As The Season Changes
Chapter Four
The aquarium had been remodeled to look like a pier. Ai tucked her hand into the crook of Keigo's elbow and matched her stride to his. Their footsteps echoed on the wooden boardwalk as they strolled companionably down a picturesque mecca of colorful ocean life.
Ai tugged on Keigo's hand. "Come on. I want to go see the seals."
She leaned over the railing to get a better look as the animals lolled about on custom-made platforms in the water. "Cute, huh?"
Keigo chuckled. "Yeah, really cute."
After having looked at all the sea animals Ai thought cute and adorable. She turned to Keigo, who had been indulgent and patient as she dragged him from here to there, and proposed, "How about a couple of gallons of shaved ice?"
She saw him visibly unlax.
He grabbed her hand and walked quickly towards the small restaurant inside the aquarium. They selected a tiny, round table with a view of the largest salt water tank. Apparently, he couldn't wait to get off his feet. She held back a giggle, and took the menu.
"There are only about thirty choices. We could always order one of each," Keigo suggested politely as Ai scanned the selection of flavors. She stuck her tongue at him.
Keigo's eyes darkened and slowly smiled at her. "I can think of more productive things to do with that."
"Wicked man." She turned to smile up at the waitress who'd come to take their order. The young woman almost stumbled into their table. Ai sighed. Keigo had that affect on woman of all ages.
As they waited, they lazily discussed Keigo's recent trip to New York. When during a break in conversation Keigo asked about her work.
"You don't talk much of what you do."
"Because I'm just a producer at a radio network, it's not as fascinating as listening to you and your travels."
Keigo shook his head. "And it's not like I get to explore those cities. Most of the time I'm in an office sitting in meetings all day."
The waitress delivered their order and faded away. Ai picked up her spoon, and absentmindedly she began to poke the ice. "Well, I do have somewhat good news. The producer for Rise and Shine Tokyo retired, and I've been offered the contract."
"That's great!"
"Yeah, but it's a live broadcast... I've only ever produced shows that are recorded and edited before airing."
"You're a fine producer. I've listened to your work, Ai. They're lucky to have you."
Her cheeks pinked, she couldn't stop the pleasure of his words from spreading. "Really?"
"Really. But if worry is preventing you from sampling the delights of that lemon and mango concoction—"
"Oh, no you don't." Ai pulled her glass closer and glanced up, smiling, she offered him a bite. He closed his lips around the spoon. His eyes, a stormy blue thanks to the glow of the tank, never moved away from her.
"Thanks for sharing that with me."
She was so turned on she felt feverish. She'd been on a slow boil for months. Hoping to alleviate some of the heat and bank down the fires less they explode into a fury of passion that was going to leave them both too weak to move, she swallowed mouthfuls of delicious sweet ice.
"Want another one?" Keigo was smirking.
Ai looked down, her glass was almost empty, while Keigo still had more than half of his. Slightly embarrassed, she answered with a nod.
Keigo signaled to the waitress across the room and pointed to her glass, then fixed his gaze on Ai once more. "I can see how much you enjoy your food. Where do you put it all?" His eyes traveled her body to rest for a moment on her small breasts.
"Obviously not there!" Ai blushed. "Look at the fish or something. I can't eat when you're staring at me like a lion about to devour his Bambi du jour."
"Hmm. Soft, succulent and tender pink. Although, what I'd really like, right now, is for you to come home with me."
"Sorry, Romeo. Bad timing."
"Damn."
"How about a slice of pie?"
ATSC
"When's the next date?" Ai's friend, Hana asked excitedly over the speaker phone.
"Tonight." Except it was getting more complex every time she saw him. She grabbed the green dress then tossed it away, then scrutinized the next one. "We're going to Noble's again. He said he has something special to celebrate tonight."
"Of course he does, he's going to get you into bed!" Hana said extra cheerfully.
"No, he's not," Ai said grimly, tossing back yet another dress. "He can huff and puff, but he won't blow my house down." She smiled. "Not for two weeks, that is. I won't need to dig out the good underwear until then."
"Better run out and buy some bad underwear," Hana advised mischievously. Ai could easily imagine her friend giving her a wink from the other end of the phone.
