Chapter 184: Shower Caps

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would look damn sexy in a vintage muscle car.

Kuon had woken up before the set alarm and couldn't go back to sleep. The events of last night came crashing through his mind, rendering him unable to close his eyes until it was time to wake up. The one thing that grounded him was his girlfriend, literally. Her lithe body was draped over his right half pinning him to the bed. They had shifted positions in their sleep and now he was stuck. Kyoko's upper body rested on his torso, her head securely tucked under his chin, her arm wrapped around his chest, and her leg still clinging to his hips. He swore that not even the stirrings of desire she innocently elicited from his body would make him wake her up. She needed her rest. He groaned internally and resigned to endure the suffering until the alarm went off.

He absentmindedly stroked the exposed skin of his girlfriend's lower back, hoping it would lull him back to sleep. Whenever his fingertips hit the waistline of her lace panties, he would change directions and head back until he reached the rumpled t-shirt barring him from going any further. The up and down movement was soothing as he timed it with the reassurances of her soft breathing.

Kuon had never been so scared in his life as he was last night when that guy pulled a gun on them. He had dragged Kyoko into his past and almost got her killed. Suddenly, the deep desire to ask Yashiro to cancel all their work engagements and hop on a plane back to Japan rooted itself in his mind. As he thought about those men being on the loose, Kuon wanted to whisk her back home where it was safer. As if sensing his anxiety, Kyoko stirred, making Kuon's hand stop. He resumed caressing her back once she burrowed herself against him and settled down.

If Kyoko knew what he was thinking, she would have put the kibosh on any of his unreasonable thoughts. His girlfriend would be livid with him for even considering they skip out of work. Kuon sighed internally, putting those thoughts out of his mind. Kyoko aside, the professional in him would never do such a thing, especially since they were out of immediate danger. Those guys were there for Cedric, he and Kyoko just got in the way.

His mind wandered back to his childhood nemesis practically lying on his deathbed. When they left the hospital, it was with the reassurance that he was stable. The doctor did mention that the next twenty-four hours would be crucial to determine whether he lived or died. Kuon was a mixed bag of emotions as he tried to wrap his head around the possibility of Cedric dying. He hated the guy from his past, but he never once wished death upon him. Would Cedric even remember what he said before he fainted? Given his pain-induced state of mind, it would be so easy for Kuon to gaslight him. They needed to talk, but Kuon wasn't sure if they would get the chance before he left for Japan.

He turned his head, glancing in the direction of his phone. It would be highly unlikely that Eltra sent him an update on Cedric even if he knew his secret. For some reason, Kuon trusted that Eltra wouldn't give him away, after all, he didn't tell his grandson. Instead of bothering his dad, Kuon thought about the numerous news outlets covering the story and figured the media would have an update if there was one.

Kuon stretched his left arm out as far as it would go, trying to reach for his phone sitting on the end table. The blaring alarm made him jump as he struggled to snatch up the device. He cursed the offending sound as it took some maneuvering on his part bringing his girlfriend with him before his fingers closed over it.

"Five more minutes," she muttered cutely, making Kuon chuckle. He hit the snooze button knowing that he had buffered their wake-up time to compensate for the extra minutes. He wrapped his arms around her enjoying the feel of her soft curves pressed against him and completely forgot about the idea of browsing the web for information on Cedric.

Five minutes later, Kuon's eyes flew open when the alarm sounded again. I must have fallen asleep. His hand began searching the bed for the phone and turned off the alarm.

Kyoko whimpered adorably, "five more minutes."

"That's what you said five minutes ago," he teased. "Now, we really have to get up. Yukihito will be waiting for us in the lobby in less than twenty-five minutes." It didn't leave her much time to get ready, but at least she got more sleep.

She pouted and reluctantly began to roll off of him. Kuon's large hand shot out and easily held her in place as he rolled to cover her petite body with his. It wasn't the wisest of moves since the semi he was popping was now pushing against her hip, threatening to become a full-blown erection with her beneath him.

"Good morning," he whispered, hoping to bring back some sense of normalcy for them before they headed to the set.

"Morning," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was pleased by her cheery response, wishing he had the hindsight to switch on the lamp so he could gaze into her eyes and gauge how she was really feeling. The dim lighting wasn't cutting it.

