Okay…so, perhaps she was his type after all.
Chapter 8
Savannah gripped on to the edge of her seat as she watched the white Honda skid across the corner of the track. It slipped right across it, leaving a whirlwind of dust in tow. The driver had lost control, and the finish line was only about two hundred meters away. He was so close.
“He’ll get it back,” Hiroshi assured her with an affirmative nod, even though the crowds thought differently from their cries.
The car spun around, and the wheels screeched as it jerked to an abrupt stop, but just as quickly, and just before the blue Nissan was about to catch up, the Honda took off flying down the track, breezing through the finish line as if nothing had happened.
The crowd’s roar of satisfaction was deafening as the alarms went off announcing that their favorite driver had won again. The neon lights flickered wildly through the air like suspended fireworks creating a zigzag pattern. They did that every time a race ended. The screeching engines from the other cars in the race reverberated loudly as they battled it out to the finish line, competing for second and third place. With money still to be won at those places, the race was still on for them.
Hiroshi explained that the first, second, and third placed drivers got unbelievable amounts of cash, depending on what the wager was. She did hear someone say the first placed driver may get a hundred thousand yen or more.
That was the fifth race they’d watched and each time the Honda had won, so the driver was going to be a very rich man. She wouldn’t even try to pronounce his name, to her it sounded like Itsu. Like the noodle place.
They’d been here for a while now and had a tremendous amount of fun. Savannah was truly enjoying herself and could understand perfectly why Hiroshi had wanted her to come and see it all for herself. It was like that saying. Some things had to be experienced to be felt. Telling or explaining it would miss out the valuable parts that couldn’t quite be described. Especially in her line of work.
Tonight had been one eye-opening experience that she would put right up there with one of the most exhilarating experiences of her life. The bizarre stunts she’d witnessed these drivers do had been out-of-this world unreal. She saw some of them flip their cars around into a series of three-sixty turns at high speed, and some after they’d come at it from a high speed. Some of them also managed to balance their cars on the two side wheels without turning the car over. She didn’t even know how that could be done.
Her favorite was watching two Mustangs execute a wheel stand in a drag race. Front wheels clawing at the air, rear tires slammed flat into the paved track. She was completely blown away.
The little things, too, had held their own value of fascination. Like when Hiroshi pointed out that the regular changes in the engine sound indicated the driver changed gears, so they could expect that something interesting was about to happen. And, that if any of the drivers braked really hard, the carbon fiber disc brakes inside the wheels glowed orange as they reached temperatures of up to one thousand degrees Fahrenheit.
Hiroshi explained that only the fastest and most skilled drivers were capable of braking exceptionally late without losing control of their cars. And even when they did, like Mr. White Honda, they were able to get it back and perform seamlessly. That’s exactly what happened just now.
Hiroshi was definitely the best person to have asked about car racing, and what made coming here even more exhilarating was his knowledge, and obvious love for the sport. Savannah was absolutely going to thank Sakiko for this brilliant idea.
As the night had wore on, she’d watched Hiroshi keenly, getting to know him more, and became even more fascinated with him. The more he told her, the more she wanted to know. That’s why she quickly agreed when he suggested going down to the underground hangout area after they watched the next race.
An even livelier crowd and vibrant music surrounded them from the minute they entered. Savannah thought that this looked more like a club than a hangout area when she saw how big the place was. It even appeared to go down for another couple of floors with people dancing and enjoying themselves. She followed Hiroshi to one of the cozy booths where they sat and continued their conversation.
He began telling her his car racing stories, and about the circuit. She hung on to every word, deciding that she was definitely game if he wished to talk forever.
“I can’t believe you used to race every day,” she gasped.
“Yup, that was me.”
“And you won every single race?”
He nodded and sat back against the smooth leather of the seat.
“Don’t you miss it? It definitely looks like fun.”
He raised his eyebrows thoughtfully, considering the question. “Yes, but my life is different now. Can’t drive around like a crazy person and run a company at the same time.” He smiled warmly at her.
She laughed at that. “The stunts were really wild tonight.”
He grimaced. “I’ve seen better.”
She gasped at the comment because she thought the stunts were crazy enough. But then she considered that they weren’t as crazy as jumping a car across a lake.
“Okay, so what would have been better?” She looked at him, eager to hear his thoughts.
“Tumbling cars, jumping over burning tires, jumping over rows of other cars, at the very least winning a race while you drive backwards.”
All she could do was stare. Did people really do that? She’d seen stuff like that on TV, but seriously, he said it like it was normal.
“Who does things like that?” She looked at him with her mouth open.
“Me,” he laughed with a hint of reminiscence.
“You didn’t.” She was shocked.
He nodded. “See why I had to stop? Imagine running a company and not knowing from one day to the next if you’d make it back to work. I could be in the middle of completing contracts or have meetings to attend but have to cancel because I’d been set on fire or might have a broken neck or body. Who knows?” He said that with that casual humor that captivated her. It wasn’t funny, but she found it impossible not to return his disarming smile. “Have I scared you again?”
“A little,” she chuckled.
