-1Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, the great Kubo Tite does. The story, of course, is all me. I don't even know if I even deserve to say anything, I apologized before, yet this time I don't think I can compare. I'm really sorry everyone, I'm a college senior and I'm supposed to be graduating in August. My time is made up with a lot of studying and writing papers, when I do have some free time all I want to do is lay in bed and watch TV and put some hours in my Sims game. I shouldn't have raised everyone hopes up in the last chapter by stating that the next chapter will be up the next day. I'm sorry once again, the only consolation I can give is that I do promise to finish this story, I just can't give you a timeline. Forgive me. Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews and exciting ideas, I appreciate and admire all of them. This story does have an ending, and hopefully many romantic moments .. Sincerely, thank you so very much…here is Chapter 4.
Everlasting and Real
Oh my goodness! What a chatterbox this Mr. Lucas Johnson is! thought Orihime as she walked beside Lucas who was talking about non-financial matter and other random things. Orihime was not really paying attention. How could she? All she could think about is the extraordinary hunger that she was feeling, and of course the mixture of the whole butterfly feeling in her stomach was making her feel sick.
How in the world do I get myself in these situations? Wait…this is the first time something like this has ever happened to me. Oh my god what if someone I know sees me walking with him or eating with him. I know we won't sit in different tables. Oh my gosh, what if Ichigo comes home early and sees me with this man? What would I say? Well the truth of course, but this does not look good…
Orihime continued to look at Lucas who kept talking about himself and mentioning something about the United States but Orihime was too nervous to pay attention to anything he was saying. Whenever he would look her way she just smiles and shakes her head.
Lucas continued to look at Orihime in a way that still made her uneasy. They finally got to the small restaurant and sat at a table. Even while sitting Orihime kept looking about the area just to make sure.
I'm being so paranoid…but I just cant help it….this is not good. I have never done this before. Wait…I'm not doing anything! Stop feeling guilty Orihime. If anyone you know were to ask you just say that your out with one of the bank executives talking business…exactly business.
It was at that moment that Lucas placed his hand over Orihimes' which were nervously playing with the eating utensils. Orihime gasped a little and just looked at Lucas's hand. Lucas laughed which in turn made her stare at him.
"You know how scared you look right now?"
"Really? I don't seem to know what your talking about." Orihime laughed a little while taking her hand and placing it under her lap.
"Please Mrs. Kurosaki…don't"
"Orihime!" she interrupted abruptly.
"Orihime?" he questioned her with a grin.
"Yes please it makes me nervous when you call me by my marriage name."
"Well I'm sorry, if I make you nervous. You made sure in the conference room that you preferred people to call you by your last name."
"Yes, well…I thought I was making a point." Orihime looked at her empty bread plate in front of her.
"Which was?"
"Well, I just figured, because of the way you looked at me, that maybe, oh I don't know! I thought you wanted to get to know me in a more personal level. And that can not happen Mr. Johnson.."
"Please, call me Lucas." he said while smiling at her.
Orihime was taken back again
Oh my goodness I feel like a stupid school girl. Its his smile that makes me uneasy.
"I want to be very clear Mr. John…I mean Lucas, that our relationship is to stay professional. I'm a married woman!" Orihime quickly said.
"I see.." was all that Lucas said as he continued to grin as he took a sip of his water while still looking at Orihime behind the rims of the glass.
"A happily married woman!" she said as she raised her voice. Which was at the same time their waiter came to their table to take their order. Orihime began to blush fervently. Lucas placed his order all the while Orihime tried to look occupied while going over her menu.
"And you mam'?" asked the waiter
Orihime looked up at Lucas and he gave her a sexy wink which made her just blush even more. Orihime turned to their waiter praying that her cheeks didn't look as hot as they felt to her.
"Ill have 2 personal size pesto mozzarella pizzas. Thank you."
"Very good, mam." said the waiter as he turned and left.
Lucas looked at her questioningly.
"You don't look like much of a splurge eater."
Orihime blushed even more, if that was even more possible. She found herself giggling again from the nervousness.
"I'm usually not, but I don't know what has come over me lately. I feel like I am absolutely starving."
"There is something about you that I like Orihime." Orihime looked at him now questioningly.
"Please Mr. Johnson..I don't think this is appropriate."
"Lucas, Orihime, remember? What is inappropriate? I'm just telling a beautiful women who I'm having lunch with, that she intrigues me."
"I intrigue you?" she asked.
Uh oh…do I really want to know the answer to this. Why am I pushing this further? I should tell him to drop it. I should get up, walk away, put him in his place. What is keeping me here?
"Yes, you really do. You walk with a confidence I don't see often. And your beauty enhances your confidence, yet I can see your not vain."
"Thank you." she said as she blushed more.
"And your blushing is adorable. It is not often that you see a grown woman blush so much. There is an innocence about you, that I just can't place it."
Orihime was going to retort but there food came at that instant. They began to eat in silence, a comfortable silence thought Orihime.
"You have only been with one man." he stated looking directly at her.
Orihime was too shock to say anything. She stayed silent as she kept eating her pizza, well more like devour.
The nerve of this man! To make such a rude statement like that. He does not even know me! Once I'm done with this pizza, I'm getting up from this table and walking back to that bank and telling those executives about the unprofessional man they just hired!
