a/n Wow it's been a long time coming. All I can say is I'm sorry for the long wait. I've been writing, and found myself sitting this aside. I got a review from a reader today that brought me back to this story and I typed it up in the last few hours before I would forget and set it aside for another few months. Hopefully it won't take as long for the next update. It just goes to show what the power of a random review will do. Hehe
thank you to all my loyal reviewers who stick with me even with my long stretches of not updating.
Kaoru carefully pinned together a sample of fabrics together to create the rough design of curtains that was drawn on paper and taped to the white board in front of her. Misao was carefully cutting more fabric on the table behind her.
"You're not going to go are you?" Misao asked once she finished the last cut.
"Of course I'm going to go." Kaoru mumbled around a mouthful of pins between her lips. She pulled one free of her mouth and pined the newly cut square Misao handed to her to the length of curtain to create a strange, erratic checkerboard design.
Misao sighed, resting her head in one hand. "I don't know about you anymore."
"Is this another step down that slippery slope you talked about?"
"Yes. Now he's giving you something to wear because he's so sure you won't have the correct items for whatever weird-slash-fancy place he plans on taking you." She stood from her chair to stand next to Kaoru as she removed the rest of the pins from between her lips. "If he gives you jewelry you're in trouble. Don't accept it."
Kaoru laughed as she set the pins away and shook out the curtain. "Why not?"
"Because that's what they all do. They woe the girl with some crazy bit of jewelry and the girl just falls into his bed, willing to do whatever he wants her to."
"Misao I'm, already in his bed, remember?"
"So maybe he'll expect more from you!" Misao shouted.
Kaoru winced. "Gezz Misao."
Her friend ignored her. "Maybe he's taking you to some kinky place, the kind where you go in through a door in the alley…maybe he wants you to sleep with him and some other girl he's gonna pick up…maybe another man."
"Misao!" She felt the heat of blush crawling up her face as she covered her cheeks with her hands. The ideas Kaoru had come up with on her own were bad enough, but Misao's suspicions were on a whole new level.
"Well…I'm just trying to help you out." Misao held her hands out helplessly.
"I know, Just...stop, okay?" Kaoru said, and then sighed. "I understand that you're worried, I'm worried too. But I promise that if it's anything I can't handle then I'll just call a cab and come back home and never see him again." She glanced at Misao, who was giving her a doubtful look.
"I don't know why you even risk it." Misao muttered, looking back at her work.
"I told you, it's a change, an...an escape from," she waved her hand at the piles of fabric, "all of this. Were for a few long moments I don't have to worry about work, or family."
Misao closed her eyes, her hands frozen in the middle of nervously twisting a swatch of fabric. "I can understand that." She turned back to Kaoru. "Okay, I don't like it, but okay. Just, call me the moment you leave and the moment you get back alright. So At least I know you're okay."
"Deal." Kaoru said with a soft smile.
"Right then, let's get this done before we get both our asses chewed."
… . . …
Kaoru stood outside the apartment building. Her cab was slowly pulling away as she lifted her eyes to take in the many windows of the building. It seemed much different in the light of the mid-afternoon. More normal, less mysterious. She had called Misao just as she promised, she was fine then, and she was fine on the ride over. And yet, standing there, she suddenly got cold feet. Where was he going to take her? And what would he give her to wear? With a deep breath, Kaoru squared her shoulders and marched in. She had memorized the security numbers her red-headed stranger had given her and she was quick to punch them in and slip into the building before she could change her mind. She nodded to the older man at the security desk, and jumped quickly into the elevator. Once the contraption lurched upward, Kaoru gave herself one last chance to think about it.
She should be home…on the phone with her parents, or perhaps out looking for Yahiko. But to what end. She spent countless hours looking for him already, and she talked with her family until even she couldn't take it anymore. Her brother could be anywhere in the city, he might not even be in the city at all. He wouldn't want her to worry about him so, but then she couldn't help it.
The doors popped open with a soft "ding" and Kaoru automatically stepped out into the silent hallway. The worry over her brother combined with her nervousness made her stomach do strange flops and suddenly Kaoru thought for sure she was about to be sick. She forced herself to think about her stranger's red hair, his large, purple eyes and that smile of his. She trusted him and he had not betrayed her so far, he was a vent for all her worry and stress, an outlet. And she was sure she was the same for him. Her feet were moving on their own and she was already at his door before her thoughts snapped back to the here and now.