She pulled him down into a sweet minty kiss, the flavor of toothpaste still lingering in her mouth, reminding him that they barely got a couple of hours of sleep. Kyoko moaned and writhed beneath him as his tongue swept along the inside of her mouth deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled apart, Kuon brushed the tip of his nose against hers and pecked her lips one more time before pulling away with a tortured groan, earning him a little giggle from his girlfriend.

"I'm going to take a quick shower," he grumbled.

"I'll join you," she replied eagerly. His already painful erection twitched at her words.

"It's going to be a cold one," he warned, hoping it would deter her from coming in. They didn't have the time, and he didn't want to start something he couldn't finish.

"Good, cause I need one," she quipped, bounding out of bed and already stripping off her t-shirt as she headed to the en suite. "I promise to keep my hands to myself," she threw over her shoulder, taunting him.

Kuon weighed his options as he watched his little seductress sashay into the bathroom. He smiled to himself knowing that this was a typical morning for them. Everything was going to be alright. He quickly got out of bed to join her when he heard the water running. The promise she made had him smiling mischievously and rubbing his hands in anticipation of washing every inch of her sweet delectable body since he had made no such declaration to keep his hands off her.

Inside the bathroom, he was taken aback by Kyoko standing stark naked in front of the mirror while pushing her hair into a shower cap. He stood there admiring the view as she worked and enjoyed the way her cheeks — not her ass though that was exquisite too— heated up when she caught him staring.

"I have one for you too," she offered, holding up one of the clear plastic caps with lemons printed on it. The custom design was made to keep in theme with the citrus toiletries the hotel provided. "You already washed your hair last night so you shouldn't wash it again. It's not good for your hair. Bend down, I'll help you." Her large golden eyes stared at him eagerly.

Kuon couldn't deny her anything when she looked at him with those Bambi eyes. Without protest, he bent to please his sexy little girlfriend, knowing what to expect since Ten used one on him whenever she dyed his hair. Kyoko fussed with his hair, tucking rouge strands into the cap as she circled him then pulled back giddily when she was finished.

"Just as I thought, you still look gorgeous," she gushed and pecked him on the cheek.

Kuon rolled his eyes. On her, it looked adorable but on him...it just looked silly.

"Can I take a picture?" Once again, those golden eyes ensnared him, forcing him to agree with little to no resistance.

"Yay," she squealed, running out of the room to fetch her phone.

"Smile," she chirped, pointing her phone at him and taking several pictures. "This is going in my secret stash," she teased.

"Let's take one together," he suggested, taking the phone from her and holding it up and out.

"Corn, I can't,'' she said, crossing her arms over her perky breasts, suddenly conscious of her nudity.

"I'll only take our portraits and crop out anything below your neckline, okay?"

Kyoko nodded and allowed him to pull her closer for the picture. They ended up taking several pictures including a couple with silly faces.

"Come on, let's get in. We're running out of time," he tugged her into the shower. Kuon had no idea that the shower cap would make the water pound in his ears, making all Kuon's dirty thoughts go down the drain. Damn you cockblocking shower caps!

He lost his scowl when small cold hands began lathering his chest. She had broken her promise so easily. Seeing her chattering teeth, Kuon suggested they turn on the hot water. Kyoko shook her head stubbornly. He sighed, gathering soap in his hands, and began to wash her. He might have lingered on her breasts and between her thighs longer than necessary, but at least it wasn't the cold that made her shiver.

Kuon was amazed that it took Kyoko no more than five minutes to get ready. She brushed her teeth, applied moisturizer to her face then dressed in leggings and an oversized sweater. Before they went down, they had a quick chat with his parents who were already awake and in the kitchen brewing coffee. Kuu reported that there was no change in Cedric's condition, and the men who hurt him were still running free. Eltra did add a hefty reward for anyone that had information on the men's whereabouts.

Kyoko spotted Yashiro sitting on a tufted armchair sipping from a to-go cup, looking upset as he stared at the phone he held in his latex-gloved hand.

"He doesn't look too happy," Kyoko whispered to her dark-eyed lover as they made a beeline for their friend and manager.

"Last night is probably causing him all kinds of headaches," Ren commented.

