by Gold, Annie
"Mr. Tanaka..."
"Akihiko." His smile was gentle as he turned to face me. "Please feel free to call me by my first name."
I felt a slight blush creeping over my cheeks, and I studied his face in the sunlight, making my way down the stairs. He hurried to assist me. "I suppose you can call me Kat, then. Listen, I really appreciate you doing all this for me. I don't know how I'll ever pay you back."
He shook his head. "Please, think nothing of it. I'm merely doing what any decent person would do. How are you feeling?"
"Much better. I don't know what's in that tea, but I think it's working a miracle on me."
His smile was charming. "Tea has many beneficial qualities when you drink it frequently. So tell me, Miss Saunders, are you feeling up to walking outside? It's a lovely day, and I'd hate for you to be indoors."
"Um... sure. Is it safe to be outside though?"
He released my hand when we reached the bottom of the stairs, and I felt the loss keenly. "Yes, it is safe. My security would not allow anyone near the property unless they were an officer of the law or someone I was familiar with."
I followed him to the large front doors, blinking as the butler opened them. The light hurt my head, but only for a moment before I adjusted. Just as we were about to walk outside a man in a dark uniform raced up the driveway, bowing to Mr. Tanaka...or Akihiko, as I suppose I was supposed to call him now. He bowed formally.
"Master Akihiko, I must inform you that some unruly looking characters have been loitering around the gate. Should we ask them to leave?"
Akihiko looked worried. "What do they look like?"
"There are two blonde men, and one with darker hair. One of the blonde men has a tattoo of some sort on his back..."
I swore loudly, feeling the color drain from my face. "How the hell did they find me so fast?"
Akihiko took my arm, hurrying me back inside. "Ask them to leave, and if they do not, feel free to use force," he said over his shoulder.
I felt a sinking in my stomach. Ritchie and his creepy friends had already found me. Exactly how powerful were the Rioters? If they'd found me that fast, what was to stop them from just breaking in and killing me? Panic set in, and I sank to my knees with a groan. My head couldn't take it anymore. Akihiko knelt next to me. "Kat, do you have a cell phone?"
"Well, yes. Doesn't everybody? But I haven't used it. I was afraid they'd trace it."
He sighed. "Unfortunately cell phones are traceable even when no calls are being made. Taro!"
The butler appeared at our sides in a moment. "Take Kat's cell phone out in the car with Himiko in the backseat and drive to the outskirts of town. Turn if off there and abandon it, then come back in a manner that they will not notice you." Taro bowed and hurried off.
"Won't that be dangerous for them?" I felt ashamed that I was causing so many problems.
Akihiko shook his head. "No, Taro and Himiko can take care of themselves. I'd be more worried about those gang members." His smile was crooked. "However, I'll have to inform the police that they cannot come here now or the gang will suspect that you're still here. Apologies, Kat, but we'll have to postpone our walk."
I nodded, feeling a little disappointed. He continued. "I'd like for you to stay in my room for the time being as well. I don't feel comfortable with you out of my sight."
Mentally I had to stomp down hard on the excited butterflies rising up in my stomach. For heaven's sake, get yourself out of the gutter. He's just being protective. There was another voice that spoke up. Maybe a little too protective? Maybe he does want something else? I scowled. He's not Ritchie, moron. He's too polite for that. The voice sounded smug. Or is he...?
Akihiko's gentle hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my mental battle. "Are you all right, Kat?"
The tender way he said my name gave me goose bumps. "Yeah. Just upset about them finding me, I suppose. I can't believe I was so stupid."
Just like last night he brushed his fingers across my cheek. "Please don't beat yourself up over it. None of us thought to have you turn off your phone. But I promise Taro and Himiko will take care of things. I guarantee those men will not make it onto the grounds."
I enjoyed his touch for a moment, closing my eyes. "I guess I just--"
His finger on my lips stopped what I'd been going to say. "Please, do not berate yourself any longer." He helped me up from my kneeling position and wrapped an arm around my waist, helping me to the stairs. "My room is just at the other end of the hall." He took a left this time in the hall, and I noticed a few portraits decorating the walls. One was of Akihiko and a girl that I assumed was his sister, since they shared the same facial structure.
Soon we reached his door, which he opened for me and ushered me inside. There was such a change from his sister's room that I smiled. In this room everything was dark and plush with cherry wood surfaces and dark blue cushions. His bed was magnificent, although I tried not to look at the dark canopy and imagine it closed around the both of us. Akihiko brought me in, sitting me in a comfortable chair at a desk.
"Please wait here a moment, and I'll be back." He walked back out.
Sure...wait in here and try to keep myself under control. What was wrong with me? I'd been with a couple boyfriends over the course of my life, and I'd never wanted any of them as badly as I wanted Akihiko Tanaka. Maybe it was because he was so mild compared to the other guys I'd dated. Maybe it was a million reasons, but I knew two things for sure: He was far out of my league, and I wanted him to touch me again.
"Taro and Himiko have departed." Akihiko's voice brought me back to the present. He was toting a tray with more tea on it. Seriously... how much tea can one person drink in a day?
