The Flavor Of Love

by Shiree McCarver

  Etta took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he breathed tender kisses to each bruise and scrape she had upon her skin. He’d said he wanted her and she knew that was the truth. The hardness of his cock pressed hotly against her hip as he rested on his side next to her. He’d been so sweet in the shower; and loving. Her heart rushed each time he touched her and the way he kissed her made her feel that he could be in love with her. Still the words hadn’t been said.

  Keigo fondled her breasts, causing her skin to prickle with goose bumps. She bit down on her bottom lips.

  Neil had been the only other man she’d been with but he hadn’t ever touched her this way. Keigo was almost lazy with the way his hands and mouth roamed her flesh. When she thought he had missed a spot, he would slowly make his way back to that area and get the spot he missed. He moved as if he had a lifetime to reach a release.

  Etta’s body was on a low burn and it had already been awhile since she had been touched this way. She thought spreading her legs wide would hint to him that she was more then ready for him to enter her, but Keigo was making it clear that when it came to making love he was the one in charge. She had bumped heads with his authority in the courtroom, but she was a kitten purring in his arms in the bedroom. She was finding out, slow was good. She may die from it in the end, but what a way for a woman to go.

  “Your skin is so beautiful.” There was a hint of awe in his voice. “The more I touch it, the more it heats up and the darker the shade becomes.”

  “Thank you.”

  His finger rested on her hipbone, skimming over her quivering abdomen. She panted as he came closer to her vagina. She wondered if he was ever going to touch her there. A light frown puckered her forehead as a crazy thought crossed her mind. Maybe Keigo didn’t like a hairy pussy; some men didn’t. Neil didn’t.

  Etta covered her face in embarrassment. She didn’t have the chance to do all those womanly things because she thought when she came to Keigo’s bed, she would be able to plan it out with a day of pampering and doing those girly things. She kept her legs and underarms smoothed thank God.

  “Etta?”

  “What?” she groaned. This is where he was going to tell her she needed to go shave her pussy. Damn.

  “Why are you so tense all of a sudden?” He pulled back to look at her. “Am I hurting you? I know you’ve been through a lot today. You worked all morning and you have scratches and bruising, not to mention your muscles are probably sore from the ordeal, because mine are.”

  Etta hands splayed over her face as the heat of embarrassment spread from her face to her shoulders. “I didn’t get the chance to shave my pussy!” Etta murmured behind her hands. It came out in a long slur of words that sounded like, “Whah…whah…whah…whah…whah!”

  Keigo chuckled and tugged at her wrists.

  She held her firm. “Nooo!” He began tickling her ribcage and she removed her hands and curled on her side in a fit of giggles. “Stop! Don’t tickle me or I’ll…” Brrrrgh!

  The worse possible thing happened. Once you release a fart that could be heard throughout the entire cabin, there was no pretending like it didn’t happen. There was also no dog in the room to accept the blame. But it did make her embarrassment about her un-waxed vagina seem very insignificant all of a sudden.

  It was followed by dead silence, which made it worse. Or so she thought, until Keigo roared in laughter.

  Etta wanted to cry. “God, take me now!” She shouted to the ceiling. She did the only thing she could think of, make a run for it. She didn’t get far. Keigo had his arm around her waist dragging her back to the bed.

  “Stop it!” She managed to yell. “I told you not to tickle me,” she pouted.

  “I’m sorry, but I told you to tell me what you said,” he reminded. The laughter was bright in his eyes. “But you got to admit, Etta, that shit was funny.”

  Etta tried to keep a straight face. But Keigo was right. If it had happened to someone else, it would have been funny. She laughed. “Okay…okay, I didn’t mean to do it, but seeing you laugh like that I’m glad I did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you really laugh.”

  ‘I don’t remember the last time I have laughed like this; probably back in college with Marco and Reko and if I’m not mistaken, it was most likely over a…fart,” he teased, nipping at her shoulder.

