Chloe sat in the backseat of the Audi, wrapped in Natalie's suit jacket. Through the window, the club's decor blurred into the neon-lit night. She curled deeper into the jacket, burying her nose in the sleeve to inhale its lingering scent—a faint green note with subtle floral undertones. It reminded her of Natalie: composed and elegant at first, then unexpectedly luxurious in its careless ease.
Natalie didn't make her wait long. Moments later, her figure appeared in the doorway, dressed simply in a white blouse and black slacks. Her usual unhurried pace quickened just a fraction, but after a few steps, she paused where the streetlights touched the wet pavement, her stiletto heels catching the neon glow. Then, as if catching herself, she resumed her usual measured grace.
Chloe watched from the passenger side as Natalie slid into the car, the distance between them stretching enough to leave room for unspoken boundaries. "Should we take you home first?" Natalie asked, her gaze fixed ahead. The driver didn't dare glance back. Chloe gave a small nod and stated her address.
Natalie propped her elbow on the window, staring out into the blur of city lights. Her mind seemed lost, spiraling. Leaving the party early hadn't been hard—an excuse had been easy enough. But tonight, she had done far more than that. If Chloe weren't sitting beside her, she might have let out a sigh at the sheer absurdity of it all.
Ridiculous. Unthinkable. Unbearably—
Her thoughts faltered. But could she really blame herself?
She resisted the temptation to glance at Chloe. Since they'd gotten into the car, she'd felt it—the way Chloe's gaze lingered, soft but persistent, drawn by something unspoken, only to pull away again, before returning.
A soft ache bloomed in Natalie's chest, tangled with frustration. The urge to apologize again, to pull Chloe into her arms, was so overwhelming it almost suffocated her. In the end, she chose to pretend she hadn't noticed.
Then came a sigh.
Chloe shifted closer from her side of the seat. Natalie turned, catching her gaze—eyes lowered, lashes fluttering. Barely above a whisper, Chloe asked, "Won't you hold me?"
Something in Natalie's chest tightened, like a chord being strummed. She pulled Chloe in, letting her rest her head against her shoulder. Chloe's makeup had smudged slightly, her complexion a little pale. "Are you feeling unwell?" Natalie murmured.
Chloe bit her lip, her eyes a mix of reproach and something softer. Barely audible, she breathed out a single word: "It's really hurts."
Natalie's breath caught in her throat, understanding flooding in.
But Chloe only chuckled softly, looping her arms around Natalie's neck, pressing in closer. She knew exactly how to affect her—and relished in it. "And yet," she murmured, her voice thick with affection, "I love you like this too."
A warmth crept into Natalie's cheeks, and she felt a flush of late-blooming embarrassment. Chloe's waist was so delicate in her hold, their cheeks brushing. Between gritted teeth, Natalie muttered, "You vixen."
Chloe responded by pressing a feather-light kiss to her collarbone.
The neighborhood where Chloe lived wasn't unfamiliar to Natalie. It wasn't quite on the same level as her own residence, but it was still an upscale area.
As the car neared Chloe's place, she leaned closer, her eyes glinting with playful mischief. "Remember to miss me."
Natalie hesitated, the urge to ask why Chloe wasn't angry nagging at her—she should be angry—but in the end, she just smiled and nodded. "Mm."
Chloe cupped Natalie's face, pressed a soft kiss to her ear, then reluctantly stepped out of the car.
Once alone, Natalie's gaze flickered to the driver, who shot her a knowing look. She immediately looked away, feigning indifference. The driver, catching the hint, smoothly steered the car toward home, as though nothing had happened.
A moment later, Natalie's phone buzzed.
"Forgot to return your jacket. Next time."
A smile tugged at the corners of Natalie's lips.
Such an obvious, childish ploy. Yet, coming from Chloe, it was endearing.
She stared at the message for a beat before turning off the screen without replying. The smile faded as her eyes returned to the passing city lights, her mind quieter now.
