Yori nearly fell from his seat when Shaundra stepped into the dining room. What had she done to her hair? It was now auburn with reddish-brown streaks, and looked most becoming. It had grown some and now came down to her shoulders. Damn, she also looked hot in her tight blue jeans and blue T-shirt with an anime character embossed across her chest. Sometimes it was even hard for him to believe that she was actually fifty years old, because at the moment she could pass for a young woman in her twenties. She also wore sandals, and he could just make out that fresh pedicure and the ten red toenails. His body hardened and an erection sprouted. Damn, why did this only happen when she was near?
"Good evening," she said in perfect Japanese.
"Good evening," everyone present replied.
Satoshi jumped out of his seat and hurried over to her.
"You look great," he said tenderly, kissing her on the cheek.
"How was your flight?"
"I have no clue," she said with a deep chuckle. "I slept all the way here."
"Wow," Amaya said from her seat next to him and before she could stop her. "You are such a wuss." Amaya wore a red and yellow flowered skirt and a red blouse, which made her look much older than Shaundra at the moment.
"There's no shame in my game, Amaya. Glad to see that married life hasn't changed you a bit."
Yori felt his wife bristle at his side. Amaya had a flip mouth, but in a fight his money was on Shaundra.
Satoshi sat Shaundra at his right and not in the customary spot between him and Ichiro, as they'd always sat whenever they ate together. This way Yori had no choice but to look at Shaundra from across the table. He glanced over at Satoshi, who smiled at him as if reading his mind. Damn, meddlesome brat knew how much this would torture him.
Masaaki came through the door next, looked questioningly at the seating arrangement but didn't reply as he took his seat next to Takumijo, who sat there smiling like a Cheshire cat. He bet those two idiots had planned this to get back at him for something he probably did to them years ago.
Kenshin came next, helping Ichiro with the dinner carts.
Ichiro had changed into black jeans and a black T-shirt, displaying his new muscles and heavier frame. Yori had expected to see him in an apron and wearing oven mitts, but no, he looked very masculine without makeup and he was even trying to grow a tiny mustache. Yori sighed. Things were changing, and he didn't know if it was for the better.
"Ich, is that you?" Amaya asked once she finally stopped sulking from the Shaundra incident. "Look at you. I swear you and Takumijo have really been hitting the gym hard."
Ichiro blushed, nodded but didn't comment. He just began serving the food so he wouldn't have to talk. Yori smirked.
Well, some things hadn't changed. Ichiro was still shy, except when it came to Shaundra.
"Why are you not at my right?" Ichiro asked Shaundra once the food had been placed on the table and he could sit down to join them.
Shaundra shrugged.
"I thought it would be nice to have a pretty woman next to me while I ate," Satoshi replied.
Ichiro shook his head. "Your pretty lady is in Paris, you foolish boy."
"Bite me, Ich."
Ichiro chuckled. "Okay, this one time, but she's my right- hand girl, and don't try to touch her during dinner."
Satoshi feigned hurt. "Now would I do something like that?"
"Yes," Ichiro, Yori, Masaaki, Takumijo and Kenshin answered simultaneously.
Shaundra laughed. It sounded so pleasing to Yori's ears and just egged on the rising erection between his legs. He was so glad Amaya couldn't see under the tablecloth.
"Look how well your friends know you," Shaundra teased Satoshi.
Satoshi smiled sheepishly at Shaundra. "A little too well, I'm afraid."
"You're so bad," Shaundra said.
Satoshi agreed. "Please stay next to me during dinner. I promise I won't bite."
Shaundra pretended to think about it. "Okay, but we have to get together after dinner to talk. We have a lot to catch up on. It's been months since we've chatted."
"You'll have my undivided attention," Satoshi promised. "If I can steal you away from Ichiro for a couple of minutes."
Ichiro nodded. "I trust you will be a gentleman. I am not so insecure in my marriage that I can't allow my wife to talk with other men."
"You should watch your back," Takumijo said. "He hasn't changed much."