The door opened and the sight of that smile chased all her fears away. He leaned slightly on the doorframe.
"Right on time, that you are." He stepped back and Kaoru slip inside.
"I have to admit I'm curious as to where we're going. It's driving me insane" she said with a soft smile. Her eye swept up his body. He was in a casual suit, dressy, yet trendy. He didn't look like a salary-man , his suit was dark with a dark navy jacket that fit snug over a white button-down shirt, no tie. His hair was pulled tightly at the back of his head with a black cord, but it was allowed to hang lose and free down his back. "Wow, I…suddenly feel underdressed." She confessed, looking down at her simple blouse and jeans. Was he taking her someplace fancy?
"That's fine, I told you not to get dressed. I have something here for you, that I do. He walked across the apartment building and popped open his bedroom door. "I have it sitting out on the bed. And I have shoes ready for you too."
Kaoru smiled and moved to slip past him, but he held his arm across the doorway and caught her around the middle before she could go in. She turned to ask him what he wanted but before she could even get the words out, his lips were resting over hers. Kaoru sighed into the kiss as her eyes slid shut. But that was the moment he pulled way with a grin.
"Don't you get me started." He accused playfully as he gave her a gentle push into the room. He was chuckling to himself as he shut the door.
"You started it!" She called though the door. He answered with more laughter. Smiling Kaoru turned to the bed and froze. Laying across it was a blue strappy dress glittering in the afternoon light streaming in from the window. Kaoru was afraid to step any closer, but she also couldn't take her eyes off of it. It was a dark sapphire blue that glittered with the brightness of hundreds of tiny jewels. Stepping closer to the bed they shared, Kaoru reached out and ran her hand across the delicate looking pattern. The pattern was made with hundreds, if not thousands of tiny seed beads all the color of dark sapphires. The rest of the dress was made of a shiny; metallic blue material that Kaoru was certain was silk, maybe satin. She ran her fingertips across the cool fabric. It was silk.
'Classy.' Thought Kaoru as she quickly stripped down. She blushed slightly as she saw the tiny bra and panties that matched the color of the dress. The bra was strapless, a good thing because the straps of the dress were too thin to hide a bra. There were even sheer pantyhose and a tiny blue clutch for her to use as a purse. This man had thought of everything.
… . . …
The red-head stood with a shoebox in his hands, His eyes swept her up and down a few times with a glazed look about his face. Kaoru knew she was blushing several shades of red as she kept her hands clasped modestly in front of her. The dress reached mid-calf, was nearly backless and the neckline plunged enough for Kaoru to wonder when she had grown such nice looking breasts.
"You look wonderful, that you do." The stranger finally said. "I'm glad to see that I got your size right."
Kaoru gave a nervous little laugh. "No room for error in this." One hand drifted over the beaded design that swirled across her middle.
"No, that there isn't." He agreed, stepping up to her he took one hand and offered the box with the other. "These are for you."
She sat on the sofa behind her and she opened to box to find bark blue heels. She was relieved to see that they were not very tall, but still higher than most of her shoes.
"I like what you did with your hair." He said, His fingers wrapping around the bouncy curls that tickled her neck. The rest of her hair was wrapped in a bun at the top of her head, allowing for the curls to drape down.
"Thank you." Kaoru said softly as she slipped the heels on. They stood and the stranger pulled a small flat black box from behind his back.
"I borrowed this from a friend for you to wear tonight." He said, lifting the lid. Kaoru didn't dare glance inside, but she had to. There, on a lining of black velvet, sat the most diamonds she had ever seen. Dozens of tiny diamonds studded the silver at the neck, larger diamond were set in the shape of flowers until they surrounded the very center, which was a flower made up of five petals and each petal was made from a sapphire twice the size of her thumbnail. The center of the flower was a large coin sized diamond. The whole necklace glittered and sparkled rainbows up at her and Kaoru could do or say nothing but stand there was her mouth in a surprised O shape.
"I hope you like it…Most women like sparkly things." He said with a shrug. But his grin told her he knew she was speechless. Without a word he took the creation from the box and stepped behind her. The gems were cold on her skin, and heavy but Kaoru could only imagine what she looked wearing it with her plunging neckline. "There." He said, turning her around so he could see how it looked. "It's much better on when you're wearing it than when it's in the box, trust me." He said with a wink.
