Note: This chapter contains mature content! This is a very long chapter so make sure you have the time to read it. Teo is pronounced like Tay-oh or Tae-oh.
Kano pulled out a shopping cart for Nary from the stack and received a little kiss on his lips in return. Woolworth's doors slid open allowing them to enter the supermarket. She pushed the cart into the produce section where he immediately went for the peaches.
With the stone fruit in his hand and a wicked grin on his lips, he told her, "Ya know, you're the only one that I call 'Peaches'. Care to guess why?"
"Well, knowing you," she ripped off a plastic bag from a nearby roll and put his peach in it, "it's probably related to my ass."
With both hands he picked up a pair of peaches and snickered, "Wrong! Peaches, like you, are colorful, beautiful, curvy and sweet."
A cute smile stretched across her face, "Aww, that's so nice!"
Bringing his face close to hers, he glanced at her lips then met her eyes, "Everything I said is true and it makes you peachy…And I could eat a peach for hours."
She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "I can't believe I'm in love with a man who confidently quotes Face/Off."
He added the peaches to the plastic bag then wrapped his arms around her waist, "The fact that you know that it's from Face/Off - one of the best action movies of all time – proves that you're my dream girl!"
Nary gingerly put the bag of peaches into the cart and embraced his neck, "Face/Off is ridiculous, dumb while also being pure fun! And you're my only boyfriend who loves it as much as I do. So, that makes you my dream guy!"
"Of course, I am! We're clearly made for each other, Peaches…Remember, we're KaNary!"
Masking her amusement with an exasperated sigh, she then readily accepted his adoring kiss.
A deep male voice nearly hollered, "Fuckin' hell! Kano?!"
Their lips separated but they held each other when they found themselves in front of a giant. Standing at 7' 2" and weighing almost three hundred pounds, the bald olive-skinned man with a luminous smile cracking through his dark beard, walked over to them.
Stunned and happy, Kano let go of Nary to approach the man with his arms wide open, "Garrick, you big ol' mongrel! Get over here!"
He hugged Kano and easily lifted him off his feet while chuckling, "Ya bastard, you look great-but uh, you're gonna tell me where you got these from!" Garrick set him down then pointed at his right eye and neck.
"Oh I fucking will, mate!" Kano patted his back and saw the intrigued expression on Nary's face, "Right, Garrick, this is Nary my girlfriend and Babe, I've known Garrick since we were in nappies!"
His hazel eyes lit up as he offered her his hand, "Girlfriend?! Mate, you got a badass scar, dragon tattoo on your neck and now you're with this beauty? By the way, it's nice meeting you, Nary!"
She gripped his hand and smiled, "The feeling's mutual, Garrick."
Pulling his head back, he wore a fascinated grin, "And you're American! Fuck Kano, a lot has changed for you in four years!"
Kano blinked and itched his head, "Shit, I didn't realize it's been that long since we've seen each other…"
With a shrug, he replied, "We've got a lot on our plates these days. You're always traveling because of your job and I have my work and the kids. But you're here now and we gotta catchup-oh! What are you two doing this afternoon?"
He grasped her hand and explained, "We're having dinner with Ros and Rusty tonight but we're free for lunch."
"Good! Cause Gianna and I are throwing a little barbie in two hours! Silas and Win are gonna be there, the whole gang! But we've moved into a bigger place earlier this year. Do you still have the same number?"
"Of course, mate!" He nodded at his friend.
"Great, I'll text you the address! Bring a plate! I'll see ya two later!" He gleefully pointed to them as he walked backwards to his shopping cart.
"Kano, when you told me that Garrick was a 'big rooster' you failed to mention that he was actually a jolly gentle giant!" She said to him with a small laugh.
With a lift and drop of his shoulders he replied, "I guess I'm so used to him it doesn't even register with me."
Folding her arms, she teased, "When you're next to him, it looks like he won you at a carnival!"
He gave her a fake scowl, "Real funny, Baby!" Draping his arm over her shoulders, he smirked, "But we both know that I'm built where it counts!"
A part of her was annoyed that she couldn't deny his comment, "Whatever, we got a barbeque to get ready for so let's get to it!"
"Aw, you're cute when you can't admit that I'm right." He chuckled and pulled her closer to him planting kiss on her temple.
In the beach house's gourmet kitchen, Kano was making his barbeque sauce while Nary was prepping jumbo prawns to be deep fried. She placed the last flour-dredged prawn onto a wire rack and looked over to the left where Kano was pouring his sauce into a clear squeeze bottle through a funnel.
Placing herself next to him, she leaned her back against the counter, "So, you haven't seen your friends in four years?"
"Yeah, it's exactly what Garrick said but since you were there, he left out the fact I never lied about my job and their spouses thought that I could get everyone arrested whenever we spent time together and pull them into my shit." He shrugged, "At the time, it really pissed me off and I saw my mates as being whipped but now…I get where they're coming from."
Screwing the cap onto the squeeze bottle, she remarked, "Well, things are different now. You'll be working with my brother helping people and you're an investor in the brew pub."
"Yeah, and now that I'm a former criminal," he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, "with a smart, sweet and stunning doctor for a girlfriend, they're not gonna mind having me around."