  “Enough already,” she lightly punched him in the arm. “You better not tell anyone either.” Etta warned.

  “Baby,” he crooned. “What happens in our bed stays in our bed. I’m not one of those men that spread the intimate details of his love life as locker room fodder.”

  “I like that,” she grinned.

  “What?”

  “Our bed.”

  “Well, what else can I say since you’ve christened it and all?”

  “Okay, I’m going to go sleep in the other bed…alone!”

  “Okay! Okay!” He laughed. “I’ll stop, but I’m still waiting, Etta.” He crooked an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

  She cocked her head in question.

  “Don’t give me that look. Why did you tense up before I tickled you?”

  Her face burned more and she wondered how it was possible. He said her skin was beautiful, but she was probably looking like a beet about now and making a mess of their first time intimately together. Well, almost first; things did get hot and heavy on the sofa in her home before he passed out.

  “It’s not important anymore.” She shrugged.

  “Why do I feel as if your brain is working overtime like your mouth does when you get nervous or upset?” Keigo was now up on one elbow with his head resting on his hand and staring down into her face.

  “Okay if you must know, I need to use the bathroom,” she spoke quietly.

  “Huh?” Keigo looked at her suspiciously. “That’s why you got so tense? You need to pee or something else?”

  “Oh, my God! You ask that like we’re discussing the weather.” She tried to roll on her side so she could hide her face in the pillow but he wasn’t having it.

  “What? Tell me? Birth control? You didn’t bring anything over here with you, so that can’t be it. I have condoms, if that is what you’re concerned about.”

  “I see,” she huffed and looked at him. “You just happen to have condoms? Were you expecting to get lucky with me, Carla or Nan?”

  “Jealousy,” he playfully growled and nibbled at the corner of her mouth. “I like it! You are turning me on.”

  Etta could feel his heavy erection against her thigh. He was already turned on and so was she, except she had dropped to a low simmer from the many distractions of her own making.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” she reminded, holding him off with her hand.

  “Do you always talk this much in bed?” He sighed.

  “In or out of bed, I’m still me,” she saucily retorted. “Why do I feel as if you are ignoring my question?”

  “Actually, I have not been with a woman since Claire and the condoms aren’t mine, per se. I just know that Reko always has some and I can swipe a few out of his duffle bag.”

  “A few huh?”

  “Yeah, until the weather clears and we can get a couple of boxes of our own,” he grinned. Nibble.

  Etta laughed. “Keigo, we won’t be able to go through a couple of boxes. We’re here only a month and at least one week will be taken by my cycle which is unpredictable by the way and then the kids will be here and we can’t do this too often with young people about.”

  “Like they aren’t going at it with each other while they’re here? We are talking about kids preparing to go into their senior year of high school, Etta.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Etta? Why are you still dancing around my question? You know sweetheart, if you’re still not ready to do this, we don’t have to rush things.”

  “No,” she shook her head. “I want to be with you. I really do, it’s just…”

  “Just what?” Keigo urged.

  She
saw the concern on his face and realized how foolish she was being about this entire thing. Why were first times with new lovers always so awkward? Even if firsts were also exciting, she couldn’t wait until Keigo was routine and familiar.

  Waking up and sleeping next to his face, staring at him across a crowded room knowing at the end of the night who you were going home with. That was more comforting to her than one lover after another could possibly be. She wanted Keigo to be the last lover she had for the rest of her life and she wanted him to feel the same about her.

  “I lied about needing to use the bathroom,” she softly admitted. “I was worried that you would be turned off by the fact that I haven’t groomed down there.”

  Keigo looked completely baffled and then it was as if a light bulb went off over his head and he ginned. “Oh? Why do you women waste time worrying about these things?” He shook his head in amazement. “Etta, baby, you are priceless and I love you for it,” he declared before grasping her head in both his hands and placing a loud wet kiss to her startled open mouth.

  Did he just say that he loved her? Did he mean love…LOVE, or ha hah, I love you?