"We have to apologize for making more work for him," Kyoko suggested. "Maybe I can cook him a meal when we get back to Japan."

"I'm sure he would appreciate that," Ren replied. "He loves your food."

The manager was too preoccupied with his phone to register their approach.

"Yashiro-san," Kyoko greeted and dipped into a formal bow with Kuon following in suit beside her. "We're very sorry for troubling you again."

"Oh, Kyoko-chan, Ren, you're here," he startled and put his phone back in his suit pocket. The sad expression he had earlier was replaced with a friendly smile that seemed forced. "You both have always made my job easy, I guess I was overdue."

"Is everything okay, Yashiro-san?" Kyoko gently prodded.

"Yes, everything is fine." He flashed her another smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Something was bothering him, but she couldn't pry.

"How are you both feeling?" He asked with grave concern.

"A little better after visiting the hospital," Kyoko admitted and Ren nodded. Her little meltdown with Kuon lifted a weight from her shoulders she didn't know she carried.

"I got a green tea for you, Kyoko-chan, and a black coffee for you, Ren," he said changing the subject as he handed over the cups sitting on the table beside him.

"Thank you," they replied, taking their respective cups.

"Let's get going. The car is waiting."

As they walked through the deserted lobby Kyoko's eyes swept around trying to catch a glimpse of the bodyguards that her father had hired. Aside from the few hotel employees at the front desk and cleaning staff, Kyoko didn't notice anyone following them. They were either highly trained professionals or not here yet.

They got into the SUV with the bodyguards Kuu hired. Yashiro had stubbornly insisted that he would sit in the third row so she could sit next to Ren comfortably. Kyoko happily snuggled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder. Nobody spoke for the duration of the ride. Traffic was scarce at this hour, so they made it to the beach bungalow to film the next scene fifteen minutes early.

"Please wait a moment while we link up with their security team," the driver instructed.

"Um, excuse me, Mr. Guard," Kyoko said meekly, embarrassed that she forgot his name after Kuu had made the introductions.

"Please, Ms. Kyoko, call me Miles and this is Tucker," the driver introduced himself and his partner.

Kyoko nodded and smiled, committing their names to memory. "Thank you for protecting us, Mr. Miles and Mr. Tucker. We appreciate it."

"No problem ma'am, be rest assured that we will keep you safe," Tucker added gruffly. "You had a question, ma'am?"

"Ah, yes, when do you guys sleep or eat? It's not good for your health if you skip both."

Miles and Tucker chuckled. "Please don't worry about us ma'am, we have relief coming at 0800 hours. If you'll sit tight we'll be right back," Miles said as they exited the car.

Kyoko watched with Ren and Yashiro as the men had a serious chat with the head of security. Debbie and Phil eventually joined them. Tucker stayed close while Miles walked the perimeter of the place with the guard, Debbie, and Phil. When he returned satisfied that the coast was clear, he let them out.

"It's good to see you guys again. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but I'm so glad you didn't back out of this job," Debbie blurted with Phil by her side. "I had an epiphany yesterday and I wanted to get your take on a new ending. I received the band's approval for the change and got Phil to cough up more money. Surprise, your bonuses just got bigger."

"Worth it," Phil replied and greeted them with a small bow.

Neither of them asked about the incident so the trio didn't mention it and decided to focus on the task at hand. Phil and Debbie's excitement was infectious and positively lifted Kyoko's spirits. She couldn't wait to hear the new changes and get started.

"Let's go inside, and I'll show you the differences. Unfortunately, it would only translate to about thirty seconds of film, but it would blow the viewers' minds if executed correctly."

As they followed Debbie and Phil into the house with their bodyguards flanking them, Kyoko took the time to glance around the place. It was open-concept with the kitchen open to the living spaces. The place screamed bachelor pad with its stainless steel appliances, large flat-screen TV, gray walls, white trim, dark wooden floors, and black leather furniture. There was a surfboard propped in the corner and prints of California waves decorating the walls. French doors lined the rear wall and opened out to a large wooden deck that led down to the beach. She liked it.

The limited crew eyed the bodyguards curiously as they passed. The news of Cedric and their presence at the scene was no longer a secret thanks to that news report. She could hear the whispers of the misinformed workers but chose to ignore them, not wanting the incident to affect her performance.