Her hand clasped his, "Of course not. You're not the wild card they once knew…But we have to talk about our cover story."
Furrowing his brows, he repeated her words, "Cover story?"
With a sigh she said, "Kano, there's a reason why I've stayed out of the spotlight despite my family's success. I value my privacy. And if we tell your friends and their spouses about how we actually met…I'm gonna lose that because they'll wanna take photos and videos of our powers and they'll pass it on to their friends and family and so on…."
A grimace formed on his face, "Oh come on! They're my best friends, they can keep secrets! We used to talk about wanting superpowers ever since we were kids and now, you're telling me that I have keep it and our fucking beautiful love story a secret from them?!"
"Kano." She placed her free hand on his chest, "As your partner, I'm asking you to take my feelings, wishes and boundaries into consideration by not revealing something private about me."
Releasing a lung full of air, he briefly tipped his head back and returned his gaze to her. He knew that she had never betrayed him during their time together. On his second day at the temple, she lied for him when he cried and Sonya had taken notice of it. However, he also hated lying to his real friends and he was really looking forward to telling them about the unbelievable adventure he had been on. He wanted to see their shocked faces the moment he used his arcana in front of them.
"Kano, I'm not trying to hurt you by asking you to do this." She shook her head and moved her hand to his heart, "I know how much you love your arcana and using it. And I want you to be yourself and speak freely with your friends, but I've been trying to come up something that'll make us both happy and…I have nothing. I'm sorry but there isn't another way."
When he looked into her dark supportive eyes, he found the answer, "Don't apologize, Puddin'. I love that you've tried to come with an answer that'll please us both." He stroked her face then smiled, "Thanks for that but I think I've come up with a compromise?"
Curious, she arched her black brow, "What is it?"
His hands went to her waist pulling her body against his, "I tell them about me and my arcana while we create an alternative version of our love story that protects your privacy. We come up with this version together and we make sure that it's close to the truth, how's that sound so far?"
Gripping his shoulders, she answered with a little grin, "I like what I'm hearing…You were on a job in Asia, it was right by the clinic that I worked at."
"All right, I came in for a checkup and to see how my scratches were healing up. We got to know each other because…" He tipped his head towards her.
"We stayed in the same hotel for several weeks spending most of our free time together…" She moved her face closer to his.
In unison they stated, "In the lounge!"
He happily kissed her, "Baby, we make such a good team!"
"We really do! But what about your friends' spouses? The more people who know about you and your arcana, it becomes more likely that one of them shares your secret."
"Shit! Well, my mates can keep secrets but neither of us really know their wives and husband..." His brows creased in concentration.
She moved her hands to his upper back and stroked the firm muscles, "At all the parties I've been to, the couples always separate at some point, usually by gender…So, I'll tell their significant others that you got your scars by fighting a very large reptile when you were in Florida. They'll believe me immediately because of how you look, it's not a total lie and well, it's Florida!" Her head emphatically nodded.
He agreed and said with wide eyes, "I'd buy it, Florida's fuckin' wild! And coming from me, that's saying a lot!"
During the drive to Garrick's house, Kano and Nary practiced their cover story and quizzed each other about the details. He also told her about each of his friends. Garrick owns a successful closet company. Win (short for Winston) is a certified public accountant and financial adviser who founded his own firm. Silas owns a chain of casual dining restaurants exclusive to Australia.
They pulled up to a gorgeous home inspired by Tuscany architecture with its limestone exterior and dark red tiled roof. With its two stories and 5,500 square feet, there was plenty of room for the family of five. A perfectly manicured lawn, shrubs and a large water fountain served as a foreground for the stunning abode. A jovial Garrick emerged from the front door and warmly greeted the couple before leading them inside.
When they entered the kitchen, Garrick introduced them to his wife, Gianna. She was in her late thirties with long straight golden-brown locks, medium colored skin and green eyes. The black apron with white pinstripes she wore hugged her slender figure.
A kind smile was on her lips as she offered her hand to Nary. "It's an absolute pleasure making your acquaintance, Nary! And hell, I'd never thought I'd see the day when Kano would have a girlfriend let alone introduce her to us! And I must say, you're a stunner!"
Nary accepted her hand, "Thanks, you're so sweet! You and your home are simply gorgeous! And I'm pretty sure everyone will be just as surprised to meet me today." She looked at Kano with a smirk on her lips.
"That's very lovely of you to say, Nary! I like you already and well, Kano is lucky to be with you!" Gianna said with a little curl of her lips.
Kano held out his arms, "Yeah-yeah, it's great seeing you again, Gianna!" He hugged her.
"Bloody hell, look at you!" She patted his back and let go of him, "Garrick wasn't joking when he told me about you scar, it's gnarly, mate!"
"The story behind it is pretty fucking fantastic too!" He nodded.
Placing the canvas bag on the dark wood island, Nary said, "We brought you a bottle of wine and my fried prawns." She pulled out the entrée and bottle which made Gianna's eye light up.
"Aww, that's so thoughtful and these look delicious! Honey, please take these prawns out to the deck and put them in the warmer?" She asked her husband.