Lucas cringed as he saw how Orihimes expressions changed when he made his small acknowledgment.
"Oh I'm sorry Orihime. I was speaking out of confidence. Forgive me, I have never been so blunt in my life. Yet there is something about you that makes me want to be open with you."
Orihime looked incredulously at Lucas.
I can't believe it, I just can't believe it. she continued to think as she kept silent and just kept eating her pizza.
"Oh please, Orihime. Please don't get silent on me, we were having such a wonderful time."
Finally, Orihime ate her last bite of pizza feeling the exuberance of satisfaction she got up from the table, dropped 5,000 yen on the table, and walked out of the restaurant. As she walked back to the bank, she heard the rapid footsteps of Lucas coming closer to her.
Lord give me strength! she prayed into the air.
"Orihime, wait!" Lucas yelled out to her as he rushed to her side.
Orihime turned around trying to keep her composure in check. She looked at him her eyes fair and open, just looking at him, but not reflecting any of her thoughts or emotions. It's the coldest stare she could master.
"Please do not look at me like that…I"
"Mr. Johnson!" Orihime interrupted "How dare you speak to me as you know me! You have no right, and at this point no respect for me if you speak to me, your business client, in such brash and unprofessional language. I will not let this pass. I am marching back into that bank, and telling the top executives that their standards in the recruiting and hiring process is quite lacking!"
Well there…that should put him in his place.
"Orihime, I am the top executive."
"What?" asked Orihime as she was starting to feel as if she was shrinking..
"My family is a major stakeholder in this company, we are part owners. I told you all this before on the way to the restaurant. I usually don't be telling women that I meet about my, I guess I can say, my privileges. I really like you as a person, I feel your easy to connect to, I just got that vibe from you. I'm in a strange place, I need you for some emotional support that I have not been able to find in anyone else."
Orihime looked upon him then, such handsome and youthful features enveloped her vision. How can something so young exuberate such an air of authority…with such air of authority how can it possibly be that he needs her.
"Mrs. Kurosaki…" Lucas questioned her.
Orihime looked at Lucas as if seeing him, and him finally being able to see her…
But he has seen me. He has been able to see me since he first laid eyes on me when he walked into that conference room.
"Orihime, Lucas. You may call me Orihime."
They looked at each other for a long moment on that street. Orihime before never noticed how tall he was. He was shorter than Ichigo but he was probably a good 6'1 while Ichigo was about 6'3. He was broader in areas where Ichigo was muscularly lean. His eyes were a light crystal cool blue, while Ichigos' were a deep unrelenting brown. Orihime breathed deeply and he was so close she could smell his intoxicating cologne, Lucas not once did he stop looking directly at her. It was then that they both jumped because of the ringing of a cell phone.
"I think it is yours, Orihime" Lucas said grinning at her as he took a step back.
"Oh!" jumped Orihime as she started rummaging through her purse. When she flipped open her phone, her stomach dropped, it was Ichigo on the other line.
"Hey Ichigo!" exclaimed Orihime feeling guilty.
"Hey love. I was just thinking about you. I miss you." Ichigo whispered into the phone.
Renji must be near by Orihime smiled at the thought.
"Oh Ichigo, I miss you too." she said as she turn her back to Lucas.
"I'm glad! It always hard for me to leave you, I worry that someone is going to steal my beautiful wife from me."
Orihime laughed nervously…
Oh my god, does he know?
" Don't worry darling, I could never leave you. You know how much I love you." she replied.
Oh God, I really do love this man.
"Awe, I love you too, Orihime. So what are you doing?"
Orihime walked over to her Lexus and got in and started driving in the direction of the hospital. After talking to Ichigo he insisted that she should go to the hospital and get herself a check up. Her unusual symptoms were worrying him. He even explained to her that he would be calling his dad to make sure that she does go to the hospital. He wants a full report on how it goes. The way Ichigo was so stern yet tender with Orihime made her feel even more guilty with what almost happened. She couldn't even tell him the truth of what she was doing.
What have I been thinking? How can I lie to him? I love him! He is my husband! He deserves my commitment. He also deserves my respect. I can't believe I told him I was shopping. Don't I have anything better to say? Why can't I say I was helping the poor children? Or volunteering at the hospital? Why couldn't I have told him the truth? Oh yes, I can just imagine it now.
"Oh baby, Surprise! I'm opening a restaurant, using your credit. And when you called I was out with a young, very handsome bank heir, who is also my loan executive and who will be helping me with my whole starting up process, while in the meantime I will offer my emotional support."
Yeah right! Ichigo would come home early, and probably kill him without me knowing it. And then what? I would have lost the trust of my husband, his affections, and possibly his love? And for what? For a couple of days of excitement, innocent flirting really, but still…it is not appropriate. Then why in the world did I agree to go out to dinner with him tomorrow night?!?
Hey everyone! Well there it is Chapter 4. I feel its kind of choppy, and hopefully in the next chapter I can develop Lucas's and Orihime's relationship. Don't worry this is definitely still an Ichigo and Orihime romance fiction.
Hope you guys enjoyed this installment! Look out for the next one! Have a wonderful summer everyone!
Oh yeah the 5,000 yen does sound like a lot but I made sure to go to a currency converter and that amount is roughly $40.
I believe after next chapter things are going to be moving in a much quicker pace!
Chrismery