The Flavor Of Love (27 page)

“
Hey, what are friends for?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her. “But now that we are getting married and we already did it once without--”

“
Don’t even think about it,” she warned. “Don’t they say, ‘No glove, no love’? Come on, do you want me wobbling in to our wedding party? Everyone will think you married me because I was pregnant,” she pouted.

“
Okay, whatever. Let’s do it already. I’m about to burst now that you’ve put the thought in my head again,” he eyed her naked slender legs and feet and observed the bruising in the light of day. “Aren’t you sore?”

“
All over, but I still want you.”

His cock lurched against the cheek of her ass sitting on it. All he had to do was turn her around to face him and spread her legs on each side of him. They could go at it right here outside in front of God and anyone else that happened to be up this early.

“
Hey, Etta, I got an idea.”

“
Hey Keigo?”

“
What?” He tilted his head to the side. “You have the same idea? Can your psychic instinct read what I need?”

She nodded with a grin. “Yes, we both
need
the same thing,” her voice said seductively.

“
Now you’re talking.” Keigo reached between them and undid the top button of his jeans.

“
What are you doing?” She leaned back and placed a hand on her hip.

“
We’re going to do it right here, aren’t we?”

“
Why, Judge Freaky, we aren’t going to do no such thing.”

Etta released a throaty laugh and he knew it was because of the childish disappointment that was written all over his face.

“
I thought you said we needed the same thing,” he accused.

“
We do! A shower!” She laughed and pushed away from his chest and dashed off his lap into a skip back inside the house. He heard her yell, “Last one in the shower is the funkiest person in the world!”

Her brisk movements caused the swing to dip forward and spill him out onto the porch. It took Keigo a full minute to stop laughing long enough to get off the ground. He came up slowly. Dusting off the front of his pants, he decided not to rush. The woman he loved wasn’t going anywhere.

CHAPTER 13

One month later…

“
Why didn’t the rest of the gang wait up for us?” Etta asked. “They tore out of that camp like they had the police after their asses.”

“
After a month away from home, everyone is anxious to get home I suppose.” Keigo shrugged his shoulders. “I told Reko and Marco I wanted to make this trip home by myself. I didn’t want to slow them down. I realize I’m not very confident with driving yet.” His voice was apologetic.

“
Just take your time, baby. Today is already special because it’s our first road trip alone.” Reaching over, Etta massaged the back of Keigo’s neck with the tips of her finger. “We’re in this together, you know.”

She smiled when he exhaled a long sigh of contentment.

Four hours into the “road trip,” Etta realized that her patience was being tested. Seeing how they were taking the same route Rico had taken to get to the camp, it was a solid four-hour drive. So, all logic says they should have reached home by now. There was nothing logical about Keigo’s paranoia during the drive. But for Etta, it was understandable and the more Keigo patiently pushed ahead to reach his destination, the more she was beginning to feel like a coward for demanding they start their life together with him accommodating her fear of having a traditional wedding.

Etta didn't complain when Keigo was driving fifty-five miles in a seventy-mile zone. Nor did she reprimand him when he pulled off the interstate a second time to stop at a quick-lube place off the interstate to have his brakes checked again. She gave him a loving smile when he sat and waited until the roadway was nearly clear before he chanced to pull out, even though he had the right of way. She also didn't mind that the air conditioner going on full blast when he felt claustrophobic at times.

Etta chose to see the positives. Keigo was doing his best. Instead of getting frustrated and asking her to drive, he persevered. Seeing him push himself made her love him even more. She was so proud of him. Going across the Golden Gate Bridge, they both relaxed. They were home.

“
Thank you for being patient with me today.” Keigo gave her a quick glance with a half smile on his face.

“
No, thank you. I believe this is the first ride I’ve had where no one yelled at me for asking to stop so I can pee,” she said teasingly. “Besides, what’s the rush?”

Keigo chuckled.

To Etta, they were a team and she was with him for the long haul.

“
I believe the more I drive, the more comfortable it will become,” Keigo reasoned.

She nodded and her eyes misted. “Keigo, I’m so proud of you.”

Etta leaned over and kissed his cheek not wanting to distract him too much from concentrating on the road.

“
Hey, want to stop at the first hotel we come to?”

Etta laughed. “You’re joking right? We’re close to my place, so you can wait, Judge Hot and Horny.”

“
Hey, I’m having withdrawals,” Keigo protested. “We haven’t had a private moment together since the day after that big storm. I need you.”

“
I need you too.”

“
Okay, then we will go to my place; its closer,” he compromised.

“
That will be great. I haven’t had the chance to see your place yet.” Something else dawned on Etta. “Wow, we haven’t discussed where we’re going to live. I never considered the fact that I would someday move away from my neighbor hood and my family.”

“
Don’t fret, sweetheart. I like your neighborhood. I think it would be a better place to raise children than the penthouse. Now that I’m driving again, I won’t have to hound Reko and he can stay at my place and be a caretaker.” Keigo asked, turning on his blinker going towards the downtown district, “What’s with the face?”

“
I never thought about children either. After losing your daughter do you want more children?” Etta asked.

“
After having a child and losing her, the one thing I always knew was I wanted to be a father again”

She nodded at him and smiled. “I want children also. How many do you think we should have?”

“
Oh, an even dozen should do,” Keigo announced with hesitation.

Etta’s balked. Smacking her lips at him she said, “Then you and I are going to have a problem.”

