While Beauty Sleeps (Once Upon a Harem Book 7)

by Ripley Proserpina

  Her breath caught in her chest and then her hands lifted from her body to cup Reiji’s face. I should have looked away, given them privacy, but I couldn’t. Because when my friend took her hands in his, and unfolded his body, Kumiko’s eyes were open.

  Her beautiful, golden-brown eyes.

  “Hello,” she said, her gaze landing on each of us. And she smiled.

  I don’t know who got to her first, but seconds later, we all had our arms around her and she laughed between us. She patted our faces and kissed our chests while we rained kisses on her head, her temple. Anywhere we could reach. She was alive and awake.

  She was ours.

  29

  Kumiko

  Night had fallen and I was back with the princes in their home.

  I’d been reunited with my sisters, who’d cried and held me, marveled at my miraculously healed hand, and then called our parents. Who, in turn, cried and laughed when we told them I was alive and well.

  Then they left us. Miori, Fuyumi, and Aoi had embraced me and told me they were returning to the main island. They’d see me when I returned—should I choose to return.

  Now, I sat with the princes, staring at them as they stared at me. It should have been awkward the way we studied each other, but it wasn’t. Every so often, one of them would touch me, grip the back of my neck and pull me forward for a kiss.

  A kiss.

  “You love me,” I said after Dai had held me against his chest. He’d grabbed me suddenly, pulling me across the sofa into his lap to squeeze me tight. I thought I understood why he’d done it. I, too, had a hard time believing everything had turned out fine.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too!” Goro said. He found a place next to me and slid my feet onto his lap. I shifted, afraid I was too heavy and my heels skimmed against him. He sucked in a breath, hardening beneath me.

  Dai was hard as well, and each slide of our body dumped heat into my center. I hadn’t been prepared for what their kisses would awaken in me. It was all I could do not to straddle them, pull one to me and then another.

  Dai pressed a kiss to my temple and I yawned.

  “You should go to bed,” Wataru said. “You’re exhausted.”

  “I don’t want to sleep,” I said, shuddering. For the rest of my life, I would remember what it was like to be alert and aware, but unable to move.

  Dai nudged me forward and stood before holding his hands out to me. “Come on,” he said. “You need rest.”

  “But—”

  “Go with him,” Wataru said, staring hard at Dai. I glanced between the two of them. It felt like something unspoken passed between them.

  “Listen to him,” Goro said. He stood and kissed me gently. His tongue tasted my lips before he pulled away. “We have the rest of our lives to be together.”

  “You need to take care of yourself, and I have a feeling our families will end up on our doorstep tomorrow. You’ll need all the energy you can muster to deal with my mother,” Reiji said, drily.

  Goro laughed and held up his hand for a high-five, which Reiji ignored.

  “Lame,” Goro said, dropping his hand. “Mr. Whiskers won’t leave me hanging, will you?” The orange cat had been observing us from the coffee table. Goro placed his palm up for a slap, and inexplicably the cat touched Goro’s hand with his paw. “See?”

  “You’re an idiot,” Reiji said, shaking his head. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his body to drop a kiss between my neck and shoulder. “I love you,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too,” I replied.

  As Goro and Reiji headed to their respective rooms, Wataru approached me. A line creased the space between his eyebrows and I smoothed it away with my thumb. “Where is my happy Wataru?” I asked.

  His arms were tight, his movement rough as he held me. “I almost lost you. I was so stupid. Can you forgive me?” He kissed my lips, over and over. His stubble rasped my skin and I hoped later, I would find he’d left his mark on me. I kissed him just as fiercely and held him just as close.

  “You saved me,” I said, my lips moving against his. “I love you.”

  “I love you so much,” he said and kissed me again. “Forever.”

  He gave me one last lingering press before he stepped away from me. “Goodnight, Kumiko.”

  Grudgingly, I released his hand, but a second later, Dai caught me up, dragging me toward the bedroom. His dark eyes held mine as he walked backwards, through the door.

  Then he spun, pressing my back against the door to kiss me as he locked it.

  “Are you staying with me?” I asked, my voice breathy.