"Not you too, Takumijo," Satoshi said.
"Did I mention your name?"
"Well, no, but..." Satoshi stared across the table. "Oh!"
Ichiro shook his head and began passing the food. "Don't worry, wifey. I'll protect you from the vultures."
Shaundra looked entertained. "You have nothing to worry about. They will be good." She winked at Ichiro and Ichiro blushed.
"Man, don't tell me that you still can't take a compliment,"
Yori replied as he broke his chopsticks apart.
"No," Shaundra answered from him. "But it's cute. Makes me feel all warm inside."
"Me too," Satoshi said, adding a bit of levity to the situation. "Especially since he's grown his hair all the way down to that sexy little butt of his."
"That's it," Ichiro replied. "I'm going to the barber before Satoshi can have his way with me."
Shaundra chuckled. "I sure miss you guys. It's nice to see that some things haven't changed."
"He just insulted your husband," Amaya replied. "I don't see anything nice about it."
"It is just a joke, Amaya," Shaundra replied. "If you can get that stick out of your butt you'll see that these guys are only teasing him. My husband is gorgeous, and if straight men find him kawaii, the more power to them. I am quite satisfied with him in that area. Ich performs like a trooper beneath the sheets."
"Oh, my gosh." Ichiro said, turning beet red. "American women always speak what's on their mind."
"It's part of my charm. We're not ashamed to express our feelings."
Ichiro chuckled. "Yes, I am well aware of that."
Yori frowned as he went back to his meal. If he could turn back time, a lot of things would change, and one thing for sure, Ichiro would not have snuck into Shaundra's heart and replaced him.
Masaaki took over the conversation. "Mr. Niigata called earlier. He said everything is in order for China, and he told me to tell you guys that he'll meet you there at the end of these two weeks."
"Where is he?' Yori asked. "I thought he'd be staying here with us."
"He's on his way to China. He persuaded his wife to join him there on a little vacation."
"But I thought she was afraid to fly?" Shaundra replied.
"She was, but she's been seeing a hypnotist."
"A hypnotist?"
Masaaki nodded. "Apparently it worked because she's on a plane headed to China."
Shaundra put down her bowl of rice. "No drugs?"
"None," Masaaki replied.
"Damn, that must be nice. She can travel with him on the tours now."
"I'll find one for you tomorrow," Ichiro told her. "I want you with me on tour."
Shaundra nodded.
"Even though I'm going to miss your loopiness when you're coming down from the anti-anxiety medication. When you're like that, sex between us is powerful."
Satoshi spat tea from his mouth as he choked on Ichiro's admission. "Really."
"Yes, but not as powerful as when she's not loopy. She's one hot mama."
Shaundra laughed. "You're so silly."
Ichiro chuckled. "And you're never going to hear me complain."
"I wouldn't," Yori said before he could stop it.
Takumijo and Kenshin laughed from the other end of the table. "What did I tell you, Kenny? Things are going to get more bizarre now that they're married."
Kenshin nodded his head in agreement. "But Ichiro speaks the truth. I thought I would have to pull the limousine over on the side of the highway on the way here. Mrs. Yoshida wanted him so badly. They were steaming up the windows."
"Remind me to always close the partition in the limousine,"
Ichiro told Kenshin.
Shaundra chuckled good-heartedly. "I don't need Valiums to make a pass at Ichiro. He's one hot little J-poper."
Takumijo nearly fell off his seat laughing. "You are all crazy. I never in a million years thought out little geisha boy would turn into a stud."
The blush on Ichiro's cheeks spoke volumes. Damn, he was so lucky, Yori thought.
"I can't wait for you to meet Cristal," Takumijo continued.
"Who is Cristal?" Shaundra asked.
"Our new public relations person. She'll be back next week. She's in Paris doing a story for Mr. Niigata. The two of you are going to become good friends."
"Does she speak English?"
"Yes, she's American."
"Good. No offense, but Japanese women don't seem to like me."
"I wonder why?" Amaya replied sarcastically.
