head inside.
“Do you have plans for lunch? I’ve got a surprise for you.”
He held out a brown paper bag and shook the contents, giving her a curious look
when she slammed her computer closed. “Did I interrupt something important?”
“No.” Sakura removed the flash drive and reached for her purse.
But Ian wasn’t put off so easily. “What is in the box?”
Before she could stop him, he bent over the package, furrowing his brow. “If I
didn’t know better, I’d say you were importing contraband.” He grumbled as she
nudged him out of the way before folding the edges of the box closed. “Probably
banned produce or rare insect larva.”
Sakura had to laugh as he tried to look over her and peer
again into the box, pressing their bodies close together. “If it is
contraband,” she warned, her hands against his chest as she tried to push him
away, “you had better get your nose out of it now. Papa would have a heart
attack if he had to call your family and explain you were arrested.”
His muscles were firm beneath her palms, the heat of his
skin seeping up along her arms to trickle down her into her stomach. Desire
blossomed unexpectedly and Sakura knew Ian felt it too—she could tell by the
way he stiffened as if afraid to come closer, yet unwilling to break the
contact. Sakura stared at him from beneath her lashes.
“Didn’t your mother warn you not to look at men like that?”
He finally jerked away.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re ready to strip and take them to bed.”
“You wish.” Sakura waved her hand at his face. “We’ve
already had this conversation, remember?”
“We had a conversation about our family’s plans for a
wedding,” he countered, “not about having a hot round of sex.”
“Do you want to have a hot round of sex?” If Shoji was going
to act like an ass, she would be very glad to help him. “The two of us, naked
in your hotel room, drinking champagne and making love until we both pass out?”
Putting on her best come-hither pout, she sidled toward him, her hips swinging
from side to side in an exaggerated motion.
To her surprise he chuckled and shook the bag once more. “I
had intended to save these until after lunch but right now I feel like I need
one.” He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. “Or the proverbial cigarette. You
won’t tell your boyfriend I made a pass, will you?”
“Boyfriend?” Sakura was puzzled. “Oh.” She shook her head
and grabbed her purse. “I made him up. So what do you have hidden in the bag?”
she added as she saw his brows draw together. She hadn’t intended to let him
catch her in the lie, but since they had reached an arrangement, she didn’t
feel the need to keep up the pretense. And she certainly was not going to tell
him about her teacher at the Red Mask.
To her relief he accepted the explanation, tipping his head
toward the much bigger package. “Are we going to have some deal where I’ll show
you mine if you show me yours?” While his tone was still light, a darker
glimmer lurked at the edges of his eyes, making Sakura want to slide up to him
once more, but this time have the courage to actually reach out and wrap her
arms around his shoulders and have him pull her close against the tapered
muscles of his thighs.
With deliberate intent, she tucked such thoughts away. Ian
wasn’t on the menu…not today, not ever.
“Not a chance.” Sakura slung her purse over her arm and led
the way to the door. Some fresh ocean air would do them both some major good.
“But I will spring for lunch if you’ll show me your surprise,” she called over
her shoulder, making certain he followed. “I’m willing to fork out twenty bucks
or so to see what’s hidden in bag number one.”
“Kit Kat bars,” he answered with a smirk.
“Kit Kat bars.” Her disappointment was obvious.
“Don’t look so glum, grasshopper. There are eighty different
flavors of Kit Kat bars in Japan and I am going to make you taste some of
“Do you have plans for lunch? I’ve got a surprise for you.”
He held out a brown paper bag and shook the contents, giving her a curious look
when she slammed her computer closed. “Did I interrupt something important?”
“No.” Sakura removed the flash drive and reached for her purse.
But Ian wasn’t put off so easily. “What is in the box?”
Before she could stop him, he bent over the package, furrowing his brow. “If I
didn’t know better, I’d say you were importing contraband.” He grumbled as she
nudged him out of the way before folding the edges of the box closed. “Probably
banned produce or rare insect larva.”
Sakura had to laugh as he tried to look over her and peer
again into the box, pressing their bodies close together. “If it is
contraband,” she warned, her hands against his chest as she tried to push him
away, “you had better get your nose out of it now. Papa would have a heart
attack if he had to call your family and explain you were arrested.”
His muscles were firm beneath her palms, the heat of his
skin seeping up along her arms to trickle down her into her stomach. Desire
blossomed unexpectedly and Sakura knew Ian felt it too—she could tell by the
way he stiffened as if afraid to come closer, yet unwilling to break the
contact. Sakura stared at him from beneath her lashes.
“Didn’t your mother warn you not to look at men like that?”
He finally jerked away.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re ready to strip and take them to bed.”
“You wish.” Sakura waved her hand at his face. “We’ve
already had this conversation, remember?”
“We had a conversation about our family’s plans for a
wedding,” he countered, “not about having a hot round of sex.”
“Do you want to have a hot round of sex?” If Shoji was going
to act like an ass, she would be very glad to help him. “The two of us, naked
in your hotel room, drinking champagne and making love until we both pass out?”
Putting on her best come-hither pout, she sidled toward him, her hips swinging
from side to side in an exaggerated motion.
To her surprise he chuckled and shook the bag once more. “I
had intended to save these until after lunch but right now I feel like I need
one.” He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. “Or the proverbial cigarette. You
won’t tell your boyfriend I made a pass, will you?”
“Boyfriend?” Sakura was puzzled. “Oh.” She shook her head
and grabbed her purse. “I made him up. So what do you have hidden in the bag?”
she added as she saw his brows draw together. She hadn’t intended to let him
catch her in the lie, but since they had reached an arrangement, she didn’t
feel the need to keep up the pretense. And she certainly was not going to tell
him about her teacher at the Red Mask.
To her relief he accepted the explanation, tipping his head
toward the much bigger package. “Are we going to have some deal where I’ll show
you mine if you show me yours?” While his tone was still light, a darker
glimmer lurked at the edges of his eyes, making Sakura want to slide up to him
once more, but this time have the courage to actually reach out and wrap her
arms around his shoulders and have him pull her close against the tapered
muscles of his thighs.
With deliberate intent, she tucked such thoughts away. Ian
wasn’t on the menu…not today, not ever.
“Not a chance.” Sakura slung her purse over her arm and led
the way to the door. Some fresh ocean air would do them both some major good.
“But I will spring for lunch if you’ll show me your surprise,” she called over
her shoulder, making certain he followed. “I’m willing to fork out twenty bucks
or so to see what’s hidden in bag number one.”
“Kit Kat bars,” he answered with a smirk.
“Kit Kat bars.” Her disappointment was obvious.
“Don’t look so glum, grasshopper. There are eighty different
flavors of Kit Kat bars in Japan and I am going to make you taste some of
Similar Books