"Are you sure they're going to be okay?" I was worried about Himiko. She was such a tiny slip of a thing, and I'd blame myself forever after if something happened to her.
He set the tray on the desk and took my hands in his, looking earnest. "Kat, I promise you they'll be all right."
I felt thrilled from the contact, butterflies rising in my stomach yet again. Staring into his dark eyes, I allowed myself to fantasize for a few moments before responding. "I'm sorry. I'm just such a worrywart, and I just wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to them. I've already caused so many problems for all of you and I feel horrible for it. I can't--"
Before I knew what was happening his lips were on mine, one hand gently supporting the back of my neck. Shock shut me up, and I immediately wrapped my arms around him. Whether reflex or something else, I didn't care. When he didn't immediately pull away I wrapped my arms even more securely around his shoulders and pressed myself close.
When he finally broke the kiss and pulled back, he looked slightly dazed. "...Apologies, Kat. That was far too forward--"
I didn't care. I dove for his lips again, clinging to him. He made a slight sound of surprise, but then wrapped his arms around my waist and bent me backward slightly. His lips were warm and soft, and I loved the way his chest felt against my curves. His bangs brushed against my face, feeling like silk. For a little while we were wrapped in our own world, but all too soon he pulled away again, panting. "Kat, I..."
I blinked, feeling slightly dazed. "Yes?"
He straightened back up, still holding me. "I would never want to take advantage of you like this. It isn't fair to your emotions."
To hell with that! I wanted him to kiss me again, but he stepped away. I bit back a whimper and tried to bring my raging hormones under control. "Akihiko, please. I... I need this." I started to shake and the tears that were always so close to the surface threatened to spring up again. "I'm so scared."
His look was agonized, and then he was by my side again, holding me tenderly against his chest. "There is no need to fear, Kat. I simply meant that perhaps we shouldn't... form this sort of emotional bond. I would not want either of us to have any regrets."
What a laugh. "Regrets? You mean like me dating a gang member for a year and a half and not suspecting anything l
ike a complete moron?"
He jumped on my sarcasm. "Yes! We hardly know each other."
My hormones had formed a cloud of desire so thick I couldn't think straight anymore. "Akihiko, I know that. But I..." My voice cracked. "I need comfort, please."
His breath quickened, and then his lips found mine again and there was no separating us this time. Picking me up, he sat me back on the edge of the bed, remaining standing between my knees. His hands caressed my face tenderly as our lips danced. My hands brushed through his gorgeous hair, loving the feeling of it. His tongue teased along my lower lip, and I responded in kind, tangling our tongues together as I sank back on the bed.
He knelt over me on the mattress, and I could feel the excited bulge between his legs. Knowing that he wanted me only fueled me further. I yanked at his shirt, urging him to take it off. He did so with an impatient noise, breaking the kiss to pull it off and toss it aside, then he proceeded to help me out of my blouse. Goose bumps crawled along my skin as I abruptly remembered I hadn't put on a bra when I woke up, and my nipples quickly jumped to attention in the pleasantly cool air of his room. His eyes lit in surprised pleasure when he saw this, and his hands quickly cupped my breasts, bringing one nipple up to his mouth. I gasped in excitement at the sensation, my hips rubbing urgently at his through our restricting clothing.
He pulled back for moment, and our eyes met. "Oh Kat...you are so beautiful."
Though I'd heard this sentiment before, Akihiko seemed to really mean it. I smiled weakly and felt my eyes tear up again. He bent his head down to kiss me deeply again, just as I heard the jingle of a cell phone.
Damn it all! Mentally I cursed whoever called as Akihiko stilled, kneeling back and holding up a finger as he tugged out his phone. "Hai," he answered. He rattled off a bit in Japanese and then hung the phone up. "Taro and Himiko have successfully mislead the gang into believing that you've left the city for good, but I do not trust them to be completely fooled." He frowned thoughtfully, and I wanted to smooth the worry lines off his forehead. "We will not be able to bring you outside for a while, I'm afraid."
I touched his chest. "Aki, I wish you wouldn't worry so much."
He glanced down with an amused smile. "My sister calls me Aki. I haven't heard it in a while.”
I felt a little unsure, but smiled. "I hope it's okay. It just seemed normal to call you that.”
Shaking his head, he helped me into a sitting position. "It's quite all right, Kat. I like it when you say it."
I loved hearing him call me by name. Nuzzling his chest, I relished the feeling of his warm, taut skin next to mine. "They won't be back for a little while, right?"
He seemed surprised. "Well, no, I don't believe so. It took them quite a while to get to the edge of town, and they'll have to take an alternate route to get back here."
I kissed along his chest. "Then we'll have a little time?"
His eyes were warm. "Well, I suppose there is a little bit of time left. But how should we spend it?"
I grinned, slipping a hand between his thighs to rub a palm against his swiftly growing erection. "Well, I could think of a couple ways..."
