I wished the bed didn’t feel so damn big.
Chapter 11
I was still irritated about Nobuki leaving me to close the booth by myself and we didn’t talk much for the duration of the day. He vanished at lunch and I chewed on a rock-hard sandwich from the convention hall deli, which, consistency aside, was still delicious. The jaw workout was unnecessary, but, eh, when in Rome, right?
By four in the afternoon, I was exhausted from the mental effort of distancing myself from Nobuki. Meanwhile, he still looked refreshingly, well, fresh as he handed out samplers of our translated Japanese best sellers and chatted with other industry professionals with an ease that was awe-inspiring. He was in his element and I was starting to feel like he was wasted behind a desk in Tokyo.
I slumped into a chair, dead tired. The night before, I’d had a hard time falling asleep. When I finally did, I had nightmares of Haru cackling like a witch, calling me a slut, whore, a pervert, just about the worst things that even I wouldn’t have called her.
“Are you all right, Miss Hasegawa?”
“Fine, boss. But I’m surprised you’re still here,” I said. “No horror author to take you away early?”
I almost didn’t sound catty. Yay.
Nobuki didn’t react to my bitchy tone. “Heather? She said she had something else to do today. I think I’ll stay and help you close.”
“I am so grateful for your assistance, Mr. Miyano.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said, checking his phone. “We are partners after all, aren’t we?”
He had loosened his tie, showing off the strong column of his neck, and undid the top button of his shirt. I kept glancing at that sun-kissed triangle of skin like I was a kid sneaking peeks at an adult magazine in the neighborhood bookstore.
“Is something the matter, Miss Hasegawa?” he asked after my sixth quick turn of the head to gawk at that exposed skin.
I flinched and turned back to arranging a stack of pamphlets. “Don’t be silly, Mr. Miyano. I just thought there was a stain on your shirt, but I was mistaken.”
“That’s good,” he said absentmindedly, swiping his phone screen with one thin finger. “I pride myself on my personal appearance. I would hate to disgust potential business contacts with an errant food stain on my collar.”
“Of course,” I growled. “How very thoughtful of you.”
I was facing the front of the booth, and I could see the people walking up and down the corridors. Our booth was at the middle of a T-stop, and my heart sank when I espied a brunette with wavy curls who looked terrifyingly familiar.
“Oh, look,” I trilled as Heather’s perfect, delicate features came into sharper focus. “It your lady friend, Mr. Miyano.”
He looked up from his phone and his lips spread in an easy smile that I was starting to despise. “I didn’t expect to see her until later.”
“I’m so sure,” I muttered as she arrived at our booth, all smiles and smelling like she’d rolled around in a bed of flowers.
She went on her tiptoes to kiss Nobuki on the cheek, and for just one moment, I found myself grinning evilly at her lack of stature. For the first time I was glad to loom over someone and I did so, arms crossed, a feather duster clenched in one hand.
“Why, Heather.” My lips fair split for the effort it took to paste a smile. “It is such a surprise to see you.”
Confusion flickered on her face as if she was trying to figure out if it was just a communication error that made me sound so rude, but her good manners reigned and she linked her arm through Nobuki’s, smiling with her perfect teeth and those stupid dimples.
“I couldn’t stay away,” she said, all bubbly and absolutely, utterly beautiful.
Jealousy reared its ugly green head in me.
Nobuki put a hand over hers and I almost snapped the feather duster in half. “I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“I got my paperwork finished ahead of schedule.” She laughed, tossing her wavy locks of hair, reminiscent of Haru.
My lips twitched as I thought about putting the two of them in a pit and dropping a load of scorpions over their coiffed hair.
Her arm tightened around his and she turned to me with an apology look that meant nothing good was about to come out of her mouth. “I’m so sorry, but I think I’m going to have to monopolize Nobu again, Ms. Assistant Lady.”
My smile was more a baring of teeth now. “My name is Rika. Rika Hasegawa.”
She giggled, a manicured hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry, Rika. Can I call you that? That’s such a cute name.”
“Why, of course, Heather,” I said, still all teeth. “Where are you taking my boss?”
She nestled her face against his arm and I thought I was going to throw up from the pure sweetness of it all. How old was she? Even middle school couples didn’t act like that anymore. “There’s a small get-together at a friend of mine’s. Well, I say it’s a get-together, but it’s more like a party. I wanted to introduce Nobuki to everyone important in publishing this side of the Mississippi, that’s all.”
Nobuki’s eyes crinkled. “I am so lucky I have you, Heather.”
Inwardly, I gagged at his words. This wasn’t him. It couldn’t be!
Suddenly, I couldn’t get them to leave fast enough.
“We can’t have you being late for such an important function like that, Mr. Miyano,” I trilled and started motioning them out of the booth. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’m sure Julian and I will manage just fine without you for the next forty-five minutes.”
I thought I saw a crack in his smiling mask. “Julian?”
“Why, yes. He’s been stopping by every day to help me close up.”
The message couldn’t have been any clearer if I had spray-painted it across his face.
He’s been helping when you’re not around, you dick.
Nobuki opened his mouth. “But—”
Whatever he said was lost as Miss Horror Author jerked him away, talking a mile a minute.