  “If you’ll let me.” He lifted an eyebrow, waiting for my reply. “I know it’s soon. Maybe it’s too soon…”

  “Yes!” I interrupted and winced at how ridiculous I sounded, but then I didn’t care. “Yes.”

  Dai smiled, leaning into my body. He was so much taller than me, but he didn’t make me feel overwhelmed or smothered. Instead, I felt protected.

  He’d fought a witch for me—slain a dragon.

  But even before he did those things, he’d saved me. Because of him, and Goro and Reiji and Wataru, I’d had a chance to live when I thought myself doomed.

  He leaned closer and my eyes fluttered shut as his lips touched me. Dai was gentle, brushing his lips against mine before he sucked my lower lip into his mouth and bit it.

  I groaned, but he caught the sound from me, sliding his tongue into my mouth. He wound his arms beneath me and lifted. Instinctively, my legs went around his waist and I canted my hips to grind against him.

  Tearing his mouth away, Dai squeezed his eyes tight. “Slow,” he whispered. I wasn’t sure if the reminder was for him or for me. But slow wasn’t what I wanted.

  I rolled my hips against his again and his eyes popped open, one side of his mouth lifting in a smile. I laughed and he spun us again until my back hit the bed. Braced over me, his muscles flexed as he propped himself up with one arm.

  My mouth was a breath away from his body. I inched closer to his arm, nibbling the skin I could reach. As his lips touched my neck, I arched my back.

  One hand pushed my shirt out of the way, skimming my stomach to curl around to my hip and back. He pressed us together even more tightly, but I wanted more.

  “I need this off.” I tugged at the hem of his shirt.

  One last kiss to my neck had me arching again. Sitting back on his heels, Dai peeled the shirt from his body and threw it behind him.

  “You’re beautiful.” He was. All smooth expanse of ivory skin. Ridges of muscles covered him and I suddenly felt very self-conscious.

  “Hey,” he said. He took my hands which had stilled on his stomach and brought them up to his mouth. Softly, he kissed each finger and then my palm, closing his eyes. “No more of this. I saw how you tried to hide your face from us when you thought we stared. Don’t turn away anymore.”

  “It’s hard,” I admitted. “I am who I’ve always been, but…” I searched for how to explain myself. “But not.”

  “I wish I’d kissed you when you arrived. I hate that you doubt my feelings for you.” He frowned, leaning over me again and kissed me. “Never doubt the depth of my love, Kumiko. It’s infinite.”

  “It did awaken me from eternal sleep.” I touched his cheekbones with my fingertips. “I love you, Dai.”

  “I adore you,” he replied. “Now…” He began to lift my shirt. I raised my arms and he brought it over my head. When I lay clad only in my bra, he lowered his head to kiss the top of my breasts. “Can we finally get naked?”

  I burst out a laugh and he smiled widely, chuckling deep in his throat. Curling my fingers in the waist band of his jeans, I held him to me and I decided, Dai on top of me was my favorite. If I could keep him there, I would.

  But we both wanted more. Desperate now, we stripped each other. He jumped off the bed when I unbuttoned his jeans, shimmying them over his hips before covering me again.

&n
bsp; “Hi,” I whispered, my knees coming up to cradle him. It left me open and as if he couldn’t help himself, he thrust against me.

  “Hi,” he replied, shifting his weight to his elbow. With one hand, he trailed over my skin to my hip and between my legs. My eyes shut as if I had no control over my body while his fingers played between my folds, tracing me gently.

  Dai moaned into my neck before fixing his mouth to mine. His tongue probed between my lips and I opened for him. Immediately, he dipped inside my mouth, swirling his tongue before sucking at my lips, and all the while his fingers played me.

  Heat pooled between my legs and I cried out as he penetrated me. The heel of his hand rocked against my mound while his fingers thrust rhythmically in and out.

  I was too hot. My skin flushed as I climbed closer and closer to release. Dai suddenly twisted his hand to strum his thumb over and around my clit while curling a finger inside me.

  My muscles contracted, my breath caught, and then I was coming. “I love you,” I repeated while he drew out every aftershock in my body. “I love you.”