Garrick lifted the tray of prawns off the island with one hand and opened the refrigerator with the other, "Will do, Love! Mate, get yourself a beer! Then I'll show you around outside and when Win is finished with his call, he'll join us! He's in my home office right now."
"Sounds great, mate! When is Silas coming?" He grabbed a beer and closed the refrigerator.
"He should be here in a few minutes! And he's gonna be over the moon to see you!" Garrick eagerly nodded before and he Kano stepped onto the deck.
"And Teo, Win's husband, he's in the loo right now but he'll love getting to know you!" Gianna told Nary.
"I can't wait to meet him!" She glanced at the cluttered island, "Can I help you with anything?"
She waved her off, "You're my guest! You should just make yourself at home! Would you like something to drink? Garrick has all the burgers and other meats outside but he's waiting until Silas and Frankie arrive to start cooking!"
"Sure, where do you keep your wine glasses?" Nary eyed the cabinets.
She began cutting the romaine lettuce, "Top right cabinet next to the oven! And the opener is in the drawer to the left of your waist!"
"Thanks and that's real sweet of you but I love cooking and this is such a beautiful kitchen," her hand grazed the white and gold-veined marble counter after she retrieved a glass.
"You're a doll for saying that! My mum's side of the family is Italian and my nonna still lives in Tuscany. I always loved her kitchen! Anyway, the cupcakes have cooled off so I suppose you can decorate them? The offset spatulas, chocolate icing and desiccated coconut are in the metal, white and blue bowls. I need to prep the sausages for the barbie," she opened the refrigerator and pulled out two long links, "they're a family recipe!"
After filling her glass with the Cabernet, she sat down in front of the cupcakes, "They look really good and are these Lamington cupcakes?"
Gianna pulled her head back, "Yes and how does an American woman like yourself know what a Lamington is?"
With sweet curve of her lips, she began covering a cupcake in frosting, "My college boyfriend, James, is from here. We visited his family a couple of times."
"Ahh, so you've always fancied men from here?" She lifted her brow while adding halved cherry tomatoes to the salad bowl.
Nary was about to respond until a handsome and well-built Filipino man entered the room. He was around the same age as Gianna and offered his hand, "You must be Nary! You're a real looker and yay, another Asian person! Oh and I'm Teo!"
"It's nice meeting you, Teo! Nice bracelet!" She shook his hand and admired the piece of jewelry.
"Thank you, it's actually from Gianna's jewelry boutique!" He tipped his head to their hostess as he sat down next to Nary.
"I co-own it with a friend from school. Her sister is an exceptional jewelry designer-but enough about me! Tell us, how in the bloody hell did you and Kano meet?!" She leaned forward dropping croutons into the salad.
The doorbell rang before Nary could answer, Gianna cursed while Teo sprang from his seat.
He gripped the young doctor's shoulders, "That's probably Silas and Frankie, I'll let them in but Nary, don't you dare say another word until I come back!"
"Cross my heart but don't take too long!" She playfully wagged her finger at him.
"Wouldn't dream of it!" Teo said before leaving the room.
A moment later, Teo and a fair-skinned woman with auburn locks walked in. The shiny wavy strands stopped at her shoulders and moved when she turned to look at Teo and Gianna. Her big blue eyes glanced over Nary, "Holy fuck, you're Kano's girlfriend and you actually look respectable and not whorish!"
Teo burst out laughing. Nary wore an amused look while Gianna cringed then shook her head, "Frankie! Don't say that to her, she's my guest!"
After placing a large brown paper on the island, Frankie held out her hand to Nary, "Oh come on Gia, we're all thinking it especially after the stories that we've heard from our husbands about Kano and from the man himself! And I called her 'respectable', that's a compliment! Nary, it's a pleasure meeting you!"
"Likewise." Nary's grin was wide and accepted her hand.
Gianna looked at her, "Mind Frankie, she has no filter. Anyway, you were about to tell us how you and Kano met!"
Shrugging, she told them, "It's not that exciting. He was working in Asia and came into the clinic that I used to work at."
"Clinic, are you a nurse?" Teo asked.
"Actually, I'm a doctor." She said before taking a sip from her wine glass.
They were stunned and intrigued; Frankie commented, "And you're a professional?! How fuck did he charm you?" She removed a beer from the refrigerator and returned to her seat.
Nary simply answered, "Well, we were both staying at the same hotel where we spent most of our time in the lounge. We became close over the last couple of weeks."
"So, that's how long you've been together?" Gianna asked as she removed two different bottles of salad dressing from her refrigerator.
She tipped her head forward, "In two days we'll be celebrating our one-week anniversary."
Teo had a dreamy smile on his lips, "A whirlwind romance! How lovely and I'm jealous!"
Frankie looked directly into Nary's eyes, "Yeah-yeah, let's cut to the chase, what's he like in bed?"
Nary's mouth dropped open, "Umm…"
Gianna's eyes grew large as Teo chuckled; she wagged her finger, "Frankie, you just met the woman! That is a wildly inappropriate thing to ask! Nary, you don't have to answer her!"