“I promise I’ll drive you home safely, no accidents.” He gave her that cheeky smile. “So you can get back to your work, and shopping. And, I don’t know, what else do you do?”
Her cheeks warmed at the thought of him wanting to know more about her. She looked at him, taking in his perfect features, so symmetrical, that any more delicacy would have made him too beautiful for a man. She had to say something cool, but what else did she do besides write and shop?
She lived and breathed writing, and fitted in shopping when she wasn’t writing. What if he thought she was one of those people who were always obsessed with their work? Which, she was.
“Stuff,” she decided to say. It sounded better in her head for the few nanoseconds it flittered through her mind.
“Oh, that’s so different to what I thought you do.” He laughed. “And better than what Jake said.”
Jake. Oh no, why did she have a feeling that this would be embarrassing? “What did Jake say?” she asked cautiously, gearing herself up.
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “He said when you aren’t writing you probably spend your spare time brushing your dolls’ hair and eating bonbons.”
“What?” Great. Jake made her sound like some kind of…she didn’t even know what. “No. I don’t do that. Yeah, maybe when I was five, but of course I don’t do that now.” There was no point trying to save herself. He was already laughing. Roaring with it, too.
She slumped back against the seat. She was going to have serious words with Jake. She thought back to the sweets and candy that was left out for her on the plane. Imagine what he must have said then.
“I’m sorry. Jake embarrasses me, too.”
“Like how, what could possibly embarrass you?”
“Well, although th
ey deserve it, he calls my cousins Chicken Lips and Tender Foot to their faces, when we’re in meetings. Business meetings. And he calls my dad Old Man Fujita.” She smiled on hearing that. “Feel better?”.
She did. “A little.”
“Savannah, it’s nearly four am.” He glanced down at his watch and leaned onto the table between them. “You must be tired.”
“I’m good. It’s Saturday night, or rather Sunday morning. I don’t think Saturday nights are for sleeping,” said she who was usually asleep by nine at the latest on a Saturday night. It wasn’t that she had no life, she was just super busy with trying to get everything together.
She hadn’t been out much in the last year or so. Her friends always teased her about it because they were social butterflies.
Well, she was making up for it now, and with an incredibly handsome man.
“Let me go get you another drink. Then we’ll head back in about half an hour.”
“Thanks, that sounds cool.”
“Same as before?” Earlier he’d gotten her a virgin colada with extra pineapple cream and blue syrup. It tasted incredible.
“Yes, please.”
Savannah watched him leave and weave through the crowds towards the bar, then she looked about her at everyone dancing as the remix to Missy Elliot’s Get Your Freak On boomed across the sound system.
She looked back to the bar just in time to see a very beautiful Japanese girl with long, bright red hair jump onto Hiroshi and wrap her legs around his waist. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, she planted her lips on his, kissing him roughly.
Savannah felt her heart shrink away and her stomach clenched. Swallowing hard, she pressed her lips tight and remained absolutely motionless as she continued to watch them.
Okay. This was all right. It was.
Just because he’d spent time with her tonight, and made his friends think they were together, and put his arm around her to convince them, it meant nothing. Why would it? After all, Jake made him think she was some kind of weirdo who spent her time brushing dolls’ hair and eating bonbons.
The girl was still kissing him, and he wasn’t exactly protesting. Savannah rolled her eyes and got up, deciding she didn’t need to watch anymore. She made her way downstairs to the next level where a group of street dancers were battling it out with some amazing dance moves and stunts, like back flips and head spins.
This was interesting to watch. She would just stay here. Hiroshi would be able to find her when he was ready. And, if he left with Miss Devil Red Hair, she’d call a cab.
She’d wait for a few minutes, half an hour tops, then call a cab if she couldn’t find him. Savannah found a nice spot by one of the beams and watched the dancers from there.
That girl had definitely been Hiroshi’s type, just like the ones in the pictures. She didn’t get what men saw in women like that. Well, except for the slutty dress style, and take me attitude that made them look easy. She supposed most men liked that.
“You’re new, aren’t you?” said a voice with an American accent from behind her. She turned to find herself staring into the deepest blue eyes she’d ever seen. The blue eyes belonged to a tall, handsome, blonde-haired man with wild curls. The lighting was bright enough for her to see the lighter shades in each curl.
“Yes, I’m new.” She was slightly hesitant.
She watched his smile turn into pure seduction as he looked her up and down. That immediately made her feel a little wary of him.
Savannah had never been the type to pick up guys in a club. They tended to usually be after one thing.
“You’d do well in the Hoippukurīmu show.” It sounded like some sort of dance. Yes, must be that, people around them were dancing and competing. What else could it be?
“Here, have this.” He held a full glass of orange juice out to her, which she thought was very kind of him.
“Thank you.” She reached to take it, and would have taken it just fine if Hiroshi hadn’t practically grabbed it out of her hands. He then pushed her behind him and shoved the drink into the guy’s chest, splashing the juice all over his white jacket.
Hiroshi squared off with him. “Get gone, Kowalski.” He stood an inch or two taller than Kowalski, and looked like he was going to punch him. People around quickly moved out of the way.