"Here you go," Debbie announced, handing out sheets to the trio that she retrieved from the island separating the kitchen and the living room. The scene change wasn't very long, but it was enough to make Kyoko gasp. She glanced up at Ren and found those rich chocolate brown eyes gazing back at her thoughtfully. It was like he was envisioning her in the future the same way she was, making her cheeks redden. She held his stare wishing she could read his mind.

"What do you guys think? Do you love it?" Debbie exulted.

"I love it!" Yashiro squealed, breaking them out of their trance. "You bring me hope for the future."

"I knew I liked you," Debbie laughed and winked at their manager. "I was inspired after reviewing the footage we shot yesterday. I did promise a mini-drama and I aim to deliver."

Debbie, Phil, and Yashiro stared at them expectantly, waiting for their feedback.

"I want to do it," Ren answered after a moment. He raised his eyebrows at Kyoko in question. "Kyoko?"

She felt her cheeks burn hotter and nodded shyly. You can do this Kyoko!

"Perfect!" Debbie clapped. "You two get ready. I'm at your mercy for this scene per the contract. I want to make sure we get the timing right since we won't get another chance."

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"See you in a bit, baby," Ren whispered into her ear and nipped her lobe teasingly.

"Ren!" She hissed, playfully shoving him away.

"Just getting into character," he smirked, making her blush again as he headed for the room with his name on the door.

Kyoko felt a fresh wave of butterflies flutter in her belly. Although they practiced this scene the most, she hoped she didn't make a fool out of herself once the cameras started rolling.

"Your room is down this way," Yashiro pointed. Kyoko followed him to the door with Miller hot on her heels while Tucker left to accompany Ren.

"Please let me take a look inside first, Miss." Miller's voice stopped her from entering.

"Okay," Kyoko replied, masking her annoyance.

She waited at the door with Yashiro for Miller to finish his inspection. When he gave her the all-clear, Kyoko entered to find only the lead stylist and makeup artist she worked with the other day waiting for her. Hugs and sentiments were exchanged as the ladies fussed over her and chattered on and on about Cedric. Kyoko didn't want to talk about it, but also didn't want to be rude, so she made little head nods to appear engaged. They lost interest in the topic, sensing Kyoko's mood.

"Everything okay, Mr. Yashiro? Kyoko asked as she stared at him through the reflection of the mirror and noted the hint of sadness in her bespectacled manager. She had just watched him eagerly check his phone when it buzzed only to put it away disappointed.

Yashiro perked up and schooled his face then responded way too quickly for her taste, "Yeah, just fine."

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always available."

"Thank you, Kyoko-chan, but I…" He trailed off as he thought better of it.

"Have you heard from Kanae today by any chance?" He asked eagerly.

Kyoko smirked internally. That could be why he looked sad earlier; too bad she had to disappoint him and shake her head. She had been much too busy with the girls' day to send any messages to her friends back home or check the pile of texts she saw in her inbox when they took the shower cap pictures. Aside from her father, she ignored all the other messages coming through, but couldn't recall seeing one from Kanae. It wasn't in her to pass up mail from her best friend.

"Oh, okay," he sighed dejectedly.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Kyoko blurted, "Did you two fight?" The last thing she wanted was for Kanae and Yashiro to be hurting.

She saw Yashiro glance nervously at the ladies working on her, but they appeared to be engrossed with getting Kyoko ready and not paying attention to their conversation. Kyoko knew she could switch to Japanese but thought it rude to speak her native tongue in front of others. She didn't want to cause animosity and have them think they were talking about them. Yashiro seemed to have the same idea since he continued in his accented English.

"That's just it. I don't know. If I did something wrong, I wish she would talk to me and not freeze me out. She's not taking my calls or responding to my messages," he despaired.

Kyoko pursed her lips to keep from smiling. It was interesting seeing someone else in anguish about love.

Kyoko hummed thoughtfully. "It isn't like Kanae to treat someone like that, especially a loved one. Maybe she's just really busy today."

"Maybe," Yashiro mumbled.