With an unapologetic face, Frankie stated, "Oh fuck off, we've all talked about it! And we've heard Kano brag about all the women he's fucked. But now, we can actually find out if he's full of shit!" She then took a swig from her beer and turned towards Nary, "So, how is he?"
"You can ignore her and tell us more about yourself! Although…I wouldn't mind if you did answer Frankie's question..." Teo said with a small smile on his lips, "Your choice and no pressure!"
An exasperated sigh came from Gianna, "Again, you can simply ignore them and tell us whatever you want!"
Nary looked at everyone and glanced at the deck. Kano and the other husbands weren't there. She remembered the girls' nights she had with Sonya and Jax, "He is arrogant when it comes to sex…but he can back it all up. He's the best lover I've ever had!"
Frankie groaned then asked, "Seriously? Or are you just fucking with us?"
With a scoff, she answered, "I get it but he really is amazing and it's not just the mechanics of what he does to me. I mean, he is generous and up for anything but he also treats me like I'm priceless…" She smiled then added, "The pillows help too."
"Pillows?" Gianna leaned forward, "All right, I need details!"
She typed on her mobile phone, "I promise, these will take your sex life to another level!"
"I can't wait to find out!" Gianna happily nodded. "Ever since we've had kids, Garrick and I have been trying to find ways to spice things up. And since we don't have that much free time, we always try to make things special whenever we do!"
"These should do the trick and since they look like regular wedge and platform pillows, you won't die of embarrassment if your kids find them!" Nary handed her phone over to Gianna.
With intrigued eyes, she looked at the phone, "Oohh they come in so many colors!"
Frankie asked, "Since we got that question out of the way, how the hell did Kano get those nasty scratches? Silas just sent me a photo of them."
Without hesitation, she explained, "He got into a fight with a big reptile while in Florida."
Teo stated while nodding, "That sounds about right, I have family there and Kano fighting a crocodile sounds like a typical Monday in the Sunshine State."
The home office had French doors that opened up to the side yard. Garrick and Kano spied on Win talking on his mobile phone. With his pristine mocha skin, clean shaven face, strong jaw and black short thick coiled curls, he looked a few years younger than his true age of forty-one. In his red polo shirt and khaki shorts, Kano couldn't help but grin at how his childhood friend still favored preppy attire. It was comforting for him to see how some things don't change.
Once Win ended the call, he smiled and joined his friends outside, "Kano, you sonofabitch! Garrick didn't tell me he invited you!" He wrapped his muscular arms around Kano.
Their mutual friend gladly explained, "I didn't even know that this rooster was in town until I saw him and his doctor girlfriend kissing in Woolies!"
Shocked, Win's head pulled back, "You're fucking kidding me? You've got an actual girlfriend and she's a doctor?!"
"And an American!" Kano proudly told him, "She's inside with everyone else."
"An American too?! Once Silas gets here you have to tell us everything, mate!" He patted his back, "Especially about how you got those scars and is that gray in your beard?"
"Yeah, thanks to her, but she's worth every single one!" He smiled and nodded.
From behind them, they recognized the voice calling out, "You bunch of bastards, I've finally arrived!"
The sun shone down on Silas's sandy blond locks that were styled in a low bun. He was still as lanky and pale as Kano remembered but now his oval face was sporting a neatly trimmed beard. His long legs were covered by loose fitting black slacks while his blue t-shirt gave him a casual appearance.
"Silas! Oi, you got a bun now?" Kano said as he hugged his friend.
He chuckled, "Really Kano, you've got a fucked-up eye, another dragon tattoo and a grandpa beard!"
After playfully punching Silas's arm, he remarked, "You're gonna feel like an ass once I tell the stories behind all of them, mate!"
Kano proceeded to tell his friends the cover story that he and Nary created. Each of them expressed how happy they were for him. Then he spoke about his journey to becoming one of Earthrealm's champions. When he finished, he saw a mixture of surprise, skepticism and some confusion on their faces.
Win cupped his shoulder, "Kano, you've told us some pretty amazing stories over the years and yes, we're lost touch during the last three…but come on, you don't have to tell us some tall tale to impress us!"
Instead of throwing a verbal jab at his good friend, Kano smirked before blasting his eye's laser at a nearby lemon tree. His arcana easily exploded the citrus fruit making everyone else's jaws fall open.
Garrick excitedly grabbed both his shoulders, "Holy fuckin' shit! You're a goddamn superhero!"
With enormous eyes and an apologetic voice, Win stated, "Kano, sorry for doubting you! Shit, it's all fucking real!"
Kano continued to smirk, "I don't blame ya for thinking that way! I live it and even I can't fucking believe it!"
Silas quickly pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket, "Can you do it again? I can't wait to show my nieces and nephews, they're really into that Marvel shit right now!"
He wrapped his arm around Silas's shoulders, "Sorry Si, I promised Nary that I wouldn't let any of you take any photos and videos. We need to keep a low profile for a lot of reasons, OK? I don't want any of my enemies finding out about my secret superpower only to use it against me."
Silas's dark eyes became wide, "Fuck, you must really love her! If it were me, I'd use it every time I go to the pub and at every party!"
