Capitolo 19 :: 19

Pubblicato: 01-05-06 - Ultimo aggiornamento: 01-05-06

Commenti: I'm back with the next installment of our soap opera. Kaori has much to think about - from Ryo's peculiar behavior to Mick's disappearance...

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Her eyelids fluttering in the bright sun, Kaori slowly woke up, staring at the ceiling with a bewildered expression. It didn’t look like the ceiling at the hotel and it didn’t look like the ceiling at her house.  

Actually, it looked like the ceiling of her old room… Her old room?!  

Sitting up in bed with a start, she looked around. It was her old room. What the… And then she remembered. The note, Mick’s adamant decree she should stay with Ryo, Ryo’s promise to protect her, their dinner passed in somewhat awkward silence… her kissing him.  

She vehemently shook her head. She decided not to think about that, didn’t she? So she should at all costs stop thinking about it! At this second!  

Glancing at the clock beside her bed, she rolled her eyes. When was she going to stop waking up at dawn? … Well, at eight in the morning. She’s been her own boss for the past four years; she was nobody’s slave anymore, so she was entitled of slacking in bed for a while longer.  

But knowing her ex-partner, he was indeed still slacking in bed and if she wanted to eat, she should get up and do a thorough search of the kitchen. Maybe he left some crumbs good enough for breakfast.  

Groaning, she slithered off the bed, rubbing her eyes, before yawning hugely and scratching at the top of her head. This was her morning routine, she observed, scratching her head. Why couldn’t she shake that?  

Shrugging, she wobbled to the bathroom, almost having a heart attack as she saw her reflection in the mirror. That nest on top of her head was supposed to be her hair? What has she been doing during the night? Crawling through bushes?!  

Shaking off her shorts and top, she jumped directly into the shower booth, squealing slightly as the freezing water hit the top of her head. At least she was sure to wake up completely.  

…  

Her skin tingling happily, she slowly opened the door, peeking into the living room. Empty, what else.  

Sighing, she went to scour the kitchen, but a neatly folded peace of paper on top of a plate of cookies stopped her in her stride. Odd. Where did those cookies come from?  

Unfolding the paper, her eyes flew wide.  

Good morning, Kaori.  

If you’re still in the habit of getting up early, the coffee should still be hot.  

I went for groceries. Be back soon.  

Ryo  

Saeba Ryo went grocery shopping? Hang on a sec! Saeba Ryo got up early? What in the all that’s holy was going on?!  

Oh, well, who was she to question him? He left her hot coffee and a plate of cookies. He could pretty much do whatever the hell he wanted.  

Even sleep with his gorgeous ‘part-time’ assistant?  

She shook her head. Whatever the hell he wanted. He wasn’t hers to order him what to do or make jealous scenes.  

Munching on the last cookie, she returned to the living room, putting her hands on her hips with a heavy sigh. What was she to do now? She couldn’t go out, could she? Ryo would go ballistic. But she also couldn’t just sit idly all day like a medieval lady. She needed to keep herself occupied with something. Anything to keep her thoughts away from… her thoughts.  

Her eyes lighting up, she grabbed the receiver. First, she’d call Mick and then proceeded with occupying her body and mind.  

»The number is unavailable at the moment. Please try again later.«  

Kaori stared at the receiver in her lap. Mick disconnected his phone? He never did that. Did something happen to him?  

Nah, he was probably still sleeping.  

She punched in the number of the hotel.  

»Hotel SunCity.«  

»Uhm, hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Angel in the room 1201, please.«  

»A moment, please…«  

She tapped her foot…  

»Sorry, miss, but Mr. Angel has checked out.«  

»What? When?«  

»Last night, miss.«  

»Did he say when he was coming back?«  

…  

At the hotel, the woman looked over her desk. She nodded.  

»It didn’t look like he was coming back, miss.«  

…  

»Oh…« Kaori paused. Something wasn’t right. She could feel it. »Thank you.«  

»Thank you, miss.«  

She turned her head to look out the window. Something was definitely off key. Something smelled and she could feel the stench.  

She sighed. She just couldn’t concentrate like this. This called for extreme measures. Like the ones, she took when she had a block.  

Deciding, she grabbed a throw pillow, taking it to the wall. When she was satisfied with the position, she grinned, doing a handstand. Then she slowly lowered her body, so her arms were folded in front of her head on the pillow, with her legs crossed on the wall above her.  

As the blood rushed into her head, she chuckled, closing her eyes.  

»Oh, yeah. That’s it baby.«  

Juggling the brown paper bags, he tried to insert the key into the lock. It just didn’t seem to fit. How has she managed it every time was beyond him. Obviously, women were made differently from men.  

The key finally turned, but Ryo almost dropped the groceries as he stepped into the living room and saw her.  

His mouth went dry and his eyes bulged, not moving away from the bountiful vision.  

Her round breast were almost on the verge of spilling out of her tight top, the low-riding slacks revealed her flat stomach with that beautiful dipped in belly-button, and the pose with her legs crossed brought all kinds of imaged into his mind. And it didn’t help she had her eyes closed.  