"I'll send her a message," she suggested. Yashiro rushed to find her phone in her purse and handed it to her. Kyoko typed out a short message to her friend and hit send. Kyoko became depressed when five minutes passed and she didn't receive a response from her best friend. It wasn't that late in Japan for her to be sleeping.

"Well, She could be very busy over there," Kyoko said. She and Yashiro began making excuses to explain why the girl they loved was ignoring them. Their conversation was interrupted when the style team finished.

"Okay, you're all set. All that's left to do is for you to change," the hairstylist announced. "I'll tell wardrobe you're ready."

Kyoko examined her reflection after they left and winced. Her makeup was smudged and they had styled her hair so it looked wet, dirty, and windblown with traces of sand sprinkled throughout the dark tresses. They were picking up after the beach scene, so she understood the need for the wrecked look. She cringed just thinking about the condition of her outfit.

When the costume designer entered bearing her dress, Yashiro excused himself to check on Ren and Miles remained outside her door.

"I'm sorry, but you'll be reusing the dress from yesterday," the costume designer informed her. Kyoko nodded with understanding. There was no point ruining another dress. Since the garment was black, it didn't appear to be too bad.

Kyoko giggled when she heard the grains of sand hit the wooden floor as the designer held up the dress. "We'll have to dampen the stiff parts of the skirt to make it look wet again." The designer draped the dress on the chair and pulled out a pair of new tights and undergarments.

"I was thinking once you're dressed you can frolic in the sand and wear those in," she said pointing to the tights.

Kyoko nodded, glad that she didn't have to reuse the tights. She went behind the dressing screen and proceeded to change into the black lingerie and tights. The designer helped her get the dress on. It didn't look bad, but it wasn't comfortable. Sand had managed to get in the bodice and sleeves of the dress and promised to chafe against her skin if she wore it too long. She swiped her hand inside the neckline to remove sand that was starting to itch.

"I was told you don't need any shoes, but here's your jewelry."

"Thank you," Kyoko smiled and took the studded earrings from her to put on. She held out her hand for the designer to clasp on the tennis bracelet.

"I think that's everything," she told Kyoko and checked her watch. "We're ahead of schedule too. I'll see you out there."

"Thank you for all your help," Kyoko called after her.

"You're welcome. I'll go let the director know you're ready."

Kyoko gathered her phone and checked to see if Kanae had messaged her. There were so many unanswered messages but none of them were from Kanae. She tapped out a quick message to her father wishing him a good morning and put her phone away without waiting for a reply.

Ren exited her room when she came out of hers. She took one look at him and almost swooned. The man was a walking sex god in his rumpled suit and tousled hair that screamed I woke up like this. Down the hall, his gaze dropped to her feet and slowly traveled up her legs over her hips and lingered on her chest before continuing their ascent. Kyoko felt her breath hitch and flicked her tongue over her dry lips. His eyes darkened to an obsidian hue as he homed in on her lips.

He took no more than two steps toward her when he stopped and scratched vigorously behind his knee. Kyoko could hardly contain her laughter, concluding that he was too was suffering from sand in his clothes.

"I hope there aren't any sand fleas in these trousers," he grumbled as he scratched another spot on his calf.

"Is that a thing?" Kyoko gulped as she approached him. Suddenly feeling itchy, she began to scratch at a spot on her arm.

"I've never experienced it, but it does exist," he replied and stood up holding out his hand. "Come on. Let's get this over with so we can get out of these dirty clothes."

Kyoko nodded and reached for his hand and caught movement from the corner of her eye. She turned to see what it was. Her face burned as she noticed Miles standing a few feet behind them. He gave her a curt nod and kept his face impassive.

Oh, Kamisama, was he there the whole time? Did he see what just transpired between them?

"Did you see him there?" she whispered to Ren as he entwined his hand with hers. With his hand in hers, Kyoko instantly noticed that his bandage was removed. A quick look at his other hand showed it gauze-free. She picked up his hand to inspect it, easily forgetting about Miles.

"It's makeup," he said.

"They did a really good job," she marveled, running her fingers over his knuckles. They were still swollen, but the bruising was no longer noticeable. She turned his hand over to check out his cuts. The flesh on his palm was slightly raised where the cuts should have been.

"They put a thin silicon bandage over the cuts and covered it in makeup."

