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Far From The Tree

Chapter 18


HIKARU

So soft...so sweet...so...fiery...

Fuuuuck...

This woman was going to destroy me. I felt like a lion taking it's first bite of meat, or a damn addict opening a bottle of bourbon. I'd never be able to go back to living without her after this. The mere idea of never feeling her eager lips against mine again felt like a prison sentence.

My fingers became tighter around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer. She was a dream, a beautiful dream I couldn't bare wake up from. Even her fucking scent made me desperate.

A moan passed her lips, teasing against my tongue, and my arousal threatened to send me into a fever. I wanted to slide my hand beneath her clothes, just to coax more and more of those sweet sounds from her.

Eventually, she pulled away, and a flashback to the kiss we'd shared previous assaulted my mind. She was going to run away again...no, no, no, she couldn't. My lips burned from her separation, and I couldn't control the needy look on my face as my insatiable hands remained locked around her.

Then she chuckled.

"Don't look at me like that" she said.

I whooshed out a breath, "Like what?"

"Like a puppy who had his favourite toy taken away"

I would have been offended by the metaphor, had it not been entirely accurate.

"It's late" she sighed, anxiously chewing her swollen lip.

I lifted my thumb, pulling it from between her teeth to plant yet another long, firm kiss on her sweet, soft lips.

Like a god damn drug...

"You're not running away from me again are you?" I breathed, struggling to pull my mouth from hers.

Her voice cracked, "No" she said, "But we have work tomorrow"

I glanced to the clock on the wall. 10pm. Shit. We'd been making out for over an hour. Usually after an hour I would have already taken a woman to bed...yet here we were. Fully clothed on her living room couch.

I felt like a teenager fooling around with his crush.

After a few silent moments, simply staring into one another's eyes, Haruhi slowly lifted herself off my lap.

I quickly readjusted myself, clearing my throat as I caught the sight of her cheeks flushing red, I then noticed her eyes shifting down to the obvious...bulge...in my jeans...

"Sorry" I mumbled.

Sorry? Really? I'm apologising for a hard-on?

"It...it's fine" she choked, "It's...my fault...I guess..."

Hell yes it is.

I smirked, despite how awkward the air seemed to have become.

She wanted me to leave, but she wasn't sure how to push me out without looking rude. It was very like her.

I stepped closer to her, loving how she leaned towards me as I wound my arms around her waist. It struck me as strange how normal holding her already felt, and how insane it was that I'd known her for almost 6 months and for all that time I'd never been able to do it. How the hell did I manage to keep my hands off her for that long?!

Her big brown eyes looked up at me, darkening as her tongue darted out to moisten her pink lips.

God have mercy.

"You'll be at the office tomorrow right?" I raised a hopeful brow.

"Of course. Where else would I be?"

"And we'll still have...coffee together in the morning...right?"

Haruhi pursed her lips, as if biting back a laugh, "Who else am I going to have coffee with?" she grinned. Then before I could think of a reply, she pressed her lips to mine, and I completely forgot how to breathe.

"Hinako" I said, holding my finger down on my desk buzzer.

My receptionist answered immediately, "Yes Mr Hitachiin"

"Is Miss Fujioka here yet?"

I swear I heard her sigh, "Not yet Mr Hitachiin. I told you, she doesn't usually get here until 8.45"

"Okay" I swallowed. I sat back in my chair, my knee bouncing.

I pressed the buzzer again.

"What time is it now?" I asked.

"8.41 sir"

I sucked in a breath, "Thank you" then went back to bouncing my leg.

Oh how the mighty hath fallen...

In the space of 12 hours, I had gone from an aloof, flirtatious playboy, to a lap dog.

Haruhi's lapdog.

I'd thought about her all night. Rolled back and forth in bed imagining her laying there beside me...under me... I'd taken the longest cold shower of my adult life that morning, and sped to work in my own car – not wanting to wait for my driver to collect me. I mean, what if she'd gotten to the office early and I wasn't there?

I caught my reflection in the glass of the frame on my desk.

Say 'woof' puppy...

"Are you and Kaoru fighting or something?" a sweet voice called out.

I turned to see Haruhi kicking my office door shut behind her, her hands full with 2 coffee cups and a brown bag. The smell of pastries filled the room.

"Huh?" I questioned, only just registering what she'd said.

"The photo" she nodded to the frame I'd been staring at, "You're looking at his photo like he's done something unfavourable"

"Oh" I blinked, "No, we're not. I was just...lost in thought"

Haruhi nodded with a smile.

Speaking of lost in thought...