"Listen, don't romanticize this. It's sex. Plain and simple." Ai took the pink chiffon dress out of the closet and held it in front of herself to look at it in the full length mirror.
Stick to the plan, and she'll succeed in getting out of this with her heart intact.
...
Keigo gave her pink diamond earrings for no reason at all. He watched her reaction as they sat in a dim, candlelit booth.
"Thank you so much, Keigo. These are beautiful. But I don't want you buying gifts for me." That unfathomable look came and went in her eyes.
"You don't like earrings?" he asked sardonically, it was clear she was delighted with the pendants.
He'd begun to realize that every gift he gave Ai was a test. She couldn't possibly pass every one. Couldn't possibly be so genuinely pleased every time. No one was that good. He needed to bring what he was starting to feel when he was with her back down to a manageable level.
"I love earrings, the bigger the better. And these are absolutely gorgeous." She touched a finger to one large pink drop. "But these are diamonds, right... they must be... they're huge."
"Five carats." The receipt had been left in the bottom of the box, as he always instructed his secretary to do. He'd probably see them once more before they got 'lost'.
"Please, I love them, but I can't accept them." She pushed the velvety box closer to him.
Keigo picked up one pendant and inserted the post in her earlobe. After affixing both earrings, he said, "Keep them. They're insured." Conversation closed.
Ai smiled that annoying as hell little enigmatic smile of hers. The one that turned the neurons in his brain to live wires and prepared his muscles for action.
He felt the warmth of her thigh beside him on the banquet seat. She'd swept her hair up off her neck into a sexy chignon that defied gravity. The pink diamonds glinted in the soft lighting, casting rainbow prisms on her smooth cheeks. Candlelight danced in her eyes as she watched several couples moving slowly around the pocket-size dance floor. The pink fabric of her dress rustled as she turned inquiring eyes up to his.
"Don't even ask," he murmured, his breath making a curly tendril of hair dance against her cheek. He had no intention of dancing with her again until he had satiated himself with her body in bed. He was a ticking bomb as it was. "If I held you that close right now, I'd take you on the floor. Hard and fast."
Ai flushed and he felt a need to taste the heat. He imagined warming his mouth against the fire in her cheeks.
"I want you," he whispered closely into her ears. "Right now." He restrained her fingers as she tried to pull away. "You've been holding me off far longer than I've ever waited for a woman."
The soft candlelight flickered on her face, bathing it in an apricot glow that made her dark eyes brilliant and drew his gaze to the sheen of wine on her mouth. She ran the tip of her tongue across the bottom lip and Keigo suppressed a groan. She leaned forward, her elbows on the table. The movement made the neckline of her dress gape just enough to reveal the upper curve of her breasts. He dragged his eyes upward with reluctance.
If possible, her blush got deeper and she gave a small embarrassed groan. His body vibrated with need. "What we both have is an overdose of good old-fashioned lust."
Ai tried to will her erratic heart into normalcy. She had to remind herself many times not to give in to him. But every passing second, with every passing touch, with every word he spoke. It was becoming impossible not to say yes to him. The fact she was sitting inches close to Keigo was doing strange things to her nerves. The booth they were in was private, intimate. She'd rather have sat somewhere were there was a table between them. Sitting inches close to Keigo was doing strange things to her nerves.
"You know we're going to be lovers, Ai. I've been patient and waited long enough. I won't wait any longer. I'm not a man who waits very long for anything. I need an answer."
Ai pushed around the last bite of food around her plate. Trying to forestall the inevitable. "You haven't asked me a question."
"I'm asking now."
"I'm not sure what the question is."
He pulled a folded document from inside his jacket and placed it on the table between them. "I want you as my mistress, Ai." Keigo's voice dropped another octave, his eyes kindling as he watched her mouth drop open. He nudged the papers closer to her.
What? Ai eased her dry throat with a gulp of ice water, until she was able to speak up. "What's this?"
"A contract. A legal, binding agreement." The sharp focus of his eyes reminded her of a bird of prey. "Read it."
"I'd rather you gave me a brief summary." Her hands balled into fists under the tablecloth. A contract! The bastard. And she'd been feeling guilty at how coldbloodedly she was going about this.