"Wow!" It's a work of art!" Kyoko exclaimed, restraining herself from touching it. They had drawn in the creases and used red and blue shading to mimic the coloring.

"There you guys are!" Debbie shouted when she found them stuck in the hallway.

"Sorry, I was admiring the skill that went into his hands," Kyoko explained with a bow.

"I brought in a professional after my chat with Mr. Yashiro a few hours ago."

"I apologize for injuring myself," Ren bowed deeply.

"It's nothing. I'm just glad it wasn't worse."

Debbie's words hung over her head as she was once again reminded of how bad things could have gotten if it wasn't for Cedric's interference.

"Okay," the director clapped her hands to break the tension. "First order of business, let's go through the camera locations in the room, and then I order you to go play on the beach for five minutes. Clear your heads. Let the wind and the sand do their thing. When you get back Garcia is going to hose you down," Debbie instructed.

Ren and Kyoko gaped at her.

"I'm exaggerating. I don't mean hose, hose. We just need to make your clothes a little damp since you guys decided to make out in beach water fully clothed," Debbie teased.

They followed Debbie out of the hallway and found Tucker leaning against the wall waiting for them. He joined Miles as they headed to the room first to look at the cameras then out to the dark beach.

"Let's play, baby," Ren grabbed her hand, pulling her through the french doors of the room, and out toward the beach.

"Wait, what about your hand?" Kyoko cried after him. He didn't let go but she felt his grip loosen on her hand. That would have to do. They chased each other barefoot up and down the beach for the next five minutes. Their playfulness had drawn a crowd even the neighbors were out watching them.

"Okay times up, time to get wet," Debbie hollered into her trusty megaphone. The hose her assistant director Garcia wielded came in the shape of a large squirt bottle. Ren was sprayed down the length of his back since he was lying in the water during the kiss scene. Kyoko's legs and the front of her skirt were sprayed down so it hung wet. The water was cold.

When they were satisfactorily drenched, they followed Debbie out to the front of the house where she explained again how she wanted the scene to start. The extraneous cars had been cleared out from in front of the house and in the driveway sat the black GTO. It was still equipped with the cameras and lights they used before.

"You guys remember the drill?" Debbie asked as she and the lead cameraman walked through all the camera setups in the car as they did in the room.

"We'll have two mobile cameras: one in front and the other behind. Any questions?" She asked expectantly.

They shook their head.

"Good, let's get started."

Ren drifted to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for Kyoko. He went around to the driver's side after ensuring she was settled.

He fired up the ignition and grinned as the engine purred to life. Kyoko admired the schoolboy joy on his face as he tapped the gas pedal a couple of times to get the exhaust roaring. Classic muscles did have their appeal, and this one was growing on her. It put ideas in her head of a lazy Sunday stroll along the coast with her sexy man wearing sunglasses and a scruffy jawline.

"Ready?" Ren turned to Kyoko interrupting her daydream. She was still nervous about the scene, but she was ready to rip the band-aid off. He put the car in reverse and draped his arm over the passenger seat to look over his shoulder while he backed out. There were so many people loitering he had to be careful. By now, residents of the neighborhood were in their front yards waving as they paraded down the street behind Debbie's lead camera truck. Kyoko smiled and waved back, surprised that they were up so early just to watch them film. The jeep behind them housing the other camera were asking the neighbors to stay in their homes for the next fifteen minutes until they were through with the street scene. It would be a lot easier than having to erase them from the footage.

They turned down a corner and found a couple of police cars blocking the road to prevent cars from driving down and ruining the film. Ren made a U-turn and stopped where a crew member holding the clapperboard marked their cue.

"Are you guys ready?" Debbie hollered into her megaphone from the camera truck in front of them.

They gave her a thumbs up then settled into position and waited for direction. They could hear Debbie talking into the headset. When everything was good to go, she yelled, "action!"

She was once again sharing his seat and tucked into his side with her head resting on his shoulder. Her hand had sought his interlocking their fingers together as soon as he pulled away. They had left the bonfire with the intention of going home. He never once asked for her address because he was taking her to his place, not wanting to let her go just yet. The beach house he rented was about a fifteen-minute drive from where they left. As he drove down the quiet street, he drew small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. She caught him checking her reflection in the rearview mirror and flashed him a dazzling smile then kissed his cheek. If she was apprehensive about coming home with him, she was good at not showing it. He didn't hide how much he wanted her intimately, but he would gladly wait for her. Back at the bonfire as he watched her dance, he had decided that he wanted more than one night with this incredible woman that captivated his heart so completely.