  His fingers withdrew, but he kept his hand between my legs as if he didn’t want to leave my heat.

  I opened my eyes to find him staring at me, gaze roaming my face. “You slay me,” he whispered, kissing me.

  He was still hard, but he’d so thoroughly distracted me, I hadn’t had a chance to touch him. Keeping my eyes on his, I snaked my hand between us to gently pull a stroke along his erection. Dai dropped his forehead to mine and sucked in a breath. “This isn’t about me.”

  “No,” I agreed, keeping my hand on him. “It’s about us.”

  Carefully, I pointed his erection toward my core and slid my legs along his hips. He thrust forward, his tip breaching me, and held himself there, breath bellowing out of him.

  “Shit!” he said suddenly and rolled away from me. Shocked, I sat up as he darted around the room, opening and closing drawers. “Shit.” He found what he was looking for in his closet, and held up the foil square. “You make me forget everything.”

  I giggled and lay back again, holding out my arms. He quickly sheathed himself in the condom and climbed onto me. His fingers went back between my legs and he closed his eyes. “So wet.”

  “Dai.” My hips chased his fingers, but I needed more. “Please.”

  He stroked his fingers toward my clit, circling the pad over it while he pushed between my legs.

  My breath caught at the sensation of being so full, and he stopped to give me time to adjust. “Perfect.” He gasped as he withdrew and thrust again. “I can’t—”

  I raked my fingers down his back, feeling the muscles flex. Dai kissed me, tongue mimicking the movement of his hips—rolling, stroking, withdrawing.

  The heat was building again, moving like a wave up from my spine to wrap around my entire body. Dai’s movements became hectic. I was right there, and like he knew exactly what I needed without me saying a word, he pinched my clit and I fell over the edge.

  But I wasn’t alone.

  Dai fell with me, and when he rolled away, he took me with him to cradle in his arms. In the darkness of his room, he covered us with a blanket and held me tight.

  “I love you,” he whispered and I smiled.

  My heart was safe with him, and I knew, no matter what else happened in our lives, he would love and protect me for always.

  30

  Goro

  I limped into the living room after waking up well past morning. My stomach growled and my cat was twitching his tail at me as if waiting for the opportunity to murder me.

  His dish had been half empty. Apparently that was unacceptable and he’d nearly starved to death if the yowling I’d ignored the last hour was any indication.

  I’d poured dry food into his dish and had taken a yogurt from the fridge when the door to Dai’s room opened and Kumiko snuck out.

  “Morning,” I whispered and she clutched her chest.

  “Holy crap. I didn’t think anyone would be awake.” She tiptoed to the island separating the kitchen from the living room and slid onto a barstool. “How are you?”

  My ankle gave a twinge, but it was nothing. Yesterday, for those moments when I thought Kumiko was dead, I felt the worst possible pain I could imagine. It was then I realized what she was asking. “I can’t believe it’s all real.”

  Kumiko dropped her gaze to stare at her hands. “It is, though.” She looked up at me through the dark fringe of her lashes before to her hands. She pressed her lips together as if to keep from smiling. “It’s real.”

  Food forgotten, I propped myself on my elbows and reached for her hands. I cupped them in mine and leaned down. Her skin was smooth against my lips, and I shut my eyes, taking in the warmth of her. “How would you like to eat breakfast outside?” I asked quietly, leaning away. “I bet I have more yogurt.” I lifted my eyebrows, feigning excitement about the boring breakfast.

  “Yes, please,” she said. Her stomach growled, seconding the answer and she wrapped her arms around her abdomen.

  I opened the refrigerator to give myself a chance to plot. Our apartment was on a corner lot, but it had a small walled garden with an arbor and heavily flowered cherry trees. If yesterday’s wind hadn’t blown all the petals off the trees, we’d have plenty of privacy for what I had planned. Piling the yogurt and some fruit I found in my arms, I blew out a breath before straightening. “Ready?”