But this time, Nobuki gave me a look back as she carted him away.
Briefly, I contemplated giving him the finger, but then I’d really get fired. I was willing to put up with a hell of a lot more than that before throwing in the towel myself.
They disappeared behind a crowd of people in red shirts and I sat down heavily, fanning myself with a pamphlet.
It was hard trying to be so helpful and still angry at him at the same time. My stomach grumbled, evidence of just how much energy it took to be annoying.
And yet, for all my effort, it hadn’t affected him at all. He was still the same calm, implacable, polite Nobuki Miyano he had always been. I was starting to feel downright petty for my behavior.
About fifteen minutes later, I wandered aimlessly around the booth, reading the insets of a few books unlucky enough to have escaped my notice back at the office.
Julian ambled past and stuck his head into the booth’s interior.
He whistled when he saw it was just me. “He’s gone again?”
I waved a hand in the air, tired and listless. “The annoyingly beautiful Heather Jimenez dragged him out by his tie a little while ago.”
Julian proceeded to tidy up. “Well, he must’ve wanted it to happen because if he didn’t, not even wild horses would’ve made him budge.”
“He was very happy to leave with her,” I muttered. “In fact, he was practically jumping.”
“Really?” asked Julian, his eyes wide. “That doesn’t sound like him at all.”
“Maybe I was being a little dramatic.” My voice was surly.
I couldn’t quite shake the memory of his expression when he learned Julian had been helping me close the booth.
I would have called it consternation, but why should he feel that way if Julian was supposed to help us in the first place?
With few words spoken between us, mostly because I was trying to figure out how to broach the fact that Julian had told me to fuck my boss, we managed to tidy the boo
th and close it up in record time.
With a promise to meet Julian in the lounge for dinner, even though I didn’t feel like being social, I ran back to my hotel room and changed into a pair of comfortable dark blue jeans, my black sneakers, and a plain black shirt with our company logo emblazoned across my chest.
Before I left, I touched up what little makeup I had on my face. A little glide of the mascara on my admittedly droopy looking lashes, a quick powdering of my nose, and some colored lip balm instead of lipstick because whenever I put on lipstick I looked like a cheap hooker.
I didn’t want to send Julian the wrong message. After dinner, I intended to come back to my room and sleep the sleep of the dead until the next day.
And then it would be the last day of the trade show.
I stared at myself wide-eyed in the hotel bathroom mirror.
Why don’t you sleep with him?
I snorted and left the room, taking the elevator down to the lobby.
Yeah. Why don’t I just sleep with him?
The idea held certain merits but I wasn’t the only person who got to decide whether such a thing happened.
I walked into the dimly lit lounge and found Julian sitting at the far end, perusing the menu.
After sliding into the seat across from him, I put a finger on the menu edge and pushed down, making him look at me.
“You know, there’s a fundamental flaw in this plan of yours.”
His brow raised, he set his menu down. “Yeah?”
“Let’s assume that for some crazy reason I decide to throw myself at Mr. Miyano. Although, considering how he was looking at Heather, there is not a chance in hell he’s ever going to grant my wish.”
He opened his mouth and I put up a finger, shutting him up. “Wait. Let me continue.”
He nodded silently.
“So assuming I manage to ask Mr. Miyano for one night to assuage my curiosity, where is the guarantee he’s going to say yes?”
Julian leaned against his seat, hands laced behind his blond head. “Honestly? No guarantee. I can’t see why he would refuse, but he could always just say no, thank you. He’d have to be crazy to turn you down, though.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his optimistic words. “You are such a smooth-tongued man, you know that?”
His eyes flashed in the dimly lit bar. “Want to test me?”
My thighs clenched together, heat flowing through my body at his implicit suggestion. “You’re incorrigible.”
He laughed. “Can’t fault a guy for trying. Seriously, though, Rika, if he says no, then that’s it. You won’t have to kill yourself wondering what might’ve happened because, hey, it wouldn’t have happened regardless.”
I blinked at his logic. “So after that happens, I’m supposed to just continue working with him, with memories that he turned me down for a free no-strings-attached fuck?”
He blinked right back at me. “Well, if you’re worried about what Nobu would do—”
“I’m not worried about Mr. Miyano,” I hissed as the waitress approached our table, a pen already held against her notepad. “I’m more worried about me. How am I supposed to work with that looming over me?”
The waitress came to our table and I gave her a wide smile, one she returned, albeit looking a little confused.
Not that I could blame her; I felt more than a little confused myself.
Julian ordered a steak and, surprisingly enough, a soft drink, and I got pasta with garlic bread and iced tea.
The waitress sashayed away, her hips swinging provocatively. I watched Julian’s gaze linger on her backside.
For some reason, I didn’t feel offended.
“Julian, do you have a type of woman you like?”
He rubbed his chin. “Can’t say I do. I like them all.”
“I can tell,” I said dryly, looking pointedly at the waitress as she put in our order at the computer across the restaurant. “You’re staring at her.”
“Well, I can’t help it,” he blustered, his face coloring delicately pink. “I’m only a guy.”