Shaundra chuckled, unaffected by Amaya's cattiness. She raised an eyebrow at him, knowing he wanted to comment but wouldn't.
"I can't wait to meet her. We'll go shopping for some things I need before we leave for China."
"But you don't like to shop," Ichiro said innocently.
Amaya gasped. "What in the hell is the matter with you?
Women are born to shop."
"Not this woman," Shaundra replied. "I have better things to do with my time."
"Like what?"
"Like write, keep house and please my husband. When I'm ready I just whip out my black charge card and order from Victoria's Secret over the Internet. I just push a button and all the work is done."
"What is Victoria's Secret?" Yori asked.
Amaya whispered it to him and he squirmed in his seat, much to the delight of everyone in the room, including Masaaki. Yori went back to his food. The images conjured up in his head would start a world war at the table.
The women were simply undressing Yi-jun with their eyes as they entered the nightclub. Not that she could blame them. He had changed clothes in the restroom once they arrived at the club and had given his suit to Beatrice to put in the limo. He now wore a pair of skintight jeans that rode seriously low on his hips and a tight T-shirt that showed off his muscles and killer frame. If she'd known he'd look that good in club clothes, she would have accompanied him sooner. A few of the women were actually drooling as she led him to the dance floor. Once the music began, it only took her a few minutes to figure out that he knew how to dance.
Maybe she should have suspected as much, since he did hang around with Satoshi, who could be considered one of the best dancers she knew, besides Takumijo. The music changed to a slow tune, and he pulled her into his arms and slow-dragged with her. Now where had he learned that? Slow-dragging was something she learned in New Orleans when she visited her cousin on summer break as a teen. Asian guys should not know how to slow-drag, her mind told her body. If they were naked, what they were doing could actually have been considered screwing. The dance was cute for teenagers but took on a whole new meaning for adults. Thankfully the song ended, but not before she noticed how their togetherness had turned him on. There was no way he could hide it in those jeans. Hmm, very impressive, she thought has he led her back to the table. "Where did you learn that dance?" Cristal asked.
"Where did you learn that dance?" Yi-jun asked, teasing her as they sat down. He signaled for a waiter.
"My cousin from New Orleans taught it to me when I visited her when I was about fifteen."
"Ditto," Yi-jun replied. "But I picked it up when Satoshi and I went there for Mardi Gras."
"You and Satoshi went down to Mardi Gras. How old were you then?"
"About sixteen. Satoshi talked me into it."
"Why am I not surprised? How did two sixteen-year-olds get to New Orleans?"
"We snuck away and got into a lot of trouble. We got drunk and rowdy and got into a bar fight. The police had to call our parents."
Cristal chuckled. "Figures. Did you get grounded?"
Yi-jun nodded. "Yes, and I couldn't see him for a week. All I could do was stay at home and study."
"Yet the two of you are still best friends after that."
"Satoshi is great. I don't know what I would have done in Washington all that time if I hadn't met him."
"He does have his moments."
The waiter arrived. "What would you like?" he asked, "Red wine," Cristal answered.
"Bring me a bottle of your best," Yi-jun replied to the waiter.
The waiter nodded and walked away.
"A whole bottle?" Cristal asked questionably.
"We're in Paris, remember?"
"I do have to wake up tomorrow," Cristal replied sarcastically.
"Yeah, I know you have a two drink minimum."
"Just so you know it, I can count that high."
Yi-jun chuckled. "I see why Satoshi and Takumijo like you.
The three of you could be triplets with your witticisms."
"So what do you think of Aomori?"
"Four idiots," Yi-jun replied. "And four of the best guys to have at your back if you ever get into trouble."
"Have you guys been in fights before?"
Yi-jun nodded. "Too many times to admit, but it usually involves someone making a stupid comment about how they look. I don't know how many times they have been mistaken for girls."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they're not exactly very masculine looking, except for Takumijo, and that's only because of the muscles."