She looked amazing as always, which made it almost impossible to focus on anything else. Those long legs were on display under a grey pencil skirt, and her small waist looked so perfectly curved in that white blouse...the one that opened at the collar, revealing the creamy column of her throat.

The throat I'd had my lips all over the night before...

"A little help?" she smirked, waving her full hands at me.

I jumped to my feet, "Fuck...sorry"

"Hinako was right, you are distracted today" she chuckled, handing me my usual black coffee before sitting in her seat and setting down the breakfast bag.

"I've got a lot to be distracted by" I smirked.

She gave a small smile, but didn't answer, which was exactly the response I'd been afraid of all morning.

I'd wondered what she might say to me. Especially after the last time we'd kissed. I wasn't sure how I'd take a second rejection after barely getting over the first one. It had been impossible dancing around her and trying to bury the sordid desire to bend her over my desk, or to claim her lips until we ran out of air.

"We need to talk about...yesterday" She said, struggling to meet my gaze.

I furrowed my brow, "Please tell me you're not going to deliver the same speech as last time? Because honestly I think the "pretend it never happened" ship left the harbour the moment our tongues met"

Haruhi's cheeks flushed pink, and my cock hardened at the sight.

Down boy...

"No" she shook her head, "I'm not going to say that. Clearly we're not very good at practicing self restraint...so I'm not going to run away again, and I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen. But we do need to set some rules. This isn't something we can be reckless about"

"Rules?"

She nodded, "Yes. Rules"

I narrowed my eyes, curiosity piquing my interest.

"Don't look so excited, you may not like them"

"Won't I?"

"Rule number 1 is no discussing this at work" she said, "So we'll talk about it at lunch. Away from the building"

"Well that certainly doesn't sound like fun"

"It's not meant to be fun" she quipped, "Think of it like a business meeting"

Many office roleplay scenarios entered my mind, a smirk touched my lips.

"No" she said pointedly.

"I didn't say anything"

"Hikaru this is serious" she replied, hushing her voice, "Everything I said before about mixing work with personal life is still my main concern. Just because my will power has slipped doesn't mean I'm happy to dive in ass first"

I stirred again, "Ass first you say?"

Her blush turned the deepest shade of scarlet I'd ever seen, "It's an expression...don't get any ideas!"

I wasn't sure which I preferred. Chatting over coffee with her as usual, or teasing her to the point of affecting her skin tone, "Never say never" I winked.

"Lunch time" she stated, "We continue talking about this at lunch time. Where no one I work with can hear me sin"

I put my hands up in surrender. Of course I wanted to keep talking on the subject until the sun went down, but honestly, I was still smiling over the fact that Haruhi was just as set on continuing this flirtation as much as I was. I wasn't going to push it. If she wanted to keep the conversation away from the office then fine. She wins.


HARUHI

The 4 hours following my morning coffee had to be the longest 4 hours of my life.

As I worked alongside Hikaru, overseeing boardroom meetings and dissecting agreements, I could feel his gaze on me, on my body...

And I loved every torturous second.

I never usually enjoyed a fixed gaze on myself, I found it creepy and invasive. But with Hikaru, it made me feel worth my weight in gold. So alive, so desirable and beautiful, something I hadn't felt in god knows how long. I was biting back smiles and blushes as I caught him lost in thought as his eyes trailed down my body so brazenly, as if it were his instinct to take me in. I wondered if he'd always looked at me like that, or if I was only noticing now because of the events from the morning and day before.

I almost became hungry for it. Hoping to catch him out so I could give him a knowing smirk.

Then lunch time came and all the jitters and fear came back, stripping my confident cloak from my shoulders.

We both knew what lunch entailed, and since Hikaru was the CEO, lunchtime could run from an hour to 3 hours just from his say-so.

Our usual table was booked and ready for us as we walked the short distance down the street.

He pulled out my chair for me in his typical gentleman fashion, and took his own in front of me. He rested his chin in his palm, flashing his signature arrogant smirk – giving me my cue to continue the conversation we'd been waiting for.

"Can we at least order first?" I raised a brow.

"Wine?"

"I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be under the influence at work Mr Hitachiini"

"I'm sure your boss will allow it"

"Will he now? And still pay me my full wage?"

"Maybe he'll even give you a bonus"

"I'm not sure he's that generous"

"On the contrary" he breathed, his eyes darkening, "I've heard he's very generous"

My cheeks turned hot and I looked down to scan the menu I'd seen hundreds of times before.

"So" he chuckled, "These rules?"

I swallowed my anxiety, but thankfully before I could open my mouth, the waitress approached the table. My knight in shining apron,

"A bottle of your most expensive wine please" Hikaru said, barely looking up at her, "I feel like celebrating"

"You don't know what I'm going to say yet" I chuckled.

"Call me an optimist"

After scanning the menu for several moments I settled on the exact same thing I always chose before the waitress trotted away to the kitchen with our orders. Once she returned with the wine Hikaru's grin only grew. He waved her away when she tried to pour out the glasses, opting to do it himself.

"So" he said, drawing his glass to his lips, "Rule number 1. No discussing our sordid affairs in the office. Got it. Now, may I ask what rule number 2 is?"

"Number 2. Not...in the office"

He raised a brow, "Wasn't that the first rule?"

"I mean" I hissed quietly, "No...doing anything at work"

Hikaru pouted, as if someone had just ripped away his presents on Christmas.

"You can't seriously be telling me you wanted to explore this at work?"

"Well" he shrugged, his eyes swimming with imagery I was thankful I couldn't see, "I've thought about it"

I chewed my lip. I'd have been lying if I said I hadn't had the same sort of fantasies. But that's exactly what they were. Just fantasies. This was real life, not some office porno.

I felt my cheeks flush in betrayal, and Hikaru smirked.

"I can't believe we're even talking about this" I murmured.

Hikaru laughed, throwing his head back.

"Just so you know. I don't usually do things like this" I said, taking a long drink from my wine glass, "I can't even remember the last time I'd even flirted with someone. Let alone discussed it over lunch"

"I think you're exaggerating. I'm sure you've had plenty of men other than me hit on you in the last month"

"The last month?" I snorted, "Try years"

"You shouldn't be so oblivious, especially looking as good as you do"

"I don't think that's a compliment"

"It wasn't meant to be. I've clocked plenty of men looking your way in the 6 months I've known you"

"I'm not oblivious. I'm aware of my surroundings. I just mean I haven't encountered a man I've wanted to flirt with"

I could practically see Hikaru's ego swell. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, okay..." he sighed, "Rule number 1 and 2. For the record, I don't like rule number 2 but I respect and understand it. Any more rules?"

I nodded, and immediately felt myself inwardly cowering. Rule number 3 could be a hard limit for him. But it was one I couldn't be swayed on.

I mumbled in reply.

"What was that?" he questioned.

"You can't...you can't see anyone else" I spoke up, hearing the force of my voice as I tried to keep it steady, "If you and I are going to be...intimate, then you can't see anyone else"

"Oh" Hikaru's brows raised, as if surprised by my request.

I'd been around Hikaru long enough to learn of his reputation. Bars, women, more women. A man like him didn't just save himself for one woman for casual relations, not when he could have his pick of the city just with a flash of his signature smile. I couldn't exactly compare to the supermodels and elite beauties Hikaru could easily charm night after night. Who was I to ask him to trade in that lifestyle for just me. Me. A woman who hadn't had sex in over 6 years, had the body of a mother, stretch marks and all, and had very limited experience.

"Deal" Hikaru suddenly replied, smiling as he took a sip from his own drink.

I blinked, "Deal? Just like that? No questions?"

"Nope" he shrugged, "As long as you're okay turning down the hoards of men at your door. Exclusivity goes both ways"

"Ha ha. Funny"

"I'm not kidding" he said, his expression turning serious, "I don't share"

"Don't or won't?"

"Won't" he smirked, "I intend to erase every other man from that beautiful head of yours. So if you so much as look at another man, then clearly I'm not doing a good enough job at keeping you satisfied. And I personally love that challenge"

"The challenge of keeping me satisfied?" I replied, suddenly feeling a heat spread across my aching body. Aching for him.

He grinned wickedly, "Excited?"

Yes.

"Maybe a little intrigued" I answered.

"Anymore rules to swing by me?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No. None that come to mind"

He lifted his glass to his lips, taking a long sip before leaning forwards, his chin rested in his palm, "Good. Because I have one I'd like to propose"


Hi guys! Sorry for the long delay on this one, if you follow my Twitter then some of you know that I actually got married at the end of October! So I've been a little out of it for the last couple of months, but I'm back now and hoping to get back in the swing of things. I hope to get a new laptop soon as storage on my current one is looking a little full! (and to write chapters I need storage space to save them!)

In the meantime I once again want to thank Nelari_Chan for her beautiful artwork, she's been an amazing inspiration for me to keep on writing and I encourage you all to go find her and show her some love 3

Stay safe and be kind to one another as always,

Yuli xx