He groaned in arousal, his dark eyes heating with lust. Without another word he nudged me backward, tugging at my dress pants. I lifted my hips up to assist him in easing them off of me, then tugged at his so he could join me. He sank onto the bed with me, our lips locked in the most passionate kiss I'd ever had in my life. I moaned as his tongue tangled with mine, relishing the feeling. I cling to him, digging my nails into his back as he yanked at my underwear, pulling it off and sending it in the same direction as my pants had gone.
Though I felt vulnerable, it all flew out of my head when his fingers began teasing my inner lips. There was already quite a bit of moisture between my legs from his attention, and I watched him bring away his fingers and show them to me, glistening. My cheeks flushed as I watched him brush his fingers under his nose and inhale deeply, taking in my scent. His fingers delved back into me, and I arched back with a surprised gasp. He teased my entrance before slipping a few digits completely up inside me, finding my g-spot almost immediately. I felt my juices gush as he did this, and my eyes rolled in gratification. I rode his hand, my nails digging into the comforter around me as I sought purchase on something to hold me down in this swiftly tilting world.
He slowed his pace just slightly, then as I relaxed around his hand he picked it up again, startling me. My eyes were massive as I watched his palm, then followed his arm up to one shoulder, then up until our eyes met again. He had a small smile on his face as he eyed me closely, then leaned in to gave me a sweet, quick peck on my lips. My whole body shuddered as I felt an orgasm building, but thankfully he slowed his pace before pulling back, revealing his upper hand to be completely glistening with my juices.
Feeling slightly daring, I took his fingers and swiped my tongue along the tips, tasting myself on him. His inhale was sharp as he tugged off his own underwear, then stepped back for a moment to reach into his nightstand drawer and pull out a condom. As he knelt over me I was able to take in the full glory of his large shaft. Most people say that the Japanese have small packages as a joke, but this was not the case with Akihiko. He was intimidating due to his largeness, even more so than Ritchie had been, whom I'd sworn no one could ever come close to.
His shaft curved proudly away from his body, arcing back to point toward his stomach. Suddenly I knew all I wanted was him inside me to wash away all the horrible things I'd seen. "Aki, please, I need you inside me. I want to stop thinking about things for just a little while. I'm so tired of feeling vulnerable. It's not like me."
Our lips met again as he tore the package open, sliding the condom on himself with practiced hands. For a moment I wondered how many other women had graced this bed, but I found myself not caring as I felt his member’s head prod gently at my damp opening. Spreading my legs a little wider, I allowed him access to my most secret place. For a moment my mind screamed at me, demanding to know what was going on, but I shut it up. I didn't care, and I didn't want to think.
"Are you sure you want this, Kat?" His tone was sweet and concerned.
I only nodded in response, clutching at his hips and urging him closer to me. I wanted to be filled by him. Finally he stopped the teasing and slipped inside. I moaned loudly, my back arching again as I felt him fill me in a way I'd never experienced. Though I'd known him for barely twenty-four hours, there was a deep connection that was difficult to explain. He slid in all the way to his base, and I twitched a little, unused to being filled so deeply. He kissed me again, then nipped playfully along my neck as his hips began a fluid back and forth motion that drove me absolutely insane. I wanted him to take me hard and fast, but he seemed content to take his time.
I almost growled in frustration but whimpered instead when he hit my g-spot. As soon as he saw my reaction he angled himself to pierce me in the same manner, hitting my most sensitive place over and over. I cried out his name as I thrashed on the bed, almost unable to handle how much he filled me. I felt his lips close over one of my nipples, and I looked down to see him suckling me gently, his hand teasing my other breast.
Wave after wave of pleasure washed through me, and I was afraid that I would orgasm too soon, but he seemed to have no intention of letting me do so. Slipping out, he nudged me onto my side, propping a pillow under my head before embracing me from behind and slipping in again from a different angle. Gasping, I could only cling to the comforter in front of me as he thrust in and out. This new position allowed for even deeper penetration, and soon I was floating on a cloud of ecstasy, ready to hit my peak and come crashing back down. He dragged out the moment for as long as he was able, then picked up the pace to an inhuman level, slamming into me over and over. My whole body tensed up, my head tipping back as I screamed his name several more times. The orgasm hit me with such force that for a moment my vision went dark. I was floating on a blanket of stars and didn't want to come back down.
Aki thrust into me a few more times before hitting his own peak. His body relaxed next to mine, and for a little while we held onto each other in the dimming light of his room. I inhaled his scent, a little bit of cologne and a woodsy smell that was difficult to describe. Though he'd expressed guilt at taking advantage of me, all I saw in his eyes now was a tender caring. I could trust him.
Even if he'd slept around a lot, I knew I could trust this man with everything. I told myself I didn't even care if he ended up being a member of the Japanese mafia with all this wealth, I just wanted to be near him. To hear his soft voice in the dark, and feel him against me. The rational part of me told me I was acting like a nut job, and I told it to shut up. I enjoyed this blissful feeling, and even if it wasn't going to last, I'd be damned if I wasn't going to enjoy it.
After a while he opened his eyes, smiling at me. "That was enjoyable."
"Just enjoyable?" I asked teasingly.
His smile turned into a mischievous grin. "Amazing, then."