Chloe hadn't been angry. She hadn't been as composed as usual, either. But this version of her—Natalie liked it. Maybe even more.
The reasonable, understanding Chloe? She could have let that version slip away naturally. But this Chloe, the one whose emotions were laid bare because of her? Indifference wasn't so simple anymore.
And now, she finally understood that tender, aching feeling.
Protectiveness.
On a night when sleep was elusive for Natalie, Chloe, on the other side of the city, was hunting for nearby dry cleaners. The warmth had long left the borrowed jacket, but its scent lingered stubbornly, a reminder of what had transpired.
Her fingers brushed the mark on her neck.
Had Natalie wanted to apologize before leaving? Did she think Chloe should be angry? That guilty, flustered look—adorable.
Chloe traced the bruise, a soft smile curving her lips.
Not angry. Really not angry.
Little one, you didn't do anything wrong.
She was just too… pure.
Such a pure-hearted darling.
Natalie was definitely thinking about her right now.
Chloe missed her too.
But she could wait.
She knew—Natalie would come back for her jacket.
Maybe even tomorrow.
————————
The next evening, Chloe received a message from Natalie. There was no pretense of "Are you free tonight?"—just a time and an address for dinner, concise and to the point.
Of course, Chloe didn't return the jacket immediately. If anyone asked, she'd claim it hadn't been cleaned yet, or that she'd simply forgotten. But she knew Natalie wouldn't ask. After all, Natalie wasn't here for an accidentally forgotten jacket.
Dinner by candlelight was followed by a movie—Natalie's choice. On a weekday, the theater was nearly empty.
Chloe had grown used to clients taking her out for meals, for bed, or for more. Movies happened occasionally, but rarely. In the world of modern romance, efficiency reigned. Why waste time on such performative foreplay with someone like her?
The customer is always right. For Chloe, the client was sovereign. She had no objections, linking arms with Natalie as they walked into the nearly deserted theater, ready for an obscure art-house romance.
How romantic. What a refined, lovely girl.
Halfway through, during a mildly intimate scene, Chloe suddenly reached over and covered Natalie's eyes.
Natalie chuckled softly, pulling her hand away. "I'm not a child."
Chloe caught Natalie's fingers, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, her gaze burning yet impossibly tender.
"But I don't want you looking at anyone else."
Heat spread from Natalie's hand, all the way to her chest.
This counts as a date, doesn't it?
Natalie was busy with work, and she didn't seek Chloe out often. After a few encounters at hotels near the club, Natalie had handed Chloe a keycard—a long-term pass to a top-floor suite.
Chloe had accepted it with a smile, skillfully dodging any questions about the long-term nature of the arrangement.
But finding out was easy. A casual inquiry at the front desk revealed:
Two months.
Only two months?
Chloe thought about everything that could happen in two months, then remembered the way Natalie had looked when she handed over the key—stiff, her ears faintly pink, pretending nonchalance while clearly flustered.
Chloe had leaned in then, whispering quietly, "I'll wait here for you."
Natalie had shot her a quick look, cheeks reddening further.
So easily embarrassed, even after all they'd done.
Adorable.
Two months would never be enough.
A canceled meeting left Natalie unexpectedly free. An appetite that had been neglected for weeks suddenly stirred, demanding attention. Before heading out, she hesitated, then made a call.
It was an exclusive restaurant, nearly impossible to book on such short notice for most people. Yet Natalie not only secured her preferred table, but also exchanged a few words with the chef who came out to greet her.
When Chloe slid into the opposite chair, offering an apologetic smile—"Sorry for being late, Miss Dong."—Natalie froze.
She had never seen Chloe like this in daylight.
Light makeup, loose curls pinned back with a simple clip, a beige cashmere turtleneck under a brown coat. Nothing like the Chloe she knew.
Noticing Natalie's wide-eyed stare, Chloe flushed. "I didn't have time to freshen up after your call."
"No," Natalie said quickly. "You're—you're beautiful. Like this."