"I would too but things will be easier this way and yeah, Nary's the love of my fucking life! Before I forget, Win, we gotta talk later." He tipped his head at his old mate.
"Is it anything important? I mean, do you have a second superpower that we don't know about?" Win raised his brow.
He scoffed, "No, it's something that I need your help with but it can wait."
Garrick asked, "Does this also mean that we can't tell our spouses?"
"Yeah but come on, we've all kept secrets before. This one will just be a really massive one. Oh and as far as they know, I got me scars fighting a big reptile in Florida." He pointed at his friend.
"That's not hard to believe," Win said with a slow shake of his head, "I have in-laws there and well, the term 'stranger than fiction' is an apt description of that place!"
Kano and the rest of his friends were gathered on the deck. Win and Silas were seated at the long black metal dining table. He and Garrick were in front of the grill where they placed the hamburgers, steaks, sausages and other foods on the heated grates. His eyes wandered to the bi-folding glass doors. Their spouses were still inside the kitchen talking. Although he couldn't hear them, he saw them laugh at something Nary said. For once, he wasn't the single friend at one of their gatherings and he liked it. But what he loved was seeing Nary getting along with everyone so far.
"Awww, look at you gazing at your girl! You're so smitten!" Garrick said with a big smile.
He nodded, "I've done things that I never imagined and it's all because of her. Fuckin' hell, I watched Lady and the Tramp and actually loved it!"
All of his friends had the same stunned look on their faces but Silas was the one who spoke first, "You watched a goddamn Disney movie because of her?! Are you sure that she doesn't have any superpowers?"
Before he could respond, Nary and the rest of their spouses walked onto the deck. A long flat rectangular white plate of hamburger buns was in her hands. She set them on the table and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I brought the buns, they're already toasted but yours are really looking good too!" With both hands she slapped his toned backside causing them both to chuckle and receiving interested looks from the others.
Frankie pointed at them with a beer in her hand, "You two lovebirds are cute, it's both sweet and annoying."
Nary grinned at her then asked, "All right, I wanna hear all the embarrassing stories that you guys have about my Kano!"
With a small snort, he remarked, "You're getting back at me for Rasi telling me a lot of yours? Buttercup, he offered and it would've been rude of me to refuse him!"
She tilted her head to the right giving him innocent eyes, "Baby, I'm simply curious about the stories that you haven't told me and who better to ask than your childhood mates?"
All of his friends' face lit up but Silas spoke first, "We would be here for hours, Nary. So, we'll just tell you the really good ones!"
With fake irritation, Kano glared, "Next time, I'll make sure to stay away for five years instead of four!"
They all laughed before he and Nary sat down and listened to Silas's story.
It was a relief to Kano to see how easily he and his friends picked up where they left off all those years ago. Despite the time apart, they still treated him as if he was the same person before he had dropped out of school and went his own way. Still, a part of him felt guilty for losing touch and not visiting them. So, when it came time for him and Nary to leave the barbeque, he handed the car keys to her and privately spoke with Garrick in the living room.
"Do you guys really have to leave right now?" Garrick asked.
He nodded, "Tonight we're going to a restaurant with a fuckin dress code so we need to go shopping for fancy clothes."
A hearty giggle came from the hulking Aussie, "You're gonna actually wear a suit and tie for her?"
"More like a blazer and dark pants, fuck ties! Although I look good in anything!" He smirked then changed his tone, "Thanks for inviting us even though I-uh, well, after I've been gone for so long. I should've stayed in touch."
With a gentle smile, Garrick gripped Kano's shoulders, "Don't be so hard on yourself! These days, we both have very full and busy lives and eh-ever since Jack's passing, you-you hit a rough patch and needed to find your own way. But now, thanks to Nary and everyone else at the temple, we got you back! Just…just don't be afraid to call or text, all right? I don't care how fucking late it is, I'll get back to you, promise!"
Grateful for his friendship, Kano's lips curved up as he hugged him, "You're such a good guy! And believe me, I won't make the same mistake again! Any time you're in the States, don't be a stranger, OK?"
"Fuck, you'll be the first person I'll call! Now go on and enjoy the rest of your holiday with your lovely lady!" He reluctantly let go and patted him on the back walked him over to the front door.
Kano waved to him one last time before getting into the Jeep where Nary was waiting. Her genuine smile reflected his. She was glad to see him reconnect with old friends and have another support system outside of their fellow champions. It was also a pleasure for her to learn more about him through their eyes and to observe him act like who he was before he became a mercenary. Without saying a word, she cupped his face and softly pressed her lips against his.
Much to her surprise, Nary finished getting dressed first. In the kitchen, she sat down in the same stool where Kano had waited for her. While scrolling through her mobile phone, she heard him coming down the stairs and stood up. The second she laid eyes on Kano her heart skipped a beat as her body temperature began rising.
His athletic 6' 2" figure was perfectly suited for the outfit he was sporting. A black blazer and a red fitted v-neck sweater hugged his burly torso and arms. The dark denim jeans and black zip-up ankle boots he wore seamlessly topped off his dapper appearance. The smug look on his face and swagger in his walk were well earned in this instance.