  “Keigo, did you just say you loved me.”

  “I did and please don’t over think it, Etta. It is what it is,” Keigo said before rolling off the bed and walking over to where they’d dropped their towels. He drew one around his lean hips and tucked the edge of the towel in to keep it from falling.

  “Keigo, I--”

  “Look, sweetheart, you don’t have to say it back to me unless you’re ready and not until you can say it and mean it. I’ve had time to adjust to the idea because I believe I fell in love with you that first day in my courtroom when you clawed your way beneath my skin.”

  A half smile came to her lips. She accepted his hand as he guided her from the bed and wrapped a towel around her. “What are you doing? Aren’t we going to--?”

  “Oh yeah,” he shook his head. “You can bet your sweet ass on it.”

  “Then why are we putting on towels again?”

  “Well, I’m thinking the reason we are lightheaded with stupidity and talkativeness instead of getting down to business is we are both starving and in dire need of nourishment after all the energy we spent today.”

  As if right on cue, Etta’s stomach growled.

  “Sorry, my body is making all kinds of protesting noises today.” She grinned up at him sheepishly and accepted his hand as he reached out to take hers.

  “I like it. It feels as if we’ve been a couple for awhile. It's easy to grow accustomed to the natural things that come with being in a serious relationship.”

  CHAPTER 11

  She thanked him as he held out a chair at the small table for two. Sitting, she watched him move with barefooted ease around the small kitchen. It did feel natural and right. It was as if they had always been this way. A couple.

  “Oh my God, they’ve already delivered everything.” Etta bit down on her bottom lip. “Keigo, do you think they knew we were in the shower together?”

  “Etta,” Keigo quirked his eyebrow at her and said, “The bedroom door is open; the shower is running and neither one of us to be seen. They can only assume we both are at the very least in the bathroom with the door closed, together.” He leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss and placed a loaded melted ham and Swiss cheese sandwich before her. “Don’t look so worried.”

  “Thank you.” She pulled the sandwich closer to her. “I just prefer that the entire camp isn’t gossiping about us. I came up here to work and I don’t mix one with the other.” Her face reddened. “Err…not usually. Do you think Reko and Carla will keep this to themselves? And what is Nan going to think when I don’t come back to the room? Maybe this isn’t a good idea after all.”

  Keigo chuckled. “You’re becoming your old chatty self. You must be getting over the shock of what happened today.”

  “Don’t tease me, Keigo. I’m serious. I’m not ready for everyone to know we’re together yet.”

  “Etta, I know you’re being serious. I just don’t appreciate what you’re saying to me. Nor do I understand it. We are both consenting adults, unless there is another reason you want to keep us a secret. Is there a color issue going on here I’m not aware of?”

  Etta dismissed his question with the wave of her hand. “Look at the people I call family. You think I would roll that way? My point is more from a professional standpoint. You put me in charge over the kitchen staff and you’re over the entire camp, not to mention a well-known face. What would it look like with you sleeping with the help in a camp full of impressionable teens?”

  “I get your point, but no one dictates my personal life. Ever,” Keigo said pointedly. “Etta, I'm not going to go out of my way to broadcast our relationship, but I won’t try to keep it a secret either.” He reached out and took her chin in his hand and lifted her face to look at him. Staring into her eyes he avowed, “We are officially, privately and openly a couple. Do you understand me?”

  “Are you asking me or have you already passed your judgment on the matter?”

  “Both.” He reached out and tweaked her nose. “Go ahead and start while I go over here and heat up the soup.”

  “Let me do that,” she offered for lack of anything else to say after his declaration, or at least anything he would want to hear. He's so damned stubborn when he gets something in his head, Etta simmered silently.

  “This is easy enough for me to handle, baby.” Keigo winked declining her offer. “Besides, you waited on me hand and foot when I was under the weather. It's my turn to take care of you.”