As they were leaving, Kaoru could help but set her hand across the stones at her throat. Wasn't this something Misao had warned her about? Something about not accepting an amazing piece of jewelry? But he said he borrowed it and it was not for her to keep, so he didn't expect he to repay him…so she didn't have anything to worry about…right?
… . . …
It was a club, Kaoru realized as she gazed about. Her arm was wrapped around her red-headed strangers as he led her about. It was a nice place, soft music, a dining area and a drinking area. There was even a dance floor beside the stage where seven musicians were playing the soft music. The floor was of highly polished stone, the lights overhead dripped with crystals, the wood was rich and dark and everything was polished to a mirror shine.
"This is a nice place." Kaoru commented as she watched ladies in their own fabulous dresses walk about with their well dressed counterparts.
"Very nice." He agreed as he took her by the waist to give her the slightest of boosts up into a backed bar stool. The bar was large and well lit, made of dark wood and the various s bottles of liquor lined the low shelves in the back. "What would you like to drink?" He asked as he signaled to one of the bartenders. A young man with slick back hair and a white shirt and black bow tie walked towards them .
"Oh," Kaoru shrugged with a sheepish smile. "I haven't had many drinks, um…you pick for me?"
He nodded with a gentle smile and turned to the young man as he stopped in front of them. "I'll take a double martini, dirty." He glanced back at Kaoru for a second. "…and…she'll have a purple rain."
"Very good Sir." The man said with a bow of his head and he turned to get working on the drinks.
The stranger patted Kaoru on the shoulder. "I'm going to see about getting a table; you stay here and enjoy your drink." He turned, but paused and turned back. "Sip it, please." He said with a smile before walking off and vanishing around a group.
Almost at once a body slipped into the seat next to Kaoru and she glanced to her left to see a very tall man with narrow eyes looking down at her. "Hello." She offered, quickly turning her gaze to the working bartender.
"So you must be his new one?" he said, his voice even and smooth.
But Kaoru's heart jumped and raced though she tried to appear calm, as if strangers talked to her all the time. "I beg your pardon?" She asked.
Her jerked his head in the direction her stranger had wandered off in. "Him, you're his new girl now?"
"Do you know him?" She asked. His new girl now?
"Not really." He answered with a shake of his head. "Only I've seen him in here at least once, sometimes twice a month with a different girl each time. I was just wondering."
"Oh." Was all Kaoru could think to say as the bartender turned around to set two martini glasses on the bar before her. He gave her a smile before turning back to his other customers. One glass was clear, with ice, the other a royal purple. Kaoru assumed that one must be the purple rain he had ordered for her and, glad for the distraction, took up the glass and took a gulp.
It was a bad idea. He had warned her to sip it for a good reason. The liquor burned like really, really bad cough syrup and she coughed in mid swallow.
The man beside her smiled as she recovered herself. "Strong?"
"Very." She answered with a horse whisper. Her eyes were even watering, she carefully set the thin stemmed glass down on the bar.
"So you don't know his name I take it?" He pressed.
Kaoru shook her head, not trusting her voice yet.
He looked disappointed. "No one around here seems to know who he is. I figure he must be a host maybe, or a gigolo."
"Hardly." Kaoru said, blinking back the tears the burning in her throat was causing her. "Well, I don't know…we're just here as friends." She confessed. Who was this man? "Why are you asking such personal questions, I don't even know you." She snapped.
"Ah, well, you don't even know him, so I thought perhaps once you're done with him, I could take you around the block?"
Kaoru was taken aback; literally, she sat back with her jaw dropped. "I..I..." anger pumped but words wouldn't form. "I'm not something to be passed around, thank-you-very-much." She hissed.
He raised a delicate eyebrow. "You let him drive you around blind…do you know how many other women I've seen here with him? I can have relationships like that as well you know. He only seems interested in them for a few weeks before getting a new one. "The man leaned in closer, Kaoru could see the gleam of his well-oiled hair. "My attentions last much longer than his, trust me…And at least I'll let you know my name. I would love to hear you say it in bed when I taste you."
"She wouldn't want a mouth as foul as yours on her." Came a growl from behind.
Kaoru yanked her head around to see her red-headed stranger standing beside her. Her breath came out in a relieved sigh. Though, she was taken aback by the narrow and hard glare he was giving the much taller man.