“Hiroshi.” She had to say something. He answered by keeping her back with his arm. She glared at him, wondering what had come over him. She’d never seen him behave this way before, and there was no reason for it.
“Fujita, there you are again thinking you own everything.”
“We’re not having any form of conversation. Take your drink and go.” Hiroshi looked furious.
To Savannah’s surprise Kowalski listened and did as instructed, but not before he gave Savannah that seductive look again.
“We’re leaving,” Hiroshi told her, taking hold of her hand and practically dragging her behind him. She waited until they got back onto the top floor before she pulled him to a stop and broke free of his grasp.
“What the hell was that all about? All he did was offer me a drink.”
“Savannah, you never take drinks from strange guys like that.”
“It looked fine,” she retorted. “And he didn’t look strange.”
“Kowalski’s a drug dealer. The drink was probably laced with ecstasy.”
“That’s a mean thing to say. He was just being nice, and he didn’t look like a drug dealer to me.”
Hiroshi stared at her as if she was crazy. “What do you think a drug dealer looks like? Anyway, I know him, and I’m telling you the drink was laced with something.” He shook his head at her. “I left you for one minute, why did you leave? I couldn’t even get the drink because I panicked when I couldn’t find you.”
She smirked at him. “Seriously, did you expect me to watch you make out with Miss Devil Hair while I wait for my drink?”
He seemed thrown off by her statement. “She’s a friend.”
“Well, I don’t know what kind of friends you keep, but where I come from we don’t lock lips with friends.” She glowered at him and probably gave away a little too much emotion in her tone.
He sighed with exasperation and shook his head. “Savannah, she kissed me, I couldn’t exactly throw her off me.”
Why not, she wanted to ask, but thought better of it.
“Anyway, we should go. Kowalski is a very bad guy, and I really don’t want to fight tonight if we run into him again.”
“I don’t get it. He didn’t seem all that bad to me. He even suggested I compete in the hippohokayipokayi.”
“The what?” He narrowed his gaze at her.
She couldn’t remember how to say it right. “The hippi hokayipokayi thingy.”
His eyes widened and something intense flashed through them. “The Hoippukurīmu?” he enunciated.
“Yeah, that.”
His face hardened and he went ridged.
“What? It’s like a dance, right?” It was only when she said that, that his face seemed to soften, a little.
“It’s not a dance, Savannah, and we really need to go now because if I see Kowalski again I’ll knock him out.”
“What is it? You have to tell me what it is.” Clearly it wasn’t a dance.
He sighed with frustration. “In here, it’s a whipped cream strip show.”
Her eyes widened and she gasped, feeling violated. “Oh,” was all she could say, and now thought it was a good thing Hiroshi came when he did. What if she’d gone off with Kowalski? She didn’t want to imagine the possibilities.
“Now come.” She looked at his outstretched hand and took it, feeling the reassuring warmth and strength that spread from him as she tangled her fingers with his. It was a simple gesture, purely to keep her close as they made their way through the crowd, but she couldn’t help but get lost in the closeness it created between them.
Chapter 9
Hiroshi didn’t know what bothered him more.
Runnin
g into that idiot Kowalski, running into him and knowing that he was trying to drug Savannah and get her to do the Hoippukurīmu, or that damn Mizuki jumping on him and kissing him like that.
It was all of it.
Mizuki was from his wild days. He avoided her now, and others like her if he came to any of these events, but tonight she’d caught him completely off guard.
It bothered him that Savannah saw him with her, and saw him like that. He didn’t want her to have any misconceptions about him, or draw any conclusions on what he was like.
It was just nice to have someone look at him differently, the way she did when she looked at him. With admiration in her eyes. She was also the only woman he’d ever met that really, genuinely listened to him and seemed interested to find out what he liked.
Kowalski was another story, and he could push all the wrong buttons on any given day. Hiroshi was filled with rage just from the sight of him. Kowalski was one of the worse kinds. Sleazy and downright dirty. Definitely drug dealing and doing drugs by the spaced-out look of his eyes tonight. But, there was also that thing about him that would always, always infuriate Hiroshi. He reminded him of the day his grandfather died.
Savannah shuffled next to him in the passenger seat; she seemed to be cold so he put on the heating. They’d been driving for about fifteen minutes now and they hadn’t said much. Not like on the journey here.
He glanced over to her and saw that she was looking through the window with her head rested back against the seat. His eyes ran down the full length of her body and stopped at her thighs where her skirt had moved up a little and the slit revealed that much more of her smooth legs.
Forcing his gaze away, he switched on the radio and tuned into the channel with that old music she liked. He turned it to a volume that was just loud enough to enjoy the music and appreciate the vibe.
He couldn’t have been more surprised earlier when she’d chosen this station. It wasn’t his kind of music at all, but his grandfather had loved it. It was always playing in the background in some part of his house. Back then Hiroshi hadn’t taken much notice as to what it was, other than that it was classic old. His grandfather would have never believed that he was out with a girl who had the same taste in music as him.
I Only Have Eyes For You Page 11
