Chapter 4: Toccata

Lunch was going better than she had planned. She thought it would be awkward considering she didn't know the man sitting opposite her. He had somehow picked up on her bad mood and was doing a pretty good job at making her laugh. She was surprised, Ryan was actually making her feel good about herself. She noticed that he was a perfect gentleman; he had quietly waited for her, as her meeting ran a little longer than expected. He had made reservations at this new restaurant that had been opened only last week.

"Your eyes…. They are red" she asked bringing him out of the story he was telling. She saw him stiffen. His amethyst eyes had deepened considerably and now looked deep like the night sky.

"It's nothing." She heard him say as he turned the tables.

"Enough questions about me. Tell me about yourself. More than just Stephanie."

She knew that he would treat her differently had he known she belonged to the Raine family and to top it off that she was the sister of the one who owns the company he works for. Carefully eluding the major aspects of her life, she told him about her childhood and her big brother who raised her as her parents were too busy working. She was treated differently in school, teased, bullied, used because of her money. Her so - called friends were just close to her because of her fortune and name not for being herself. She wanted Ryan to pick her because she was Stephanie not because of her long family history. Not divulging too much,she narrowed the topic of conversation to her hobbies and interests which included playing lawn tennis and shopping.

He smiled a bit and seemed to enjoy her company as they learnt more and more about each other. Her mind slowly calmed down after the events of the morning.

"Nicky?" she said carefully pushing the door to his cabin on the top floor.

"What is it now?" his voice was laced deep with sarcasm as he sat in his chair with his back towards the door.

"I came to ask you to reconsider mother's offer. The Board does not take me seriously, their male egos being resistant to my presence in a board room. Damn misogynists! They…"

"I said NO! I will not do it." He turned around to face her. She saw the redness in his eyes and two empty coffee cups on the table a stark give away to the sleepless night he had spent alone in his home. 'Is he just throwing a hissy fit for me or…' her thoughts came to a grinding halt as an unsuspecting peon was faced with her brother's sleepless fit. She heard him mention a few unrepeatable epithets. Trying to change the topic once the poor victim left, she decided now was the best time, even though her instincts screamed otherwise.

"How long have you known about the pregnancy?" she saw him jerk his head up and meet her gaze with a silver blue stare that was cold enough to freeze water.

"How did you know? She told you didn't she?" he moved to stare out of the window.

"She didn't. Do I look stupid to you?" she ground out as she walked over to the table to leave a file.

"Stephanie Catherine Raine do not even think for one second that I will reconsider." He knew he hurt her. He knew she hated her middle name and grandmother. He knew if he just turned around he would see tears in her eyes.

She was so hurt by his words that before he had finished the sentence, she was gone leaving him all alone with his thoughts.

After lunch he refused to let her take the cab across the city to her meeting. He had insisted to drive her just like he drove her to the restaurant. She admired his sleek black Lexus SC 430. He was impressed. Not many women knew their cars so well. They chatted all the way to her destination. They agreed to meet again at the same time tomorrow.

'Tomorrow I shall take her to the most extravagant restaurant in Tokyo.' He vowed as he drove past one of the best restaurants in the city. Tokyo was very similar to London mainly in its driving sense. He was thankful that he did not need to learn to drive on the 'opposite' side like many other countries. No matter which direction his thoughts took, his mind would always redirect to Stephanie.

Nicholas stood staring at the file sitting on his table. He knew she had his best interests at heart and he was aware of her position and the hardships she faced as she ran the family company. 'Maybe I was too hard on her.' He let his mind wander as he thought of ways to get back his little sister's affection. 'Aren't you forgetting someone else?' the voice in his head interjected suddenly. He realized he hadn't handled the situation with his wife well. He projected his annoyance on his sister. 'Well done Nicholas. You have managed to hurt the two women that you love the most.' The tone of this mental voice was nonchalant. 'You have the nerve to talk.' He thought back. He was completely amused with his thoughts and the direction which they had taken.