"She's mine…take your poison where it belongs." He jerked his head to a large group of suspiciously identical looking women giggling on one side of the bar. An arm of iron wrapped around her and Kaoru suddenly found herself off the stool and pressed against her companion. The man only bowed his head with a smirk and moved off. Only then did her stranger let his arm drop from around her. "I leave you alone for hardly four minutes and you get yourself mixed up with that." He nearly spat as he dug out money to pay for the drinks. "I'm not mad at you, that I'm not." He added in a more gentle tone as he took up his glass and indicated that she do the same.
"Who was that?" She said in a soft whisper as she took her glass in one hand and wrapped her other arm around his as he led her off to the tables.
"I'm not sure, that I'm not." He glanced over at her. "I do know one thing about him though…He's a pimp. Those were his girls over there."
Kaoru's mouth fell open and she glanced back at him, even though he gave her arm a slight jerk to prevent her. "But…but he looked so nice. Not like what I thought a pimp would look like."
"He's high class, as are his girls. They're here for the men with enough money to afford them. What did he say to you?" Suddenly he came to a stop; Kaoru had to catch herself to keep from spilling her drink. He rounded on her, face set, eyes hard, swirling with color. "He didn't say anything to upset you?"
Kaoru's mouth was open but she could only shake her head. "N-No…you heard the most upsetting thing he said." She confessed. That seemed to calm him and he turned back and took her to a booth table in the corner.
"How do you like your drink?"
Kaoru offered an apologetic smile. "It's a bit strong."
The corner of his lips twitched upward. "Did you sip it?"
"I forgot…he distracted me." She said taking up the glass and taking a tiny sip. This time it didn't burn, but a pleasant warmth spread down her throat, leaving behind a aftertaste of some sort of fruit that she couldn't put her finger on.
"Careful…that's a hard drink and you're on an empty stomach." He warned with a grin. "And as much as I wonder what making love to you senselessly drunk might be like…" He paused as a watress came by with their menus and he left Kaoru in various states of blushing for the rest of the night.
… . . …
"So everything went fine." Kaoru said reassuringly as she kicked off her shoes.
"Still I would have liked it if you had called me as soon as you got home... not noon the next day." Misao said.
Kaoru laughed into the phone. "I did just get home." She could hear Misao chocking on the other side of the line.
"You were with him all night?"
Kaoru pulled the phone from her ear. "And most of this morning." She was grinning like a fool as she stretched out on her sofa and thought back to the night they had shared. His bought of possessiveness seemed to have carried over into the bedroom when he bought her home from the club. He was fierce in bed, painfully yet deliciously so.
"What did you talk about all night? Or did you talk at all?" Misao was in a scolding mood it seemed but Kaoru couldn't keep the smile from her face.
"Lots of things, yet nothing at all. Hey did you know that Lamb with brown sugar is the most delicious thing in the word?"
"Kaoru!"
"What?"
"Stop it!"
"Stop what?" Kaoru said, sitting up from her stretched out position.
"You're sounding like you're in love with him. Rambling on how you are. This is nothing remember… he's not jealous that the other man was talking about you, and if he was it was only because he wasn't going to get his piece of ass if you went with the other one."
"Mi-sao!" Kaoru chastised. "The other guy was a creep, a pimp out hunting for girls, he just didn't want me to get hut is all."
"You think he cares for you that much?"
Kaoru paused…caring wasn't in his deal, but it was obvious by the way he treated her that he cared. "Yes…yes I do."
"hmm." Was all her friend said before she went silent for a moment. "Well, be happy it's your day off,"
"I am."
"I'm going to let you go now so you can get some rest alright?"
"Right." Kaoru said with a yawn. They said their goodbyes and Kaoru tossed her phone on the side table before making her way to her room. Misao thought she was in love with her stranger. Kaoru couldn't help but smile. That was dangerous territory, and she refused to let herself cross that line.
She was halfway undressed when she heard her phone trilling. With a sigh, Kaoru slipped on her nightshirt before going back to her front room to retrieve her phone. The number on it made Kaoru pause in mid step and she flipped it open at once. "H-Hello?"
Uh-oh.. I smell trouble. This chapter was just a little bit of filler to pass time in the story and let Kaoru fall even more for her stranger man. I didn't much like it and spent so long trying to rewrite it that I gave up and let it become what it wanted. Next chapter should be much better. Next chapter! The strange phone call! Please review! Thanks for reading!