"Oh Kano…" Nary touched his face before letting her hands roam all over his chest, "you look so amazing!"
"I know, right? I look fan-fucking-tastic! I should be on the cover of GQ!" He nodded and rested his hands on her lower back.
"Definitely! You're like my very own Australian James Bond…" She traced the dragon marking on his neck.
"Well then you're definitely my Bond Girl because fuckin' hell you look so goddamn gorgeous!" He held her hand above her head and slowly twirled her around.
The black satin dress fit her body like a glove. Its soft shiny fabric caressed the curves of her busty chest and full backside. Her toned arms were exposed and the v-neckline demurely displayed her breasts. The dress's hemline was above her knees showing off just enough of her strong smooth legs. Ruby stiletto heels added over two-inches of height to her. Dark romantic waves framed her stunning face while the candy apple red lipstick she wore accented her pillow lips.
As his hands returned to her lower back, he jokingly complained, "If we didn't have plans tonight, I'd have my way with you right on this counter!"
With a small giggle, she grabbed her purse off the nearby stool, "I understand the urge but we really shouldn't be late."
He sighed, "All right and I don't wanna piss off Ros, she's one of the toughest people I've ever met! Hang on, I got it!" Kano took Nary's crimson trench coat off the stool's backrest and helped her put it on.
"Thank you-and uh, do we have to tell her and her husband our cover story?" She asked.
"No, she's seen some crazy shit over the years thanks to yours truly. Also, she and Rusty know how to keep secrets! If they didn't, my ass would've been arrested a million times." With his hand on the small of her back, he guided her towards the front door.
"All right, is there anything else I should know about them?" She placed her purse's shoulder strap across her body.
He shook his head, "What you see is what you get with Ros and Rusty. Come on, Love, I wanna get there early to see their reaction to how fucking phenomenal we look!" He removed his black trench coat off the wall rack before closing the door behind them.
Less than five minutes after being seated in their own private dining room at Cirino House, Ros and Rusty arrived. Kano's expectations were subverted the minute he saw Ros. Her silver locks were resting on her shoulders with the ends having a slight curl to them while a pale shade of red was painted on her lips. Donning a dark blue scoop neck blouse, a white cardigan sweater, black dress pants and black heeled ankle boots, Ros's evening look shocked Kano. Until that second, he was used to seeing in her usual weathered leather bomber jacket, plain white t-shirt, ponytail, and a white and blue trucker cap.
Rusty was wearing a simple black suit sans tie with the white dress shirt's top two buttons undone, "Easy now, mate, she's all mine!" He said with a gravelly chuckle as he shook Kano's hand.
"Good to see ya again, Rusty and holy fuck Ros! You cleanup really well!" Kano gripped her shoulder and accepted her handshake.
In a self-satisfied tone and face to match, she retorted, "So do you! But mate, if this look blows your mind, you should've seen me in my younger years! Although I would've easily broken you in half!"
They all laughed at her comment until Kano introduced the senior couple to Nary. He made sure to point out that she was a doctor as they took their seats. As he expected, they were impressed and continued to question her about who she was and how she met Kano.
After the appetizers were served the conversation turned to their arcanas. For practical reasons, Kano opted not to use his since the dining room had frosted glass walls, the servers would arrive unannounced and everything else in the room seemed fragile. Nary used hers to move the wine and beer in their glasses and knocked Rusty's napkin off the table. They were amazed and entertained by her demonstration. By the time the second course arrived, Nary inquired the seasoned couple about their lives. She was moved when they revealed that they had been together for over forty years. Following the third meal, Kano and Ros talked about some of the adventures they had together, Rusty and Nary were enthralled. Right before dessert was served, Nary excused herself to use the restroom while Rusty left the room to answer a call on his mobile phone.
Kano removed the steel briefcase from under the table, "All right, I'm not gonna keep you waiting any longer…"
When Ros opened the briefcase, her eyes lit up in utter disbelief then joy. She grabbed one of the stacks of money and examined it, "Bloody hell Kano, this is three times what you owe me!"
Nodding, he explained, "Yeah, I owe you for the times I didn't pay you and um, the rest is interest. Ros," he lightly gripped her forearm, "you've always been there for me, even when I didn't deserve it. I-I can't say that about many people in my life. And I've never thanked you for always taking my calls, so, this is how I'm doing it."
Taken aback by his earnest admission, her green eyes stared at him searching for the right words. This was the first time that one of their exchanges turned serious, she took a few seconds to adjust; "Mate…this is really thoughtful of you. I-uh, I don't know what to say other than, thank you."
A soft grin spread across his mouth, "You're welcome and the next time either of us call, it doesn't have to be for work. We can catchup over the phone or like tonight, in person over great food and fine liquor, like all friends do."
With a broad smile, she tipped her head forward, "I'd really like that! Tonight's been really fun and Nary? She's fucking great, mate! Jack and Evie, would've loved her!"
His lips widen at the mention of his late uncle and mother, "You really think so?"