Turning the key in the lock, he decided to shower before going over to the Yuuki residence. 'You need to apologize to her. Hope you haven't forgotten how.' His mental voice mocked. 'You really think so, don't you?' he thought back un-amused.

He looked around. For a moment he thought he entered the wrong house. There were things scattered everywhere. From food bowls on the bed sheets and sofa, the idiot box on and displaying a blue screen which meant that the video had ended. Calmly he switched off the tv trying to piece together what must have happened. His thoughts were interrupted with the sound of metal making contact with the white marble floor of the kitchen and the string of unrepeatable epithets that followed. 'Miaka.'

He found her on the floor, her mouth stuffed as she finished the last of her soup. She looked at him with her big green hazel eyes and turned 5 shades of red when she saw him standing at the doorway. How he loved to see her blush for him.

"You could have just waited for me." He allowed himself to smirk at his beloved as he crossed the room towards her.

"I was hungry and besides… wait. Did you make all this before work?" she was surprised as he gently bowed towards her in an attempt to pick her up.

"Yes I did. Did you finish EVERYHING?" picking her off the ground he took an inventory of all the empty vessels around him. He was genuinely amused at the amount of food his skinny little wife could accommodate in her small frame.

"I was hungry. Em… Nakago? I er.. I have something to say to you."

"I do too" he said in the deep seductive voice that made Miaka's pulse race. With his fingers he gently lifted her face. At the very next moment he captured her mouth with his in a dizzying and highly passionate kiss. He knew she hated spending the day apart as she responded to this advance by clinging to him and deepening the kiss. A few moments later he slowly broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry" she managed panting as she felt the heat rising in her face. "I was so rude… Umh.."

He captured her lips for the second time, teasing her senses. He could feel her heart race meeting the speed his had taken the moment he laid his eyes on her. Realizing that he had to stop before things got out of hand, he eased her to end this kiss one more time. He was tempted to carry her to the bedroom and not come out till daylight but he was expecting a guest and he needed to cook as his beloved had finished all the food.

'What is that sound?' Ryan thought as a loud ominous tone played in his car. Looking around he realized that during the course of the day, she must have left her cell in his car. The phone rang for the umpteenth time in the same tone and he was tempted to answer. The little phone rang again. This time it was a different tone. The lights on the flap glowed in a different way. Slowly lifting the flap of the sleek silver phone, he waited for the voice on the other side.

"Hello? Gomennasai, Anatawaeigo o hanashimasuka?" [do you speak English?] came a frantic voice from the other end with a hint of American accent seeping through. Immediately recognizing the frantic voice, he thanked his sister for teaching him basic Japanese phrases.

"Stephanie?"

"Ryan? Thank God. I thought it was lost for good" the panic in her voice subsided.

"Don't worry you left it in my car. It kept ringing with this loud scary tune."

"Did the notification light shine deep blue?"

"Yea I guess…"

"That was my annoying brother." She said with a glint of humor in her tone "the tone is Toccata by David Garrett." She continued hoping he didn't answer the call. She decided to swing by the office before she went home and now since her brother kept calling meant something was up in that crazy twisted mind of Nicholas.

"I shall return for it tomorrow." Was the last he heard of her. She had hardly disconnected, Toccata started to play once again.

He wasn't at the office. On further inquiry, she learnt that the walking icicle had invited her to his place for dinner. Soon she arrived to find a really tense Nicholas waiting for her.

"You didn't answer your phone." He said facing the window.

"I left it with a friend. Is this why you called me here?" her tone matching his in chill and distance. Together they could plunge the whole world into an ice age. Miaka could swear that the temperature in the room dropped drastically.

"I'm sorry Steph. This invitation is an apology."

"Accepted"

"Well then" Miaka chimed in, breaking the silence that engulfed the room, "Dinner is served."

A/N: I am so sorry for taking so much time to upload. Real life was being an ass and was really hitting my writing career. *sigh* I hope to upload sooner. My next chapter is already halfway done..

Until then... Happy Reading.