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“This little dog belongs to Tae?” Julieta glanced down at the little black and brown furball.  She knelt down next to her and held her hand out to her. “Hello there, Yeontan.  Aren’t you just the cutest, little thing?”

Yeontan happily licked Julieta’s fingers.

Just then, they heard someone knocking on the door.  Julieta glanced at Tia.

“Tae,” they both spoke simultaneously.

“Go let him in,” Julieta urged quietly as she trained her attention on the precious pup.

Tia’s heart was thundering again.  She sighed.  Then she headed for the front door.  A moment later, she swung it open.  Breathing hard, Tae stood staring down at her.  Had he just run all the way back here?

He drew a deep, painful breath before speaking, “I left Yeontan here.”  He looked past her, his eyes searching for his dog.  “I’ll just find her, and then I’ll get out of your hair.”

He wasn’t meeting her eyes.  “Tae, I want you in my hair.”

“What?” Confused, his eyes found her own.  Was that an invitation to run his fingers through her hair?  He was so tempted…

“Tae, I – I’m sorry.  I haven’t been fair to you.  I —” 

Just then a stiff wind hit them both, and she shivered.  Instantly, he began to unzip his jacket to give it to her.  

She saw him and correctly interpreted his action.  “No…Tae, come inside.”

He stepped through the doorway as she moved to the side.  Once he was in her living room, she shut the door and turned towards him.  She nearly bumped into him.  He’d barely moved.  She glanced up at him, and her heart began to gallop again.  He was so gorgeous.  She could just stare at him for hours.  Suddenly, she could feel the touch of his lips on her own again.  She blushed as the memory assaulted all her senses, making her weak in the knees once more.  Last time, she’d been sitting down, but now she felt unsteady on her feet.

Tae noticed yet another pink flush staining her beautiful cheeks.  The cheek his lips had brushed a little while ago.  Right before he’d claimed her mouth with his own.  His eyes found those pretty, pink lips again.  But this time, he just sighed.  She didn’t want him kissing her.  She’d made that very clear to him.

He cleared his throat.  “I’ll just find Yeontan…”

In the hallway, Yeontan’s ears perked up as she heard her favorite person in the whole world speaking her name.  She danced in a circle and raced to the living room.  Julieta tried and failed to stop her.  But Julieta decided she would stay hidden.  She was praying Tia found the courage to confront Tae with her sad truth.  Confession was the only way to overcome this hurdle.

—

Yeontan came bounding out into the living room and jumped up on Tae’s leg.  Tae squatted down to pet his pup as he spoke softly, “Hey there, girl.  Yeontan.  So sorry I left you.”  He scratched the little dog under her chin very gently.

Tia didn’t miss the tenderness in his touch and tone as he ministered to the small animal.  It made her heart yearn for things she was pretty sure she couldn’t have.  Oh, that he would talk to her like that!  As she gazed at him, her heart in her eyes, she imagined the husband and father he would one day become.  He would be amazing!  Gentle.  Sweet.  Encouraging.  Loving.  Adoring, even.  She could see him laughing as he swung a tiny child high in the air over his head.  She refused to picture his adored wife.  Tia knew she wouldn’t be her.

Tears were coursing down her cheeks, yet she was unaware, so lost was she in her depressing contemplation.  Tae glanced up at her and was shocked to find her face awash in sorrow.  Yeontan forgotten once again, Tae jumped up and strode towards Tia.

“Tia,” he whispered her name every bit as tenderly as he had murmured Yeontan’s.  His tone broke her heart all over again, and a sob escaped her lungs.  She pivoted away from him.  

“You must think I’m such a crybaby!” Furiously, she wiped the tears from her face.

Tae stood, disappointed.  He had wanted to wipe her tears away himself.  And now she was hiding from him again.  

“Tia, I’m sorry I’m making you uncomfortable.  I’ll leave.”

He was turning away from her when her words rang out, clear as a bell sounding, and just as arresting.

“I’m not a virgin.”

Tae swung back around as the full import of her words hit him square in the heart.  He couldn’t fend off the disappointment that pierced him, but then he heard her sobbing, and all his thoughts were for her.  She was clearly broken-hearted.  He closed the distance between them in a second, his hand grabbing her arm gently and coaxing her to turn around.  As soon as she was facing him, her eyes on her toes, he pulled her into his arms.  He cradled her head against his chest as he shushed her with the sounds of his mouth, his lips kissing the top of her head.

“Shhhh.  It’s all right, Tia.  Everything is going to be all right.”  He was whispering into her hair.

“No,” she moaned broken-heartedly.  “Nothing is all right, Tae.  Nothing.  You can’t possibly still want me.”

“Why?  Just because you’ve had sex before?”

She nodded.  “I didn’t wait for you.  Doesn’t that hurt you?”

“A little.  But, Tia, you didn’t know me back then.  And I don’t know the circumstances, but I can tell you’re hurting.  I don’t want you to hurt.  So tell me how we can fix this.”

She ventured a peek up at him, drawing slightly away from his comforting chest.  “You still want me?”  She spoke in the tiniest voice he’d ever heard.

He nodded vigorously.  “Very much so.  Tia.  I love you.  Did you really think that would change me?”

It was her turn to nod.

“If you discovered I wasn’t a virgin, would you push me away?”

She shook her head.  “No!  But…”

“But what?  Am I really that different from you?”

“Tae, you deserve the best.  You deserve a girl who hasn’t sullied herself—“. She suddenly found her words cut off by his long, slender forefinger pressing into her lips.

Ire rising, he snapped at her, “Stop that!  You are the best.  Because you’re the one I choose.  And it’s my choice to make.  Not yours.  I don’t ever want to hear you call yourself sullied or less than ever again!  Do you understand?”  As she gazed up at him, wide-eyed, tears filled his eyes.  “You are PRECIOUS.  Precious!  You hear me?  Your mistakes don’t define you!  My love for you defines you.  And I call you beloved.  My beloved.  I want you, Tia.  I love you.  I choose you.”

Tears were sliding down four cheeks now as the two of them stood, raptly gazing at each other.  Yeontan gave up trying to get Tae’s attention and wandered back down the hallway as she looked for the kind girl who had scratched her chin a few moments before.

“Tia, you also deserve the best.  If you think I’m the one for you, then take me.  I’m yours.”

She shook her head, and his heart dipped a little.  “Tae, I don’t deserve the best.  I—”  Once again that finger was biting into her lips.  

“If you don’t stop arguing with me, I’m going to kiss you again!”  Just to shut you up, he lied to himself.

“But, Tae—”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he whispered right before his head bent and his lips touched her own softly.  His voice was menacing, but his touch was pure magic, sweet and tender.  Tia surrendered to the brush of his lips against her own.