Ros closed the briefcase then gripped his shoulder, "Of course! She busts your balls, she's sweet, intelligent, funny, tough, a real beauty and she's madly in love with you. And it's pretty obvious that you're head over heels for her too! That's what Jack and Evie always wanted for you, Kano. Why do you think they stayed single?"
His shoulders rose then dropped, "I always thought me asshole Dad walking out burned mum and that Jack really loved fucking around."
A dry scoff came from her, "Far from it. They wanted to find a partner who'd love you as much they did. And it's shitty that they never found it…but they'd be delighted to see that you've found real love! So, don't fuck up this, Kano! She's a real catch and you're goddamn lucky that she chooses to be with you!" Ros pointed at him before taking a sip from her pint glass.
He placed his hand on his chest as he adamantly said, "You don't have to tell me twice! I know that what I have with her is rare and priceless. I'm not gonna do anything to fuck it up, Ros. Life has kicked me in the nuts so many times. So, when it hands me someone as wonderful Nary, I'm not gonna be a fucking idiot and just throw it away, believe me!"
During the car ride to their beach house, Kano and Nary shared an easy silence. Neither one could imagine their first day turning out any better. Returning to his childhood home was an emotional and gratifying experience. None of his school friends harbored any resentment for his long absence from their lives and readily accepted him back. Dinner with Ros and Rusty went on without a hitch. It warmed his heart to see how his friends instantly liked Nary and took them seriously as a couple. For the first time in decades, he felt like he was back home and she was a big reason why.
"Ladies first!" Kano opened the front door.
She stroked his face then pecked his lips, "Thanks, Babe. You're such a gentleman." After taking off her purse, she placed it on the side table by the front door.
"You're very welcome, Sweetheart and it's the least I can do. You were fantastic today!" He closed the door behind them and helped her remove her coat, "Everyone loves you just as much as I do!"
After he placed her coat on the wall rack, she took off his trench coat and hanged it next to hers, "They were all open, welcoming and lovely, so they made it really easy for me to be myself. And I loved getting to know you through them."
His left hand grasped her face while other went to her waist, "You got to see all sides of me."
"I did and I really loved what I saw," she brought her hands to his waist.
"Well, I am a complex guy. But enough about me, you were absolutely stellar today! And now, I wanna show you how much I appreciate you," he gently pushed her against the door.
Her hands stroked his sides, she tilted her head up peering at him with flirtatious eyes, "And how do you plan to do that?"
"I've got a few ideas…but you have to promise me to be patient and listen to me." His thumb grazed her cheek bone.
She could see his blue eyes darken with desire and licked her lips, "I promise."
He closed the small distance between them before lovingly seizing her lips. As he explored her mouth, his other hand moved down her waist and squeezed her shapely backside. He briefly smirked at her whimpering in response. The aroma of her perfume took him by surprise when he started showering kisses on her elegant neck. It wasn't her usual creamy and fruity scent. This fragrance was rich, sweet yet seductive, just like her.
Once he started planting kisses on her collar bone, her chest heaved in anticipation. Confusion came to her when his mouth returned to hers instead of traveling to her chest. Before she could protest, he removed his hand from her face to massage her breast making her breathe out his name in delight. It took her a second to notice that his hands were staying outside of her dress. Curious to see what he was up to; she resisted the urge to push his body into hers. The tips of her manicured nails dug into his hard oblique muscles.
Instead of immediately going to his usual moves, he wanted to take them both back to their youth. To a time when things were simpler, where kisses and teasing touches electrified every part of themselves. He put all of his love and longing into every kiss and caress. The sensations of her nails clawing into him, the heat of her soft ample body on his lips and hands along with her whimpers had his mind reeling.
It dawned on Nary what he was doing to her, acting as if they were teenagers using their precious time together to kiss and explore each other's bodies with little touches. She couldn't help but find his gesture to be sweet and exciting. Considering how they spent their day walking down Memory Lane, she was touched that he wanted to relive a part of their teenage years together.
Her temperature began rising the minute his hands peeled down the top of her dress and bra exposing her breasts to the cool air. His lips continued to taste hers as his hands slowly went to her thighs to hike her dress up to her waist. Both of her hands grasped the back of his head just as his wet hot mouth and rough hand started lavishing her breasts. In between her legs she could feel her arousal pooling at his erotic actions.
Kano pulled his head back to take in the sight of her dress bunched up against her stomach, her bare breasts moving with each breath and her dark eyes fixed on him, "You're so fucking beautiful! God, how are you real?"
Moving her hands to his face, she smiled before pressing her lips against his. A soft cry came from her once he started to pull down her drenched thong panties but left them just above her knees. His right hand travelled up her thigh and settled in between her legs.
He reluctantly removed his mouth from hers, "Eyes on me, Love.." His fingers caressed her delicate bud setting her body ablaze.
"Mmmmm, jus-just like that, Kano!" She nodded at him.
Cupping her face, he looked deep into her dark eyes as he pushed his fore and middle fingers inside of her. The feeling of her tight dripping sex gave him chills and caused his manhood to harden. A wide grin touched his mouth at the sight of her face twisted in pleasure as she groaned at the incredible sensation.