He laughingly steered his jeep into the valet parking lot of the Residence Towers. Etta stepped out of the car when the valet held the door open for her. Keigo threw him the keys and his fingers took her arm with gentle claim. As they were about to step into the elevator, they heard his name being called. It was from the manager behind the front desk.

“
Etta, go on up and make yourself at home.”

“
You sure? I can wait for you,” she offered.

“
No, I want you to go up and turn left, then walk down the hall. You will run into my bedroom. Go inside the bathroom and check out the tub. It takes a while for it to fill it up, so why don’t you get it started?”

“
Bubbles?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“
Don’t tell anyone my secret.” He leaned in and whispered, “I got all kinds of bubbles.” His fingers clamped over her laughing chin and he tilted her face up. “Give me a kiss.”

“
Here? Everybody’s staring,” Etta eyes widened in warning.

“
And you’re always wondering why I’m so bossy?” He shook his head. “Probably because you’re so argumentative.”

“
I--”

Keigo stole her next words by catching her behind the neck. He pulled her forward flushed against his hard body and covered her mouth with his and smiled as her lips parted. Etta felt herself swoon against him. She was whooped.

Etta regretted the kiss ending. If he hadn’t pulled away, she probably would have jumped his hips and humped him in front of everyone in the hotel. He turned her about, gently pushed her into the elevator and pushed; then swiped a card in front of the sensor. Once the elevator door closed, Etta did a jig and giggle. She was so happy and she was crazy in love. Life couldn’t get any better then this feeling.

A reflective smile was still on her face when the door opened into a beautiful penthouse apartment of glass, maple wood and stainless steel ultra modern décor. Definitely not the ethnic style she prefers but it was full of light and the view was breathtaking.

With an excited gasp, Etta half ran, half skipped to the huge gourmet kitchen that made up the open floor plan. She was envious. Keigo didn’t even cook and he had all the amenities a kitchen could offer and some. If it weren’t for the fact that she loved her neighborhood and having a front and back yard to grow her herbs, she’d be sold to move here just for the kitchen alone.

“
Wow, this is great,” Etta exclaimed and moved about, opening the frosted glass door cabinets to look at the wares inside.

“
How did you get up here?”

An angry heavily accented voice sounded and startled Etta. She let go of the cabinet door she was holding and it closed itself slowly without
slamming. She was too stunned to find that she wasn’t alone. She turned to find an older Asian woman and a young Asian woman standing in the middle of the penthouse. They must have come from the balcony.

“
I asked you a question!” The older elegantly clad Asian woman spoke again.

“
I…I…Keigo asked me to come up and wait for him.” Etta managed to say once she got her wits back. “I’m sorry. Who are you?”

“
I’m Keigo’s mother,” she answered. “And this is his fiancée. If you are his maid, then you must be new because you aren’t dressed properly. Don’t worry; I will see to it that you have a proper uniform.”

Etta gasped and jerked backwards as if someone had just punched her. She hadn’t got past Keigo’s
fiancée
to be insulted by being assumed to be the maid. How was it possible? He told her time and again there had been no one since Claire and now here his mother stood with this drop-dead gorgeous Asian woman that he was to marry.

“
Oh, God. She trusted him with all her secrets and fears, not to mention her body and her most of all her heart. How could he be so cruel to make her fall in love with him knowing he was beholden to someone else? Someone his mother most likely approved of. She didn’t want a scene and she didn’t want to be Keigo’s excuse to break another woman’s heart. She had to get out of here.

“
Are you okay?” The younger woman asked.

“
I,” Etta murmured. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be here.”

She made a speedy exit thankful the elevator doors were still open. The doors closed once she reentered and automatically descended. There were tears in her eyes. She winced as she replayed what had just happened in her mind. She felt a familiar numbness. It reminded her of how she felt when the realization that Neil was never coming back. Weird, she always thought only death could hurt her that bad. Now she realized that when you loved someone, truly loved them, you were vulnerable to be hurt by them whether they were dead or alive.

“
Why? Why did you do this to me, Keigo?”

Etta was relieved when the elevator doors opened and she didn’t see any signs of Keigo. There was no way she could have faced him at that moment. She rushed out the doors they entered earlier.

“
May I get your car for you, Ms.” A valet attendant came forward.

“
I’m sorry I don’t have a car. Can you get me a cab, please?”

Etta numbly slid into the back of the cab and gave him her address. She didn’t look back.

***

Keigo whistled as he entered the elevator. After speaking to the hotel manager, he was let into the hotel safe to remove an antique cut platinum engagement ring he had purchased on a whim because it was a bargain and it was a great investment. He suppose in the back of his mind he always hoped to someday be blessed to find love again.

Afterwards, he stopped by the hotel florist and purchased a ridiculously huge bouquet of assorted roses. He figured they could use the petals in the tub before the night was out. This time he was going to propose properly. Afterwards, he would spend the rest of the night dousing any leftover fears that Etta had before or after they were married.

Keigo felt as if Etta saved him from becoming a lonely, bitter and cynical man. She gave him hope. Now he had to get her to the courthouse to marry him before she turned skittish again and ran from him.

The elevator door opened. “Baby, I’m home. I--” Keigo’s chin dropped in surprise. After he recovered, he stepped out of the elevator. “
Okāsan?
Risa-chan? What are you doing here?”

“
Nande
! Why?” His mother raised her voice at him. “
Nande sonna-koto suru-no
? Why do you do things like this?”

“
Etta!” Keigo called out. “Etta? Where are you?” Keigo ran towards the bedroom.

“
Yamete-yo!
Stop!”