24 I Am Already There

Extra Characters:

(1) Gu Yao Ting - Li Jie's actor friend

(2) Shen Wei - another friend

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July 10, 20xx

Adriatic Sea

But he pulled her back, held her head with both hands and his lips grazed hers with tenderness before quickly letting her go. He mumbled something incorrigible and wrap her to him. Leaning on his chest, his quickening pulse and unsteady breathing can be felt against her face and the veins on his neck were showing.

Seeing him barely holding it in, she clung to his embrace to calm him. Even her, the brief and chaste kiss produced fluttering in her belly. She listened to his heartbeats completely oblivious to the sound of speed boat's motor closing in to them.

"Wife" he called out after a while.

Lost in the feeling of the moment, she sounded a soft "Hmm."

"Quickly fall. I am already there." his husky voice sounded as though he was holding back the words.

A corner of Yan Shi's mouth turned up with his statement. The sentence like 'I'm almost there.' was stuck in her throat.It felt magical and she didn't want to ruin the wonderful setting with a confession of her illness.

'The day after the wedding. I will tell you.' she murmured which for her is pure selfishness.

******

An amused chuckle separated the two.

His angry expression that rose after the interference was replaced with a lop-sided grinwhen he caught t

he sight of his wife tucking the strands of hair that loosened behind her ears with both hands in shyness. To make her feel better, he put an arm on her shoulder and faced the person who arrive unannounced.

An attractive man, clad in tea green plain t-shirt with black lettering that reads I AM STUPID, shorts and sneakers was leaning a few steps away from them. His fresh face was putting up his million dollar smile that's making every women in the country swoon every time he appears on the television whether it's a movie, drama or advertisement.He rakes millions just for this aside from being an award winning actor.

There was foreboding worry on Li Jie with his friend's sudden appearance.

Yan Shi perceived the disappearance of his chirpy appearance and the grip on her shoulder tightened before slightly hiding her from the other man's sight. This demeanor gave out the feeling of a mother protecting his cub from predators.

In her amusement, she moved forward returned the man's smile.

Of course, she recognized who he was. Though she seldom watched, but the hospital staff liked to gossip about him whether it's at the cafeteria or nurses station. Plus, he once advertised the hospital.

He is attractive and hot. But being a womanizer is a big turn off for her.

The tall, athletic actorapproached them and bumped fist with Li Jie.

He then extend his end and his nasal tone was heard "Gu Yao Ting, 28, single"He sounded sick.

Yan Shi grasped the hand with a simple handshake and mirrored his introduction.

"Blythe Ricci, 24, married."

Gu Yao Ting's eyes slightly widened and looked up to his friend. The other man shrugged with a smirk and answering his questioning eyes.

"Blythe Li, my wife." he introduced emphasizing each syllable.

Finding his friend's possessiveness funny, he chortled an "Okay."

Li Jie asked "Why are you here?"

The upward arc on Gu Yao Ting's face disappeared and said "hiding."

This short answer no longer surprises him.

"What did you do this time?"

Aside from his work, the man had always been gracing the news for his scandals on woman.

He is known for his relationships that last only for 30 dayswith actresses, socialites or any woman wearing skirt.

He shruggedhis shoulders not wanting answer Li Jie's inquiry.

"

Go back. You are disturbing our honeymoon." Li Jie ordered.

"Another one won't destroy your two person world. Plus there are two crews in the boat too. Live show would be good." he joked.

"Then make sure you can stomach it because it's intense, hot and erotic."her husband returned.

A flush crept up her face and immediately, hit him. The sound of a back being slapped was heard followed by a loud chuckle.

"Don't listen to him." she plead to Gu Yao Ting.

The two watched her receding figure, going down the stairs.

"A fiery wife you got there pal. But I love the figure."

The curve on Li Jie's face vanished instantly and turned to face him.

"Don't even think about." he warned him.

Gu Yao Ting liked to test his appeal through his friend' girlfriend. The actor was daring to seduce the woman he was dating in the past. Even the other friends in their circle experienced this.

Aside from wanting to boost his ego, he wanted to prove to them that women are easily swayed by words, looks and money.

He commented with a teasing tone "You've gotten too serious."

Li Jie gawked at him and threatened, " I am serious. Touch her and I will kill you."

"Wow!" he exclaimed.

However, hearing the anger coming from him, he raised his hand in surrender.

"Fine, fine, fine."

**

"Why are you here?" he repeated when they were sitting on the stool at the makeshift bar on the second deck.

Gu Yao Ting sipped the drink in his glass silently.

"I need a place to bunk on for a few days. Mother's sending me for blind dates again. I was in Zagreb filming a movie when I heard from your assistant you were in Split."

He was singing an old news. They are all being pressured to marry.

"You should have to gone to Shen Wei's chateau in the Alps. Your mother won't be able to see you." he suggested.

"No. Shen Wei's unreliable at the moment. He's still nursing his broken heart with whisky."

Shen Wei is another friend in their circle.After he got into an accident and broke up with his mysterious girlfriend they've never met, he became reclusive. It's been 6 months since the last time they've seen their friend come out of the hospital on a wheelchair.

Their group which Gu Yao Ting called "Poker Night Friends" are composed of six people who would meet every 2 weeks to play Poker.What started in their university days continued till present. However, three of them are based in Europe hence the others in Beijing were the only ones who complied with meeting up on schedule. Once in a while, they gather together somewhere.Sometimes in France where Li Jie's company was based at or in Italy where Yi Cheng lives.

"What about Yi Cheng?"

He shook his head and gave the expression of I-don't - know.

Li Jie sighed. It seemed staying on board was the only choice as Madam Gu's eyes are everywhere. Most probably at present, she's already searching up hotels, resorts in Croatia to search for his son.

"Don't worry. I won't bother the two of you. Scream all you want. " he teased.

"Shut up."

"I will get off in Albania. Mother will be attending the wedding in Athens." he promised later.

"Fine. Take the crew's cabin. Our deck is off limits.Or not, you'll be shock with the sight." he answered with a smirk.

"What a friend you are! I'll take room 3." he shouted back to the leaving man.

This is not the first time he'd been in this 40 ft yacht.Every summer, the whole gang goes sailing for a week. But this year, because of Shen Wei's accident and many other things, they postponed it in December and sail somewhere in the Pacific.

***

In the bedroom, Yan Shi changed her sleeping clothes with a dress after dabbing loads of sunscreen. The trouble with cancer patients, they shouldn't be exposed much or stay under the sun for too long especially if they are receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

The lure of reading while lazing under the sea breeze was calling herto go to the shaded part of thedeck.

Swimming would come in the late afternoon when there's not much sun.

In the beginning, she knew the restrictions in her travels if she doesn't want to worsen her condition. So she is already contented.

When the man entered, she asked the first question that popped out her mind "I thought we are joining your family in a cruise?"

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Extra:

Li Jie: Author?

TC: (Lifting her head) Hm?

Li Jie: