Coffee Shops and Cameras

Chapter 14

My pencil tapped in frustration against the paper, the design in front of me long finished but missing one small detail. Yuzuha continued to brainstorm beside me, trying to work out what that one thing was.

But honestly my mind was elsewhere.

All I could think about was Hikaru. We hadn't seen or spoken to each other since the kiss we shared the morning before. He left the house before I'd even gotten out of the shower, and he didn't come back until after dinner. I caught a glimpse of him in the hallway as I went to bed, but he made a point of not meeting my eyes as he disappeared into his room. I felt like dirt. I'd made him feel like we'd done something wrong, like I regretted what happened, when that wasn't the case at all.

It was just...a lot to take in. 2 days ago we were still fighting like cat and dog, and in my eyes he was still this obnoxious, arrogant, self centred prick with more money than sense. Then the lines became blurred and suddenly I was thrusting my tongue down his throat like a dehydrated castaway. I was so confused.

I'd never had a very good track record with men, but that risk was only tripled with someone like Hikaru. And I wasn't ready for another spiral of self-inflicted pain.

"What do you think?" Yuzuha asked.

"Hmmm?" I blinked, pulling myself back into reality.

Yuzuha chuckled, "Am I working you too hard precious doll?"

"No" I shook my head, "Sorry, I'm just..."

"You've been working on this for hours now sweetie, maybe you should take a break"

"I can still work" I replied.

"Come on" she smiled, "We can come back to it. You've already drawn enough, if anything you've given me more work with all the designs you've penned today"

"I guess I just needed the distraction" I mumbled.

I closed the sketchbook, flicking over the 5 designs I'd been working on all morning. Over the last week and a half I'd drawn more than I had in the last year. I could practically feel the bunion forming between my fingers from where the pencil rubbed.

"How have things been going with Hikaru?" Yuzuha asked, adjusting her lavender blazer.

My eyes widened, "Wha..what you you mean?"

Please tell me she didn't know...please oh please.

"With the coaching? He's had a lot less angry outbursts recently, I think he's starting to warm to you"

Oh right, the coaching. The reason I'm here.

I shrugged, "I'm getting to know him. There's a good person in there...it's just a case of bringing that person out"

Yuzuha grinned, "My Hikaru wasn't always so guarded. He used to be so sweet and kind. It's a shame the press didn't see that, they ended up shaping him more than he realised"

"The press started attacking him even before he was like this?"

She nodded, "He always liked to have a good time, that was always the case. The drinking, the partying, but he always stayed a gentleman through and through. But the press wanted to present him as this womanising bachelor, and in the end that's all people expected of him. They didn't see all the good he did, they only saw the wild side"

I frowned sadly, "I guess he couldn't be hurt by the lies if they were true..."

Yuzuha's eyes turned glassing with unshed tears, "I'm so happy you're here precious doll"

After clearing up the workroom Yuzuha left to run some errands, leaving me to occupy myself around the house. I thought about going to Dad's, but I knew he would be at work. So I didn't really have any idea what to do now. When I really thought about it, before moving into the Hitachiin's world, all I did was work and sleep. I wasn't used to having time to myself. I didn't have a lot of friends in the area to see, or activities I could drive off to. On the rare occasions I had a day off work I'd spend them catching up on Netflix shows or reading. It was easy in the tiny apartment, but in a mansion as big as this, it made it painfully obvious how alone I was.

I wondered what Hikaru was doing...

I really wanted to talk to him. At the very least I wanted to continue with the coaching, since that was one of the jobs I'd been hired to do. We'd already wasted yesterday...since he spent the day avoiding me. Not that I could blame him.

"Hey Kaoru?" I found him in the living room flicking through a magazine, "Have you seen Hikaru?"

He looked up at me, "He went out this morning" he replied, "hey, has something happened with you guys? He's been acting weird"

I didn't want to tell him, it would only complicate things further, "I must have said something he didn't like when I was drunk..." I lied.

Kaoru chuckled, "Not possible, you were all over him that night, and he definitely wasn't objecting to it"

I sighed, "Any idea where he went? We're behind on our coaching"

Kaoru shrugged, "Call him if you're worried"

"I'm not worried"

The younger twin gave me a look that said 'I don't believe you', "Here" he passed me a cell phone, "Call him"

"Thanks" I smiled.

"No problem"

I ran upstairs to my room and dialled.

The phone rang in my ear.

"Hey Kao" Hikaru's voice answered.

I couldn't help but smile, "Sorry, not Kaoru"

Silence.

"Hikaru?"

"Haruhi...uh...hey"

I cut right to the chase, not wanting to prolong any awkward pretence, "Where are you? Kaoru said you left early"

"I'm busy" he replied curtly.

"Hikaru please, we haven't spoken since..." I trailed off, "I need to talk to you"

"I think you made things pretty clear yesterday"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You practically threw me out like a bag of trash"

"I didn't"

"Well it was clear you didn't want me anywhere near you" he grumbled, "You know you could have said something, if you didn't like me like that you could have told me. I would have understood. But you just..." he seemed to struggle to find the words, "I thought it was something we both wanted..."

I exhaled. I wish I could tell him how I was feeling, but I didn't know how to put it into words. I wasn't sure what I wanted. In the moment I wanted it, I wanted to feel him, to kiss him, to hold him. But barely a week ago we were wishing each other dead, we hated each other so much we couldn't even sit in the same room without ripping each other's heads off.

I'd had my fair share of men screwing me over, making me feel special then spitting me out a week later and leaving me to pick up the pieces they tore from me. And I didn't trust Hikaru as far as I could throw him. Someone like him could destroy me, added risk being that I'd be able to read about it in the tabloids.

"Please just...come home"

"Goodbye Haruhi" then the line went dead.

"Fuck" I seethed at the phone. I dialled him again, only to be met by his voicemail.

Well then. If he won't come to me, then I'll have to go to him.

I found Kaoru again to return his phone, then interrogated him on where Hikaru disappeared to during the day. I was given 3 different places, and they were all bars. Surprise, surprise.

"You're not going to get him are you?" Kaoru asked.

"Of course I am. We have work to do, and he already spent yesterday playing hooky, I'm not letting him get away with it today"

"No offence Haru...but those places aren't going to let you in dressed like that..."

I looked down at my torn black jeans and old college t shirt and frowned, "They're bars, what kind of dress code could they possibly have?"

"They're 5 Star bars in private 5 Star hotels, your new Hitachiin designer ID can only help so much"

"What do you recommend?"

Half an hour later, Kaoru took a step back to admire his work. Looking me up and down in the outfit he'd chosen for me. I was wearing a floor-length navy blue summer dress with spaghetti straps and a low and borderline exposing V neckline, the skirt had a long slit up the right leg and somehow he'd even convinced me to wear some strappy nude heels.

"My talents are wasted as a model" he praised himself, "You look so...tall"

"Tall?" I raised an eyebrow, "Wow, you really know how to compliment a woman"

"I mean you look fucking great too obviously"

"Thanks" I exhaled, "So you're sure he's in one of those bars?"

He nodded, "Pretty sure. I used to pull him out of those almost every day"

I sighed, "Guess it's my turn then"

"Can I get you a table ma'am?" The concierge asked as I stepped through the doorway. I'd been rushing all over from one bar to another for the last hour, the first 2 bars showed up nothing, and now I was stood at the entrance of number 3. I crossed my fingers that I'd find him here, because after this I wouldn't have the faintest idea where to look next.

I shook my head, "Actually I'm meeting someone" I replied, "Hikaru Hitachiin? Do you know if he's here?"

The man gave a tight smile, "I didn't realise Mr Hitachiin was expecting anyone"

I heaved a sigh of relief. Good, that meant he was here.

"I'm Mrs Hitachiin's design artist, Mr Hitachiin and I have business that needs discussing" I did my best to sound authoritative and serious, as if I were born into this life and not just thrown headfirst into it a week ago.

The concierge blinked for a moment, then bowed slightly, "Mr Hitachiin is over by the bar, may I get you a drink Miss..." he looked down at the Hitachiin business card I'd been given with my name on it, "Fujioka"

"No thank you" I just want to get Hikaru and get out...

"Very well" he bowed again then stepped aside, gesturing over to the marble bar across the room.

The tables I passed sat rich business men and beautiful women hanging off their arms, I saw sport's stars I recognised and even an actor or two. I was so in above my head that I was gasping for air. I regretted cursing Kaoru about the outfit change, that beautiful man might have just saved my life.

Hikaru was facing the bar, but I knew it was him from the broad shoulders. Today however, they seemed to be slumped down in defeat. It made my chest hurt seeing him like that.

I cleared my throat, "Is this seat taken?"

His eyes shot to me in surprise. It appeared to take a moment for him to recognise me. But once he did, his eyes trailed the length of my body. From my eyes down to my heeled feet. He gulped.

"Are you trying to torture me?" He breathed, his tone heavy with lust.

I slid into the seat beside him, "You can thank your brother, we had to play dress up so I'd be allowed in"

He pursed his lips then looked away, "I'm guessing he sold me out?"

I sighed, "I told you to come home"

"I'm not ready to come home yet"

"I can see that" I nodded towards the open bottle of whiskey in front of him, thankfully it didn't seem to be too empty, maybe 2 or 3 glasses had been poured. I waved to the bartender and asked for an extra glass.

"Did you really get all dressed up just to come and drag me home?" Hikaru grumbled, pouring me a drink from the bottle.

I shrugged, "I'm a stubborn woman"

"That you are"

I watched as he lifted his glass to his lips, and noticed he hadn't shaved. Come to think of it, he hadn't shaved yesterday as well. For someone who cared about his appearance, seeing him looking a little less polished was something that surprised me.

"I'm sorry" I said, "About what happened yesterday"

"Forget it" he hissed.

"No, I won't forget it. Clearly...it's upset you...a lot"

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm fine. I don't get upset over women, especially ones like you"

Okay ouch.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that" I replied, "You're angry, I get it. But you have to understand...I panicked, I was confused, I wasn't exactly in control of my reaction after..."

"After I kissed you" he clarified, "Don't forget you kissed me back Haruhi, you can panic and be confused but you were just as eager as I was" he buried his face in his hands, and suddenly I could see that he was probably equally as confused as I was.

Wow, I'm such a dick.

"Can I please explain myself" I pleaded.

He shrugged.

I took a deep breath, "A week ago, we hated each other. You were practically pouring holy water on everything I touched. And now suddenly after one drunken night out and a nice conversation...we find ourselves making out in my bathroom. Can't you see how insane this is?"

"You can't honestly say you haven't felt an attraction between us even before yesterday?" Hikaru replied.

Well...yes. I'd always found him attractive, and yes, when he was close enough to touch my body went into spasm. But that was physical attraction, and he was practically a Greek god, it was hard to resist thinking about him in that way. But I'd always been a personality girl...and I wasn't going to fall into a trap with a man who was great to look at, but had a temper as heated and a heart as cold as his. But how could I tell him that...it was a horrible thing to say...

"I don't do the casual thing" I sighed, "I've been there, done that, and it ended badly. I'm not falling down that rabbit hole again"

"Do I have permission to kill this one bad experience?" Hikaru mumbled.

He turned to me, and once again I was struck by how easy he found it to meet my eyes. I always admired how he could look you right in the eye. It was honest, it was comforting...

"Are you ready to come home now?" I asked.

He shook his head, "No, but I'm happier for the company now. Maybe we could have our session here today?"

I chuckled, "With whiskey?"

"What could possibly go wrong?"

He flashed me a wink. And I melted.

HIKARU

She was beautiful. Which only made the whole encounter even more cruel and unfair.

Since he tasted her, held her smooth little body against him, ran his hands across her creamy skin, she was the only thing he could think about. And when she dismissed him from her room, as if it hadn't happened. He was...crushed...pissed off...confused.

No woman had rejected him before. In fact, most were begging him to stay, not the other way around. But Haruhi was different from other girls. And it drove him insane.

He couldn't keep his eyes of her from where she sat on the bar stool beside him. Her legs were crossed, the slit in her skirt open to show the top of her thigh folded over the other. Kaoru knew how much Hikaru loved Haruhi's long legs, he must have chosen this dress just to torture him...

He threw back the rest of his drink.

"You look amazing" Hikaru's words came out before his mind could stop it.

Haruhi bit her lip, "Thank you" she said.

"Did you have trouble finding me?"

She shrugged, "3 times a charm"

"I'm sorry?"

She smirked, "Kaoru told me 3 different bars, this is the third"

"You mean you went on a scavenger hunt for me?" Hikaru smirked.

"I even went to that underground place with the big guy at the door" Haruhi replied with an amused smile, "I thought I was stepping into the 'Godfather' or something"

Hikaru chuckled, and watched as Haruhi brought her glass up to her rosy inviting lips. He was suddenly reminded of how they felt moving against his, how she eagerly opened up to him, meeting his tongue with her own. That moan...that sexy little moan.

My zipper is feeling awfully tight all of a sudden...

He wanted to kiss her so fucking bad that it physically hurt.

"I think I'd like to see your world some more" Haruhi said, bringing him out of his little fantasy, "We had a 'commoner' night out, its your turn now"

"More binge drinking? Is that wise?" He laughed.

"We don't have to go out drinking" she grinned, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sure I can think of something" Hikaru replied, "maybe just you and I though...it's more...real that way"

She looked intrigued, "Are you saying that you can be yourself more around me than your friends?"

"Don't let it get to your head" he muttered.

Haruhi didn't laughed, in fact, her expression just seemed...puzzled, like she was trying to work out hard math in her head.

"Our arrangement means that everything is out on the table. I don't have to pretend to be anything other than the cold hearted son of a bitch I am around you. You're here to change that, there's no sense in me pretending I'm fine" Hikaru explained further, "Which makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?" She questioned.

"I know...literally nothing about you" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"We have 3 more weeks" Haruhi shrugged, "there's not a lot to know so prepare for disappointment"

Hikaru couldn't help but disagree. Haruhi was becoming more and more interesting to him as the minutes passed. He wondered how he'd not noticed before...

They called for a limo an hour or so later. They sat side by side in the back in relative privacy, and as they pulled away from the hotel, Hikaru found himself chuckling at how fascinated Haruhi looked as her eyes darted around the vehicle, from the plush cream seats to the mini bar.

"Never been in a limo before?" Hikaru questioned.

"Never" Haruhi replied, her mouth open in awe, "why do I have the sudden urge to stick my head out the sun roof?"

"Everyone gets that urge the first time" he smirked.

With a small shared smile, the two of them drifted into silence as the limo drove onwards. The house wasn't too far away, but Hikaru liked to travel in style.

A limo whenever possible, always.

Hikaru leaned back slowly, stretching his arms out across the back seat. For a moment he thought about retracting the arm that went along Haruhi's headrest, but she didn't seem to notice, and if she did, she didn't seem to care.

As minutes passed Hikaru noticed her eyes closing contently, then slowly, she began leaning in towards the crook of his shoulder. So slowly that he probably wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been wishing her to do so...

He shifted himself towards her, moving his arm to hook around her shoulders, until she comfortably rested her head against him, and he was holding her to his side. Hikaru felt like a teenage boy again as his heart began hammering in his chest and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up from this innocent touch. But she felt amazing and seemed to fit perfectly under his arm. His fingers delicately brushed down her upper arm, and once again he found himself lost in how soft and smooth her alabaster skin was.

Suddenly Haruhi's eyes flashed open and she froze, as if she'd just realised what she'd done. She made a move to slide away, but Hikaru didn't budge.

"Please" Hikaru spoke softly.

He didn't want to scare her, but he didn't want to lose the connection they had.

He could feel her attraction for him, mirroring his own. He could hear the way her breathing shook her chest, and the way she quivered in his arms. He noticed how her legs were also pressed firmly together, rubbing impatiently, holding in the desire, the same desire he felt for her.

Haruhi relaxed a little, her big brown eyes glancing up at him hungrily but unsure.

"I...I don't know about this Hikaru" she whispered.

He raised his other hand to cup her cheek, tilting her face upwards so their eyes met. They were both practically panting now, the air around them becoming heavy and thick with lust. They were frozen until her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, sending all of Hikaru's restraint out the window.

Haruhi's lips met his just as he leaned towards her to claim them, their noses clashed, tongues met and hands dove into each other's hair. The kiss was needy and desperate, their mouths meeting in a feral embrace. She tasted so good, her scent igniting all his senses like a drug. He needed more of her, he needed every inch, every kiss, every touch.

He wrapped his arms around her and shifted her until she was straddled over his lap, her dress bunched up around her hips so her thighs could spread either side of his; the heat from her core pressing against his throbbing manhood. He let out a strangled groan, imagining how wet he'd find her if he were to reach down and touch her bundle of nerves. It was hard to hide his own desire, as he ground his hardness against her, squeezing her firm ass as he did so.

Haruhi parted their lips with a gasping moan, but Hikaru wasn't ready for the kiss to end. His open mouth found her pulse point, his teeth teasing her and lips caressing her slender neck. She tilted her head back panting, giving him better access.

"Mmmm" she moaned.

"You taste...so good" Hikaru growled between assaults on her heated skin. And she did, she was so sweet, like vanilla and peppermint. He wanted to taste more of her. All of her.

A knock on the window suddenly echoed through the door, and the pair froze in their compromising position.

"We have arrived Mr Hitachiin" the driver called out.

Hikaru blinked, then turned to Haruhi, who looked deliciously dishevelled on his lap. She bit her lip, which told him she wasn't necessarily ready to stop what they'd started.

"Thank you Riki" Hikaru replied through gritted teeth.

They readjusted themselves, ready to leave the limo. But as Haruhi reached for the handle, Hikaru stopped her, turning her head to kiss her lips.

"Just so you know" he whispered, "I have no intention of letting this go unfinished"

Haruhi blinked, her eyes darkening with lust. Slowly she lifted her finger to touch his lower lip, then leaned in close. "If you can show me that you can be that man your family praise so much...then I'm all yours"

And with that, she climbed out of the car. Leaving Hikaru staring after her swaying hips; his ability to move suddenly compromised.

"Are you okay Mr Hitachiin?" Riki asked with furrowed eyebrows, not appearing to have any idea as to what had just been unfolding in the back of his limo.

Hikaru grinned, flashing the driver all of his pearly veneers, "Actually Riki" he stepped out of the limo, straightening up with a deep breath, "I've never been better"