take it back.
Chase watched him silently for a moment before he spoke again.
"Joshua."
Josh flinched, momentarily forgetting his pain.
It was the first time Chase had said his full name. Not a nickname. Joshua.
Staring at Chase in a daze, Josh saw him smirk in amusement.
"Shall we sleep?"
Josh didn’t understand at first.
He blinked, confused.
Then Chase smiled—a sultry, knowing smile. A familiar expression.
And in that instant, Josh realized.
Those were his own words. The ones he had said before.
Before he could react, their lips met again.
Chase’s tongue slipped in without hesitation.
As Josh unconsciously sucked in a breath, the scent of Chase’s pheromones filled his mouth completely.
A thick, intoxicating scent, laced with unmistakable desire.
〈To be continued in Volume 3〉