  Etta took a big bite of the ham sandwich and then from the dill pickle spear on the side. It was perfect, just like she showed Reko. She had to remember to praise him tomorrow. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she started eating.

  The thing she did realize was that her mother was right about her opening herself to Keigo. Etta could only hope in time she could allow her heart to do the same. She wouldn’t deny to him or herself that she was falling for him. She just didn’t want to start placing words on what was happening between them, such as “love.” For some reason when that word comes into the equation, other words followed, such as: commitment, forever, always, marriage, hopes and dreams.

  As she watched his movements about the kitchen, she would be the first to admit Keigo was the total package from the top of his head, to the tip of his… Etta’s eyes dropped lower at the outline of his semi hard-on. She felt a ripple of excitement and her heart danced with anticipation. If she set aside his physical attractiveness, she also admittedly found him to be honest, smart and loving to the point of distraction. He also could be bossy, pompous, demanding and stubborn as hell.

  “What?” He asked and brought to the table two steaming bowls of leftover wonton soup she had made for lunch earlier in the day with potholders beneath them. He placed one of the white porcelain Asian soupspoons in her bowl and the other in his. “You’re staring,” he accused.

  “Uh, nothing.” Etta shook her head and took another bite of her sandwich. She had been caught in the midst of her silent admiration. Did she mention he was a distraction?

  “Are you warm enough?” Keigo inquired with an unreadable look on his face. “I can put another log on the fire.”

  She chewed and swallowed. “No, really, I’m fine,” Etta reassured him. She gathered some broth into her scooped spoon and blew on the contents first before placing it in her mouth. “Oh, that hits the spot. Aren’t you going to join me?”

  “Toddies,” he reminded. “Everything smells wonderful.” Keigo smacked his lips to get her attention and he leaned over her. She complied by feeding him a piece of pork filled wonton that she cooled first by blowing on it. Keigo chewed with a silly grin of contentment on his face. “What more can a man hope for? A beautiful and creative woman that can cook and I feel blessed that you’re mine.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere with me, Judge Sexy,” Etta murmured agai
nst his lips as he stole another kiss.

  “Okay, I better get the toddies together or there will be no more eating for either of us. At least not of the food kind.” His gaze became downright wicked. “I do plan on eating something before this night is over.” Keigo winked. “You can count on it.”

  Etta’s chin dropped and her mouth rounded in an “o”. It didn’t take a genius or a psychic to figure out what kind of “eating” he was talking about. She shifted in her seat and resisted the urge to throw her leg up on the table to allow his dinner to commence. While she was playing wicked thoughts in her mind, Keigo was moving about in the kitchen and humming what sounded like a tune from way back in the day. “Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.” Etta decided she loved this playfully silly side of him.

  It didn’t take long before Keigo was back with two large steaming mugs full of some cinnamon apple concoction that smelled wonderful.

  “Mmm, I’m seeing you have some kitchen skills of your own in the kitchen. Should I be worried?” she teasingly asked while reaching for the squeezed bottle of honey that he had in the crook of his arm.

  “Sure thing,” he grinned. “I’m a chef at anything that comes in a package with instructions.” He winked and dipped his spoon into his cooled soup and took a big spoonful. “Mercy, this is so good. Don’t tell my mother but I think it’s better than hers.”

  “No problem,” Etta assured him with a twinkle in her eyes. “Where is your mother? Does she live in San Francisco with you?”

  Keigo shook his head. He picked up one half of his sandwich and took a large bite, leaving only a half in his fingers. “No, after my father died, she returned to Japan. She now lives with my eldest brother, Jin, in Yokohama City.”

  Etta licked the butter residual that got on her fingers from the toasted bread and asked, “How far is that from Tokyo?” She dropped her fingers with a sheepish grin and grabbed a paper napkin from the holder on the table once she noticed the passionate hungry look in Keigo’s eyes.

  “Err, what was I saying?”

  Etta guffawed. “Tokyo to Yokohama,” she reminded.