Stroking her face, he told her, "You're so amazing, Angel! Not just today, all the fucking time! Just relax and let me treat you like the goddamn goddess that you are!" He started thrusting his fingers after uttering the last word.
"You're-you're so good to me-mmmm…" Her left hand went to back of his head pulling him into a scorching kiss that stifled her cry when his thumb started stroking her. With her other hand, she reached down to grip his wrist encouraging him to move faster.
He kissed her forehead, "Because you've always been great to me, Kitten…you deserve the best and I'll do whatever I can to make sure you get it!"
His earlier teasing actions caused her to reach her edge faster than either of them expected. He continued working her with his fingers and thumb as her shuddering body and ardent screams reverberated throughout the beautiful beach house. While she rode out her high, Kano continued holding her face and showered her with praise and kisses until she recovered.
Nary had no idea how she was still standing up as she relished the aftershocks. She thanked him when he removed the rest of her clothes. To help him along, she kicked off her stiletto heels. Without warning, he scooped her up in his strong arms causing her to laugh as she wrapped her arms around his neck before he carried her upstairs.
The instant he set her down in their bedroom, her lips were on his while she fervently stripped him of his clothes. He couldn't help but laugh at how excited she was but reluctantly stopped her when she tried to push him towards the bed.
"Heh, hold on there, Baby! Let me get those fun pillows you packed." He pecked her lips before retrieving them from the closet, "I've got something special in mind."
With curiosity and anticipation, she watched him stack the wedge pillows the same way she had done during their first time together. He kissed both sides of her face then told her to lay down on her back in the same position. After getting on his knees, Kano covered her mouth with a hungry kiss and received one in return. He put her legs over his shoulders and gripped the sides of the pillow, near her lower back. Based on her surprised reaction, he knew that she had never been intimate in that specific position.
He turned his head planting sensual kisses on the inner side of her right calf and knee, "Oh Darling, you're gonna love this so much!"
Reaching up, Nary touched his face and curled her lips, "I have no doubt that I will. I love you."
Turning his face into her hand, he kissed her palm and smiled, "I love you too, Darling and now, I'm gonna show you how much," he pulled his hips back and gradually pushed himself inside of her. It stunned him at how exquisite he felt whenever he entered her slick warm womanhood and the new position just made things infinitely better, "Mmm Babe, you always feel so goddamn good!" He stayed still watching her grasp his biceps.
She released a long moan at the mind-blowing sensation of his hard thick length spreading open her taut sex until their bodies fully meshed, "Oooooh my-my god! Ka-Kano, you're so incredible!"
Instead of responding, he decided to demonstrate his answer by slowly making love to her. All day every little thing she did filled him with pure happiness and pride, he wanted her to experience that with his every thrust, gaze and word. He almost withdrew his entire body from hers before fully sheathing himself again causing them both to holler.
Until he got his dragon marking, Kano thought he had seen and done it all. Despite the numerous women he's slept with and countless near-death experiences, he didn't feel truly alive until Nary. Her friendship and love gave him something real, substantial, pure and everlasting. Today perfectly reaffirmed his love for her. She was by his side giving him all support and encouragement that he needed. With his friends, she was kind and welcoming. He poured every ounce of his gratitude, love, desire, and adoration into his lovemaking. Kano hoped that she'd sense how much today meant to him and that ending it in each other's arms would be the perfect memory for her.
For a few seconds, she closed her eyes to savor the feeling of him being so embedded inside of her and to remember all the sweet words coming out of his usually vulgar mouth. When she opened her eyes, she saw him gazing at her in absolute awe and felt her eyes well up. Several times that day she felt closer to him whenever she learned something new about him thanks to his true friends; it made her love him even more. Clutching his arms, she braced herself before surrendering to the sheer ecstasy that flooded her body.
Once he saw her come, he smiled at the breathtaking image then shortened his thrusts chasing his own release. Tears filled his eyes when her hands released his arms and held his face.
Nary gave him a slow and penetrating kiss, "Kano, you're-you're so wonderful…"
"God, so are you, Love!" He planted a quick kiss on her lips.
She pressed her forehead against his and locked eyes with him, "No one's ever been so deep inside of my heart and body…Now, come for me, my Black Dragon and don't you dare slow down!"
Hearing her words and seeing the demand in her eyes ignited something deep inside of him, "Aww fuck-fuckin' hell, I love you!" He suddenly started slamming into her filling the room with the sounds of their colliding bodies.
"Love-love you too…Oooh, yes, just…just like that, my Black Dragon!" Her fingers brushed his cheek bones as her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
With their bodies and souls fused together, they experienced the strongest climax of their lives. Waves of bliss washed over their trembling glistening bodies until they eventually subsided. His chiseled physique was still on top of hers when she stroked the back of his head. She could feel his face scars on the crook of her neck as he finally caught his breath and lifted his head to look up at her.
He cupped her face, "Oh Nary! That was fucking outstanding!"
She nodded and brought her hand to his heart, "It was the best way to close out the perfect day."
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Peaches!" He planted a little kiss on her nose, "You up for a shower?"
She teasingly lifted her dark brow at him, "Seriously Kano, did you just meet me?"
He rolled his eyes before capturing her supple lips with his mouth.