"From now until the end of the year as my mistress," he said baldly, "I pay your rent. Buy your clothes. In exchange, you give me exclusive rights for the duration."
Cut and dried. No mention of his fidelity.
Ai dug her nails into her palms. The last time a man had insulted her, it had taken three others to pull her off him. She'd broken his nose and given him a black eye. She wondered how many people would be needed to pull her off Atobe.
"I'll think about your offer." She coolly pushed away her plate.
"You want me just as much as I want you."
Yes. And if I'd slept with you months ago this wouldn't hurt. "I can't tell you how sorry I am about that."
"Don't apologize for wanting me, Ai. You're a sophisticated woman. You know the score. You want me and I want you. You won't be sorry. I can be a generous lover." He tapped an earring with his finger. It grazed her neck and she felt the chill travel across her skin. "You won't want for anything in my care."
She took a calming breath. "You want me to sign a contract." It wasn't a question.
"What did you expect?" he asked, his face impassive. "A handshake and a gentleman's agreement?"
Ai's laugh sounded brittle, even to her ears. "I can see why that wouldn't work. Neither one of us is a gentleman." She paused. "What happens after my time is up?" Her voice soundly oddly flat. "Do I just disappear, no questions asked, to that great graveyard for all your old mistresses?"
He merely watched her. Suddenly angry—he was too damn cool!—Ai shoved the papers back to him. "I hate to be the one to disillusion you, Atobe, but not every woman finds you irresistible. I thought I could do this but, no, thank you."
This was too impersonal, too calculating. She'd thought she could handle this part of it, but she'd been wrong. Dangerously wrong. A little late in the day, Ai, she taunted herself.
"I want more than this. I deserve more than this."
"Ten thousand a month."
"W-what!"
"Ten thousand a month, tax free. An apartment and your clothes. And a car."
Ai gritted her teeth. "I wasn't talking about mon—"
"Twelve thousand. And that's my final offer."
Black dots blurred Ai's vision. "You can take those papers and shove them—"
Grabbing her purse, she stood. Atobe gripped her wrist tightly as she tried to sweep past him. With his other hand, he picked up the contract. "Take this. Read it. I'll give you two weeks to decide."
Ai stared down at him, her breathing irregular. "One of my best qualities," she said frigidly as she tugged her hand away, "is that I make up my mind quickly. You're a self-righteous bastard, and I'm immeasurably grateful that I didn't fall into bed with you. You're a cold, arrogant—" her breath came out in a rush, her heart pounding so fast she thought she might faint "—jerk," she finished.
She had to get out of here. Now. Her cold hands took the papers from him, folding and refolding them. Then twisted them into a tight tube. "Here." She shoved them against his chest. "Try this for size!"
The contract slowly unfurled and dropped to the ground. His fingers tightened painfully on her wrist. "Ai..."
She shook off his hand, yanked the pendants off her ears with enough force to bruise, and laid them on the table as if it would shatter. Then walked swiftly out of the restaurant.
ATSC
"I loathe that man!" Ai slammed the door behind her and stormed into her apartment. She flopped down on her couch and cradled a cushion on her lap.
Blast the man. Couldn't he do anything right! In a couple of weeks all systems would've been go. With any luck, they would've been in the same place at the same time. Instead he had to go and irritate her so darn much she'd almost punched his arrogant nose. Ai wanted to throw up her hands in disgust.
This was a case of 'be careful what you ask for'. And, by God, she had asked for this. The ache in her chest made her lie down sideways on the seat and squeeze her eyes shut.
She had been so close. So damn close. Tears of frustration and disappointment seeped between her eyelids. She slapped her hand down on the couch. Atobe Keigo approached a personal relationship exactly as he did a business merger. Why had she been surprised? For him, they were one and the same.
She couldn't be as cold and inhuman as Atobe. It would be best to forget everything... but then... she couldn't, wouldn't forget the reason why she started this endeavor. She needed to keep her eyes on the ultimate prize. On what she wanted most. She'd go to him, she thought grimly, gritting her teeth.
She'd seduce him.
If she didn't kill him first.
Unable to keep her thoughts and emotions straight, Ai told herself that she had two more weeks to calm down. To rationalize. To decide.
TBC...
