Here lies your book boyfriend…naked.

It’s a new year. And for 2025 my thematic words are action and elimination.

It’s about acting on consistent habits and eliminating heaux shit. That’s it. No resolutions. Just lifestyle changes that will bring me results — and finished books.

It’s like Yoo Yeon Seok, (pictured) who plays Paik Sa Eon in “When the Phone Rings” on Netflix. He will do anything, and I mean anything, for Hong Hee Joo. That’s the energy Bik has for Vi. Need to run up a mountain in the dark to rescue the heroine? No problem. He’s all about that motion.

In the spirit of action, I have a good long snippet from no. 2 in my Idol Love series for you. I hope you read the first book Saints and Sinnas. If you did, thank you! Please leave me a review on Amazon, ok? You’re gonna love what’s coming next up in the series.

In this snippet, which picks up where the last one left off, Vi tries to convince Bik to let her be, but he stands firm. Even going so far as to say he considers them to be married already…

“I don’t know if I wanna be bothered, Bik,” she said, wanting to be honest. “I’m liking life just the way it is right now. You cute and everything, but this little infatuation you got brewin’ is the only cloud on my horizon,” Vi admitted. “Might be better for everyone if you just got yourself another girl.”

He laughed, but it was a pained humorless sound. “No can do, I’m afraid. After hearing that fucked up ass tale I know I should back off you, give you the space you want, but I can’t. I want you too much, Vi. My soul, hell, every part of me wants you,” he said, sounding so sincere she felt the burn of tears again. “And as hard as your life has been, I think you want me too.”

“How you know?”

Bik looked at her like, please. “Well, you’re not my first crush, darling.”

She had to laugh at that. 

“I wouldn’t chase after you like this if I didn’t think you liked me too.” He bumped her shoulder with his. “You’re healing,” he opined. “You’re just out of practice with love. But I’m confident I can love you into a better state.”

Vi burst out laughing. “Oh, yeah? You sure do sound confident.”

“Oh, I am! I’m terribly charming, and quite cute, as you know very well.” He bumped her shoulder two times. “Even after you get to know me.”

“Exactly how can I get to know you?” she asked, genuinely curious. “Idols don’t date. Many people have made a point to tell me that. With all your flirting, I think they don’t want me to get the wrong idea. And you’re an idols idol, super famous. Your fan base is damn near rabid. They adore you enough to skin you alive if they get a whiff of something between us. Nobody wants you with anybody.”

“Nobody except me!” he laughed. “And no, as a rule idols don’t date,” he agreed. “But we do marry. You may have noticed our friend Tan acquired himself a spouse recently? Oh, yeah! That’s right. She’s your friend and boss.”

Vi laughed softly. “But we’re not getting married.”

“Yes, we are,” he disagreed. “In my mind, one day we will anyway.”

Vi stared at him, all mirth gone, and gently disengaged their hands. “No,” she said softly. “I will never marry again.”

And just that fast Bik found himself looking at the back of her head, “again,” he said, watching her walk away. “She’d sounded awfully certain too,” he whispered, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Too certain, but on the whole this conversation wasn’t discouraging. She voluntarily opened up and told me about her past, he thought, rubbing his hands together, pleased. 

He pulled out his phone and called Tan.

Hey.

What’s up? Where are you? Your manager’s looking for you.

Vi just told me about her past.

Really??

It’s horrible. 

No.

“Yes. It’s so horrible I honestly can’t quite wrap my head around it yet.”

“What will you do now?”

Bik made a noise that conveyed his confusion.

“Was it that bad, blue?”

“It was utterly fucked up, my friend,” he whispered, looking out over Seoul from the rooftop. “But she trusted me enough to share it, so I choose to see this as a start. As bad as this history lesson was, I can work with it.”

Or, so he thought. Bik realized he was mistaken thinking he and Vi had some sort of break through because after she shared her past with him, she withdrew completely. She retreated behind a veil of polite formality, and turned herself into a living ghost. If she wasn’t working on him, she was nowhere to be found. All anyone ever seemed to know was, “she’ll be right back.” Or, “she was just here.”

He was practically gnashing his teeth he was so frustrated. His only hope was the upcoming variety show. There’d be cameras everywhere, and they’d be surrounded by people, so she wouldn’t be able to avoid him without people wondering why. Bik was determined to make the most of the opportunity to get to know her away from work. It would be tricky because of the cameras, but something had to give. He’d take whatever he could get.

It was the jungle, for fuck’s sake. It was hot, bright, and romantic, right? He could make something happen. Even if he had to bribe the staff to fuck off while he tried his luck.

If the universe was smiling on him, he’d conveniently have a very minor asthma attack – God knew he was desperate when he actually prayed for his temperamental lungs to act up – she’d been such a doll to him when he was sick before. Visiting him in the hospital every day, fixing his hair and washing his face for him as he lay in bed. 

Now, of course, he understood better why the role of caregiver came naturally to her. Vi cared for him, he knew she did. Even if she didn’t care as much as he did, she wanted him, and that was enough for a start. 

He knew when a woman was sexually interested. Vi, the little sweetheart, with her unconscious staring, and innocent gulping, and by her own admission no sex in years, was primed for seduction. If he could get her there — and he was trying harder than he’d ever tried before in his entire life — he could win. 

If Bik knew anything, it was how to please a woman in bed. He’d build up the rest. He had to. He couldn’t fathom what a losing scenario looked like, one where Vi was not in his arms…

I hope you enjoyed this snippet and you’re looking forward to the book. Subscribe to my newsletter, okay? I publish new content for you to enjoy every week-ish.