  She stood and my breath caught at how perfect she was. Circles darkened her skin beneath her eyes, and her hair was a bit wild, but her smile—her smile did me in. A little crooked, a little unsure, but happy. I wanted to drop the food in my arms and grab her, but her stomach rumbled again. Food first.

  “Can you grab that blanket from behind the couch?” I asked, gesturing with my chin toward the throw.

  “Sure.” She gathered it and followed me through the kitchen to the back door, out into the garden.

  “Goro!” she whispered.

  We were lucky. The witch’s storm hadn’t destroyed the garden, and even I, who unlike Dai didn’t have an artistic bone in my body, could see the beauty of the scene.

  Kumiko walked forward, her feet quiet as she picked her way across the stone path to the arbor. Around it, the branches of the cherry trees entwined, creating a pink bubble around us. Slowing turning in a circle, Kumiko lifted her head to stare at the branches. “This is incredible.”

  “I don’t think I appreciated how beautiful it was,” I answered. “Before now.”

  Kumiko smiled, and when she lowered her eyes, she winked at me. It was too much. I dropped the food on the bench and strode to her, stopping when we were inches apart. “You’re shorter than I thought,” I said, staring down at her and she threw back her head and laughed.

  I caught her laugh with my mouth, capturing her lips with mine. Her body relaxed into me and I wrapped my arms around her, spinning us until her back touched the cherry tree.

  “Do you know,” I asked, “how long I’ve wanted to touch your lips?” I kissed her again, sipping at them.

  Her fingers poked into my dimples as she kissed me back and then pulled away. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that?” she asked.

  This girl. In every way, she fit me. All the doubts I had about myself went away with her.

  Her hands dropped to my hips and tugged me closer, her body shifting against mine. Faster than I wanted to admit, I went from half-mast to fully erect, but I didn’t want to push her. I was happy with kisses, and could wait, for however long it took, for her to be ready for more.

  So when her hand went between us, sliding into the waistband of my jeans, I definitely wasn’t prepared. “Holy hell!” I cried when her hand smoothed down my length.

  “Bad?” she asked, her movement stalled.

  “No.” I pressed my hand over hers, encouraging her to go on. “No, not bad at all.”

  Her eyes shut, as if she was focusing everything on the feel of me as she stroked me again. Breath burst from my
lungs as I tried to hold myself together. Coming in my pants wasn’t part of my plan, but Kumiko was quickly making me forget my own name, let alone what I hoped to do.

  Her other hand snaked around my back, grabbing my ass, and I remembered. Slowly, I took her hand from my pants and lifted it to my lips. Her eyebrows drew together, confused, but I kissed away the tiny crease.

  Kumiko wore a dress that buttoned down the center and was tied with a bow around her waist. On her feet, she wore sandals, but no tights. I smiled to myself as I leaned in for another kiss. It was the perfect outfit for what my fingers itched to do.

  Curling my fingers around her hem, I lifted the dress and trailed my fingers along her outer thigh. Goosebumps erupted on her skin and she shivered. Perfect.

  I let her think this was all I was doing. She relaxed into my kiss and when I opened my eyes, her face was serene. Relaxed.

  Twisting my hand, I brushed my knuckles along her seam and groaned at the wetness I conjured. Kumiko gasped as I yanked aside her underwear and pressed my finger inside her.

  She moaned into my mouth and I groaned in response. Her hips moved against me as I withdrew my finger and plunged inside her again. Kumiko gripped my neck, keeping me anchored to her as I rhythmically pressed against her mound.

  A second later, I felt her shatter around me, muscles clenching and unclenching on my fingers as she let off breathy sounds I caught with my lips.

  Carefully, I withdrew my fingers from her. I wanted to taste her and quickly inserted my fingers into my mouth. She was as delicious as I knew she’d be.

  “Here.” I embraced her and touched my lips to her head. “Here is where I want you forever.” I touched my back pocket for the ring I’d taken from the vault at the Governor’s Estates when Kumiko told us she was flying back. At the time, I told myself I just wanted to hold onto it. I hadn’t been ready to admit to myself what I really meant to do.

  But when she got out of the car at her sister’s apartment and rushed into our arms, I knew I’d done the right thing.