The Cost To Play (Slivers of Love) by Oliva Gaines Page A

said it with disgust.
    He pulled out her chair, helped her be seated, and then laid a cloth napkin across her lap. His fingers gently grazing her arm. “No Jayne. I have a thing for you.”
    He took his seat and saw the wide grin on her face. Jayne had to give it to him. “That was pretty smooth, Toshi.”
    “You think so?” As she nodded, he agreed with her. “Yeah, that one was pretty good.” He laughed a bit, keeping his eyes on her.
    Despite so many misgivings and a really rough start, she liked him. The subtle scent of him in the bedroom was so faint, but potent, that her senses had fired up the moment she saw the indentation in the pillow where his head rested every night. The smell was stronger as he sat closer.
    “Toshi,” she said. Timmy made his presence known, growling loudly. “What are we doing?”
    He pulled the large plate with vegetables between the two of them. “I am having dinner on Christmas Eve with a friend. What are you doing?”
    “Just a friend?”
    Toshi added a little more wine to her glass, then his own. “Jayne, I like you, your spirit, and your energy.  If what we have is nothing more than friendship, I can accept that, but it is nice to have a conversation with a woman who understands what I am talking about.”
    “So, what you are saying is that I am safe.” She was eyeing the food.
    “I am not understanding what you mean.” He honestly did not.
    “I mean, if I eat this food and drink this wine, are you going to put on some soft music, a porn tape, and jump me?”
    “Not unless you want me to, Jayne.”  He used the back end of his chopsticks to serve her food. “I am a simple man.  If I invite you for dinner, we have dinner.  If I want you to come over for something more, I will make it clear in the invitation.”
    Jayne would not let it go. It could not be that simple, especially considering their first couple of conversations.  If life had taught her anything, it was to not let down your guard.  The feeling that was circling the drain of concern, was he was trying a new tactic.  She blurted it out with no regard for consequence. “Are you saying, you no longer want to have sex with me?”
    He stopped chewing and swallowed hard, laid down his chopsticks.  Jayne shrank back a little. “If you said to me…” he used a girlie voice, “… Toshi, take me right now. I would have to cook you a new dinner.” He watched her face before he delivered the blow. “I would clear this table and you would have rice, eggplant, and steamed veggies all in your hair and ass.” Jayne’s mouth dropped, as he looked at her with a straight face. “I would go hard too Jayne!  I would go hard!  I would get all Super Saiyan on you,” he told her as he started making the anime faces, with noises of “grrr, ahhh, ooooh”.
    She could not help it. She burst into laughter.  Toshi was laughing as well. A deep belly gut type of laughter, but he paused, becoming serious again before passing her a bowl of rice. “Tonight, I wish nothing more than the pleasure of your company.” To his shock, it was the truth. “However, to answer your question, no.  I no longer want to have sex with you.” Her face lost its expression. “I would at some point, relish the moment when I can make love to you.” The idea of getting her into bed tonight had not crossed his mind.
    She was grinning, “That was pretty smooth too.  I like that one even more.”
    Toshi watched her relax and changed the subject by telling her, “so in Japanese culture, before a meal you say, itadakimasu, meaning I gratefully receive, before you commence eating.” Jayne repeated after him asking what is said once the meal was complete.  “After dinner, to say thank you for the meal, you will say gochisosama.” She repeated after him again.   “ I would then respond , deshita.”
    She tasted the food. “This is amazing, Toshi.”
    He found himself beaming with pride as she raved over every vegetable cut, the rice,