I shook my head with a deep, exaggerated sigh. “And after all that stuff you said about you having feelings for me and whatnot. I can’t believe I thought you were telling the truth.”
“But, but—” He stammered and I had to laugh. The expression on his face was priceless.
“It’s okay,” I said, giving the waitress an eyeful as well. “She is quite attractive, isn’t she? I’m so used to Japanese women. It’s strange to see curvy women.”
“Oh, come on, Rika,” he pleaded, his eyes wide. “I couldn’t help it. It’s biology.”
I patted Julian on the arm. Maybe a little too patronizingly, but then again, I was enjoying his discomfort. “It’s okay, Julian. We’re just animals, right?”
“Why do I feel like you’re calling me a dog now?” he grumbled, but then the waitress brought our drinks. This time, Julian made a concerted effort not to stare at her sashaying hips as she walked away.
Quickly, I shook my head and pasted a smile on my lips. “No beer for you today?”
“There’s somewhere I want to take you after this. There’ll be drinks there, so I guess I’m just saving myself. Besides, it’s about half an hour away. I would hate to get pulled over. Can you drive?”
I shook my head, wistfully. “No. There was no point. The public transportation is so good in Japan. Not to mention the lack of space for a car. Parking is so expensive in downtown Tokyo.”
“Same here, but you don’t see people not buying cars,” he said and laughed. “Did I ever tell you about the time Nobu and I ended up in driver’s ed together?”
I shook my head, entranced by the image of a sixteen-year-old Nobuki learning how to drive. Even when the food came, I barely registered the sight of the gigantic plate of spaghetti.
Julian was an excellent storyteller, and by the time he was finished regaling me with stories about his childhood with my boss, our food was cold. Mine, anyway. Julian had consumed his steak with much vigor and the waitress took his plate a long time ago.
She came back again, seeing a lull in our conversation. “Would you like that in a bag to go?”
Cold spaghetti didn’t seem appetizing for the day after, but then again, wasting this much food seemed stupid to me, so I asked for a box. Once again Julian and I had another brief, spirited fight at the cash register with the tab.
“I thought girls were supposed to let the guy pay. Especially in Japan,” he grumbled as he reluctantly stood by while I handed over my company card.
“Maybe, but I’m not a girl. Besides, we’re coworkers,” I said. “And you’re doing me the favor of taking me out. I should pay as thanks.”
“You guys are always so fucking polite,” he muttered.
I smiled and signed the receipt slid across the counter at me. “They do say you attract more bees with honey.”
He rolled his eyes. “Maybe, but have you ever seen how many flies you can attract with shit? It is amazing.”
“I wouldn’t call it that,” I said as I stowed everything into my shoulder bag and followed Julian into the lobby.
“Wait here while I bring the car around,” he said.
I held up my bag of mostly uneaten pasta. “What about this?”
“Oh,” he said. “How about you drop it off in your room? I’ll be waiting outside for you, then.”
“Are we going to be gone long?”
His smile was secretive. “Maybe.”
Whatever the hell that meant.
We parted, and I dumped the food in the small refrigerator and touched up my makeup again before going back downstairs and slipping into Julian’s waiting black SUV.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he turned onto the freeway. Once again I was surrounded by a multitude of other cars as the night sky descended over us.
“Have you heard of Zacharias Greco?”
I straightened up in the slippery leather seats, my eyes wide. “With a name like tha
t, you only have to hear it once. The science fiction author, right? I’ve been going through his English language books, although it’s taking me a while.” I smiled, somewhat ruefully. “I’ve used his books to improve my English.”
“Good writer, isn’t he?”
I nodded, although there was a sinking feeling in my stomach as I got the feeling that Julian wasn’t taking me to a secluded castle and ravish me.
Or let me ravish him.
“He won a lot of awards for his first book. Some say his subsequent stories never had the same impact as his debut, but I disagree,” I said firmly.
“Yeah?” asked Julian with that mischievous glint in his eyes.
I sighed. “Are you going to continue keeping me in the dark, or are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“Would you like to meet him?”
I turned in my seat, wide-eyed. “Really?”
He laughed softly. “Yeah, really. There’s a party at his place tonight to celebrate a new release of his.”
“You got invited?”
He snuck me a wounded glance. “What, you don’t think I’m important enough to get an invitation? Contrary to what Nobu might’ve told you, I am a pretty important person in the publishing industry here.”
“Of course you are,” I said in a placating manner which, judging from the sudden twist of his brow, he did not appreciate.
About half an hour later, we were in a beautiful gated community that Julian had to buzz through to gain entrance.
Most of the houses were three stories tall, surrounded by fields of rolling green lawns and balconies on the upper levels. They were all beautifully built and my first impression was that these were multifamily houses.
It didn’t occur to me a single family could take up so much space, since I grew up in a house maybe a quarter of the size and there was always plenty of room for my parents, my sister, and myself.
Julian laughed when I asked him about the houses.
“We call them McMansions,” he explained.
“Mac…like, from McDonald’s?” I asked, even more confused. “I don’t get it. Are they built by the company or something? I didn’t know McDonald’s built houses in America.”
A One Night Affair (Kissing the Boss Book 2) Page 13
