Strawberry Shortcake or Him
With an uncomfortable shift in her seat, she resumed toying with her food. It was a particularly sweet dessert, as most were, though she had little experience with them. He had called it strawberry shortcake and assured her that it would be to her liking. Unable to protest to his generosity, she bashfully inclined her head in agreement.
How she arrived at the tiny little café was still a mystery of sorts. Of course she knew by what means she went, but it was the reason behind it that puzzled her. The whole situation was an awkward one, which she found rather interesting because it took a lot to make her discomforted.
The shortcake he ordered for her was fine indeed, as it should have been for the price he paid. A small part of her thought that she should at least have the decency to offer to pay him back or return the favor in the future, but she thought better of it. He had every intention of making her compensate for his kindness. For a moment, she had nearly forgotten the nature of men, especially those who showed interest in her.
A nagging voice in the back of her head told her that he was different than them though, and her heart echoed the same every time he placed barely there touches on her arm and she pulled away. To trust is to assure one’s death. She knew better than to fall into a rhythm of ease in his presence.
“Is it enjoyable, darling?”
She was not his darling, yet when her ears picked up the sound of his deep, silky voice, her pulse quickened its pace. Setting her eyes on his beautiful jade orbs, her heart threatened to break her chest if some bodily contact wasn’t made with him soon.
“Mm, it is very good. But, you didn’t have to do this.”
Her words humored him, made obvious by his bark of a chuckle. A smile slipped onto his features, and she found it hard to hold her head up high. Why, of all men, did this one have unspeakable power over her? It frightened her, sending her mind into overdrive.
“Of course I didn’t have to, but I did this because I thought it would be nice to get to know you further.”
He would know her all too well by dawn’s light. She’d wager that his lips would grace every inch of her flesh before the night was through. This thought did not bring an unsettling feeling about her as it might have most girls her age. The young woman was well versed in a stranger’s touch on her body. And if it were to be any stranger, she would rather it be him.
“You’re too kind to me. I really don’t deserve it.”
His hand somehow found its way to her own, slowly entwining her fingers in his. The skin was callused. A hand of a gunman, she told herself. Why did she keep analyzing every part of him that came in contact with her? She felt dizzy. For once in her life, she wished that she could appreciate a man for what he really was, just a simple man. Yet there was nothing simple about Onakimo Kaga.
“None of us really see kindness in this day and age. Please permit me to spoil you just a little bit.”
Again she nodded, for it was the only way she knew how to respond. The hand that was once in her own raised her chin so her brown orbs could no longer avoid his jade. Meekly, she looked him in the eye. This feeling in the pit of her stomach, the wooziness in her head, the restlessness in her body, they were all symptoms of the sickness she feared most. She was falling in love with him and hated herself for it. Tonight he would take her to a hotel and have sex with her; tonight, she would find the answer to her question of which tasted better, Onakimo Kaga or strawberry shortcake. Though the cake was bliss on her tongue, she’d bet that her company president would taste far better.
How she arrived at the tiny little café was still a mystery of sorts. Of course she knew by what means she went, but it was the reason behind it that puzzled her. The whole situation was an awkward one, which she found rather interesting because it took a lot to make her discomforted.
The shortcake he ordered for her was fine indeed, as it should have been for the price he paid. A small part of her thought that she should at least have the decency to offer to pay him back or return the favor in the future, but she thought better of it. He had every intention of making her compensate for his kindness. For a moment, she had nearly forgotten the nature of men, especially those who showed interest in her.
A nagging voice in the back of her head told her that he was different than them though, and her heart echoed the same every time he placed barely there touches on her arm and she pulled away. To trust is to assure one’s death. She knew better than to fall into a rhythm of ease in his presence.
“Is it enjoyable, darling?”
She was not his darling, yet when her ears picked up the sound of his deep, silky voice, her pulse quickened its pace. Setting her eyes on his beautiful jade orbs, her heart threatened to break her chest if some bodily contact wasn’t made with him soon.
“Mm, it is very good. But, you didn’t have to do this.”
Her words humored him, made obvious by his bark of a chuckle. A smile slipped onto his features, and she found it hard to hold her head up high. Why, of all men, did this one have unspeakable power over her? It frightened her, sending her mind into overdrive.
“Of course I didn’t have to, but I did this because I thought it would be nice to get to know you further.”
He would know her all too well by dawn’s light. She’d wager that his lips would grace every inch of her flesh before the night was through. This thought did not bring an unsettling feeling about her as it might have most girls her age. The young woman was well versed in a stranger’s touch on her body. And if it were to be any stranger, she would rather it be him.
“You’re too kind to me. I really don’t deserve it.”
His hand somehow found its way to her own, slowly entwining her fingers in his. The skin was callused. A hand of a gunman, she told herself. Why did she keep analyzing every part of him that came in contact with her? She felt dizzy. For once in her life, she wished that she could appreciate a man for what he really was, just a simple man. Yet there was nothing simple about Onakimo Kaga.
“None of us really see kindness in this day and age. Please permit me to spoil you just a little bit.”
Again she nodded, for it was the only way she knew how to respond. The hand that was once in her own raised her chin so her brown orbs could no longer avoid his jade. Meekly, she looked him in the eye. This feeling in the pit of her stomach, the wooziness in her head, the restlessness in her body, they were all symptoms of the sickness she feared most. She was falling in love with him and hated herself for it. Tonight he would take her to a hotel and have sex with her; tonight, she would find the answer to her question of which tasted better, Onakimo Kaga or strawberry shortcake. Though the cake was bliss on her tongue, she’d bet that her company president would taste far better.