"I think Satoshi and Takumijo are both very handsome, but I haven't met the other two yet. They are supposed to be in Korea now. What are they like?"
The waiter returned with the wine, and Yi-jun paid him and sent him on his way while he filled their glasses. "Let me see.
Yori is the leader. He's tall and good looking but a little too stiff in the sense of humor department. He has been mistaken for a girl many times because of his pretty face, but he does have a masculine physique."
"So that just leaves Ichiro."
Yi-jun sighed contently. "Ichiro you have to see to believe.
He defies explanation."
"Meaning?" Cristal asked now that Yi-jun had piqued her curiosity.
"He has some quirks."
"Quirks?"
Yi-jun nodded. "Imagine a six-foot geisha with long, flowing black hair and blue eyes."
"Yeah, I've heard about those eyes. Geisha? Do you mean he looks like a transvestite and you're too embarrassed to say?"
"No, it's more like he has delicate features. He's too beautiful to be masculine, and he wears kimonos most of the time and hides his face behind fans."
"Wait, isn't he married?"
"So I've heard, though it threw me for a loop since he's so shy and hardly speaks."
"Then what's the attraction? Why would a woman marry a man who looks like a woman?"
"I don't know. Maybe she a closet lesbian and with this she can have the best of both worlds. But you'll find out when you return. Don't be too quick to judge. Ichiro is the best songwriter in the country and a master chef too."
"He cooks?" Cristal asked as she sipped her wine.
"And keeps house. It's his contribution to the group."
"Ah, the group thing. Strange custom. So he's the mother?"
Yi-jun nodded. "He's also a martial arts expert and can kick some serious ass in a fight."
Cristal laughed. "You make me want to hurry back just to meet him."
"Sorry, but you're stuck with me for another couple of days. But I guess I can dress up like a geisha if that's what you like."
"Don't you dare," Cristal replied. "I prefer manly men."
"You might change your mind once you meet the other two."
"I don't think so," Cristal said.
Yi-jun just picked up his glass and chuckled.
Paris by moonlight was something that had to be experienced and seen for oneself. Cristal sat back in the carriage seat, huddling beneath a thick blue blanket with Yi- jun as the driver described each building, nook and crevice they passed. Picture books did not do justice to the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. The two historical buildings cast huge shadows against the starry night sky.
"Isn't it magnificent?" Yi-jun asked with a contented sigh.
"It certainly is. It's almost better than seeing the cherry blossoms in the spring."
"See - and you didn't think you'd have any fun."
Cristal lifted her Styrofoam cup of hot chocolate to her lips and sipped. "No, I said I didn't come here to have fun. But alas, things like this just break down my work ethic." She sighed. "This is so relaxing."
Yi-jun chuckled. "It's the ninety proof rum that's mixed with your chocolate."
"I just let the man add a little to help ward off the chill,"
Cristal confessed.
He nuzzled closer to her. "That's what I'm here for. You are welcome to share my body heat all night if you want to."
Cristal chuckled. "No thank you...not that the offer isn't tempting. But I don't think you'd respect me in the morning if we shared body heat all night long."
"Yes, I would," Yi-jun answered quickly. "But we might not make it to Basil Degare's fashion show tomorrow."
"Then I won't be able to return to Korea. I bet Mr. Niigata will have someone waiting for me at the airport on the day we return to either take the article from me or give me a pink slip if I don't deliver."
"Why would you want to work for someone like that?"
"Because he pays a damn good salary."
"Money isn't everything, Cristal."
"Says the man who has it all." Cristal shifted in her seat again.
"I do not have it all," Yi-jun said in his own defense.
"Oh, no. When was the last time you missed a meal because you couldn't afford to pay for food, or had your lights disconnected by the power company, or bought a suit off the rack?"
"Okay, but should I feel guilty because I make a lot of money?"
"No, but..."
"But nothing. I might have a lot of money, but it can't buy me true love."
She turned her head to face him. "Is that what you truly seek?"
"Oh yes," Yi-jun replied just as he lowered his lips onto hers.