He pulled the car into the driveway and cut the engine. She sat up in her chair and took in her surroundings then grinned at him with clear golden eyes. It was all the reassurance he needed from her for him to let go of his anxiety. He jumped out of the car without opening the door and stood outside gazing at her. She crawled to the driver's side and stood with her sandy stockinged feet on the leather seat. His arms rose automatically, lifting her out of the car. She was so tiny compared to him and weighed next to nothing that he was able to carry her so easily. When she was clear of the car her arms circled his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist. A guttural sound escaped his throat as he crushed his lips to hers. He pressed her against the car door as they attacked each other's lips in a heated kiss. Pulling back, his eyes pleaded, 'are you sure?' The hot kiss she gave him couldn't have been a more perfect answer.

With their lips locked, he bypassed the front door and carried her to the side gate. He pressed her back against the gate, letting her go with one hand to find the latch. In no time, he was carrying her through the gate, up the steps of the wooden deck, and toward the french doors of his master that he knew he left unlocked. Once inside, he set her down on her feet finally breaking the kiss. She wasted no time sliding her hands up his chest and slipping his jacket off to land on the floor in a wet heap. The tie around his neck served to be the perfect accessory for her to yank his lips back down to hers and he happily obliged. While their tongues entwined she managed to remove his tie. He wanted to tell her how incredible she was and how good it felt to have her in his arms, but words failed him. He couldn't think straight when her hands were pulling his shirt out of his pants and sliding up his abs. He whimpered against her lips when her hands left his skin but was immediately rewarded when she impatiently ripped his shirt open, sending buttons flying everywhere.

No longer hesitating, his hands began roaming her beautiful body as their passionate kiss continued. Like a possessed man, he wanted to touch her, to feel her silky skin pressed against him. He reached around to her back and tugged at the zipper. Before her dress could fall, he moved them toward the bed and put her down gently. She looked absolutely stunning with her hair splayed out against his sheets. He discarded his shirt and laid down on top of her, his lips hovered above hers as his fingers caressed her cheek.

'By love, by love, we'll beat back the pain we've found. You know, I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking deep inside, my friend. Each moment, the more I love you. Crush me. Come on, baby! So much, you have given love that I would give you back again and again. Oh, love, mean it I'll hold you. But please, please let me always.'

He kissed the tears seeping out of the corners of her eyes until his lips reached her mouth. Like their first kiss on the beach, they kept their eyes open, gazing at one another as their love took root and blossomed.

"CUT!" Debbie shouted, slowly pulling them back to reality. Ren pecked her one more time before rolling off her.

"Fuck," someone groaned, " I need a cigarette."

Ren glared while Kyoko giggled beside him at the guy's inappropriate comment. He helped her sit up and took the robes from the waiting assistant with thanks.

Looking at the room, Ren realized that the director had closed the set to essential personnel only which he was grateful for. Although extremely difficult, he succeeded in not lifting her skirt or undressing her. Undoing her zipper was just a little tease to help sell the scene.

"Bravo," Debbie cheered as she clapped her hands. "You guys gave me more than I expected and it was done tastefully. I couldn't have written it any better. How you executed those lyrics Ren and those tears Kyoko...it was perfect. Why don't you guys go get cleaned up? I'm confident that I'm going to like what we got on tape."

"Thank you, director," they replied with a bow and left the room after thanking the skeletal crew.

AN: Oof, thank you for your patience. My family and I decided at the last minute to go play down in Miami for the weekend and so I put off writing. I already had it half done and thought I could finish it off to post Sunday night when I got back but by Sunday evening I was not feeling well. It wasn't until today that I felt well enough to finish writing. Upside to sickness, I lost a few pounds...XD. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The MV will continue in the next chapter so I hope you guys aren't bored by it.

Once again the song used here was "Crush," by DMB.

Thanks for always reading and for the reviews of the last chapter. I HEART you all!

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^