Shaking his head, he went to stand in front of her, seeing it for the big mistake it was as his eyes kept straying from her breasts to her crotch and back.  

»What are you doing?« he asked her with a strangled voice.  

Kaori opened her eyes, her stare colliding with a pair of black boots, climbing up black-jeans-clad long legs and powerful thighs, over the slight bulge in the said jeans… Move on, girl! Just move on!!!!... over a sculpted chest a bit hidden behind brown paper bags, strong neck, chiseled jaw and sensual lips, only to encounter his burning dark eyes.  

»Howdy.«  

He cocked his head, slightly moving the bags in his arms. »What are you doing?«  

»Thinking.«  

She said it like it was the most normal thing in the world thinking upside down.  

»About what?«  

»Stuff.« Her eyes dropped back to the bags. »Is that what I think it is?«  

He nodded, but his eyes turned defensive in a heartbeat. »I ain’t cooking, though.«  

»Oh, please. Like I’m willing to die of food-poisoning.«  

»More likely I will,« he chuckled.  

She moved with blinding speed, unhooking her legs and sending one kicking in his direction. »Moron!«  

Dropping the bags, his fingers caught her ankle in a steely grip. »I don’t think so, missy.«  

Kaori gritted her teeth. Damn his reflexes. Then she smirked. »I hope you didn’t buy any eggs.«  

He sent her a black look and she instantly knew he did indeed buy eggs. Laughter bubbled up.  

»What are you laughing at?« he growled, pulling at her ankle. He quickly wished he hadn’t done it.  

With a squeak, she ended up sprawled on her belly in front of him, an ankle still in his grasp, those slacks of her riding even lower, showing the sexy dip of the lower of her back. Ryo swallowed.  

As she growled, he quickly let go of her leg, closing his eyes, preparing for the hammer to strike…  

Nothing happened.  

Slowly opening one eye, he saw she gained her feet, but stayed put, glaring at him, one foot tapping furiously.  

It was hard not to pout. »What? No divine punishment?«  

She shrugged. »Not worth the effort.« And she picked up the bags, sashaying to the kitchen leaving him to stare after her with his mouth hanging open.  

In the kitchen, Kaori paused to take a deep breath. It has taken all the strength of will she possessed not to glue him to the wall with a well-aimed hammer. What stopped her was the look in his eyes… the raw need, the burning desire.  

»Oh, God,« she groaned, her cheeks heating.  

She grinned as she heard him scurrying after her. She knew he just wouldn’t let something like that pass.  

»What is not worth the effort?« Ryo squeezed from between gritted teeth as he stared at her from the threshold.  

She started emptying the bags, never turning. She knew she could never be able to keep a straight face.  

»It just isn’t worth hammering at your head. It had absolutely no use. It’s not like one day it might actually work in making you realize what a jackass you are.«  

Ryo was slowly starting to lose his cool. First, she refused to slam him against the wall and now she was calling him a jackass?! Outrageous!  

He reached her in two strides, grabbing her shoulders and turning her to give her a piece of his mind, but his words died a sudden death as he saw her eyes dancing with laughter and her lips twitching.  

»Minx!«  

Kaori couldn’t hold it anymore. Throwing her head back, her tinkling laughter filled the kitchen as tears flowed out of her eyes.  

Ryo smiled, his chest filling with a weird and warm sensation. It was so calming and soothing, hearing her laughter. She was so beautiful. But he needed to avenge his pride, so he tugged at her ponytail.  

She quickly retaliated by kicking him in the shin. »Watch it, buster!«  

He wiggled his finger at her. »Stop teasing me.«  

She blinked innocently. »Just giving you a taste of your medicine, Ryo. See, how the shoe fits.«  

He tugged at her hair again. »Is this payback?«  

She winked. »Ain’t it pretty?«  

Before he could tug again, she danced out of his reach. »Don’t push it pal, remember, I can still hammer you into the ground.« And she jumped to sit on the table.  

Ryo cocked his head. How did they end up in this playful banter? Only yesterday her fiancée dumped her on his doorstep, only a week ago she came back into his life after four years, they still haven’t cleared up anything… and yet, there was no awkward silence between them as yesterday at dinner, no grudging looks and harsh words.  

They were joking like friends. Kaori mentally rolled her eyes. How the hell did this happen? How could she be this loose, this relaxed around him? Not even Mick could bring this side of her out in the open. Why could Ryo do it so easily? Why him? Deciding not to investigate any further, she arched an eyebrow challengingly.  

A corner of his lips quirked up as Ryo leaned closer to her so their noses were almost touching.  

»True, but you wouldn’t. That phase is over, right… Sugar Boy?«  

She nodded. »Yap, totally over…« Her eyes twinkled. »But I wouldn’t mind acquainting my knee with your…«  

He quickly stepped back. »No need to say more.«  

»Yessssss. I win!«  

She got hit by a pasta bag.  

»Not if I can help it.«  

»You’re so childish…« But as soon as he turned his back, the pasta bag ended sailing back across the kitchen… 

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