Chloe lifted a hand to cover her smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
Natalie, inexplicably entranced, stammered, "I—I came too early."
Chloe seemed torn between laughter and disbelief, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook. Peeking at Natalie between her fingers, she radiated such warmth that Natalie's chest ached.
Everything felt different with Chloe in the daylight.
Here's an edited version, keeping the intimate tone and layering in smoother transitions:
Chloe had mentioned she was about to go shopping when Natalie called, so she came straight over without picking up anything. After lunch, Natalie took her to pick out clothes.
When the car stopped in front of a row of luxury boutiques, Chloe hesitated. Natalie smiled. "My treat."
Chloe didn't protest further.
Truthfully, Chloe had little interest in designer labels, and Natalie had very specific tastes. So Chloe followed obediently, trying on whatever Natalie handed her.
Emerging from the fitting room in a silk blouse, she was met with Natalie's approving gaze.
"Do you like it?"
"Love it," Chloe replied, smiling. "Absolutely love it."
Natalie picked each piece with meticulous care, less like a client shopping for an escort and more like a child dressing up a beloved doll—as if the act itself brought her genuine joy.
Before long, Chloe was carrying several shopping bags. When Natalie stepped aside to take a call, her tone shifting to handle some urgent matter, she tossed her card to Chloe. "Pick whatever you want." Then, she was already settling onto a sofa, laptop open.
Even with the permission, Chloe didn't browse further. Not wanting to disturb her, she sat quietly with a magazine, her coat draped over her shoulders like a student focused on homework.
Behind the magazine, Chloe snapped a discreet photo with her phone.
So adorable.
It wasn't long before Natalie looked up.
"Hm? Didn't you choose anything else?"
Chloe approached, opening Natalie's bag for her before she could. "No, that's all."
"Nothing else caught your eye?"
"I think everything you picked is perfect."
Natalie slung the bag over one shoulder, taking Chloe's hand with the other. "Then let me pick a few more things."
"Mm."
Natalie's generosity was genuine—this didn't feel like payment for services but more like a real date. When Chloe kissed her cheek shyly over a pajama set, Natalie's delight surpassed even the joy of buying her expensive handbags.
Chloe understood: these gifts were part transaction, part kindness.
By evening, Natalie asked if Chloe had any plans. From the passenger seat, Chloe tilted her head before leaning across the console to kiss her. The city lights were garish, the streets loud—but in Chloe's eyes, there was moonlight.
When Chloe's phone slipped from her purse as they exited the car, the screen lit up briefly. Natalie caught a glimpse before Chloe quickly snatched it back, locking it with a flick of her thumb.
The entire walk to the hotel, Chloe kept stealing glances at her, lips pressed tight. Natalie, meanwhile, hummed cheerfully, a grin on her face like a child who'd gotten away with stealing candy.
Inside their suite, as Natalie fumbled with the keycard, Chloe turned and silenced her humming with a kiss.
Chloe's tenderness was relentless. Her kisses were urgent, intoxicating, only breaking when Natalie sank onto the bed.
"Should I change into the pajamas you bought me?"
Natalie's face flushed as she nodded.
The emerald-green silk set clung to Chloe's curves, the robe loose, the inner dress slit and low-cut. Natalie had chosen the color specifically for how it made Chloe glow—like a rare gem, precious and luminous.
Under the hotel's bright lights, Chloe looked like a museum treasure, impossible to look away from. The sight reminded Natalie of their first kiss, that first taste of a woman's lips—softer than she'd imagined, a trap she'd fallen into helplessly.
Straddling Natalie's lap, Chloe looped her arms around her neck. "Do you like it, darling?"
Over and over, Natalie melted in her arms.
Later, as drowsiness crept in, Chloe murmured against her ear, "You seemed especially happy today."
Natalie flushed, recalling how unrestrained she'd been. Nestled against Chloe, she let out a soft "Hmph," but didn't deny it.
She had been happier than usual.
After all——
She'd seen it.
The photo on Chloe's lock screen.
Herself.