The Ninja's Blade

by Tori Eldridge

  He placed the pot of yuen yeung on a tray with four cups. “In case you want to share.”

  I laughed. “Not likely. But I better drink this in the dining hall in case they arrive.”

  “I put a cone out front so Daniel won’t have to search for a space.”

  I tapped the side of my head. “Good kidneys.”

  “You betcha,” he said, and shooed me into the dining hall.

  Since Baba only served breakfast on dim sum weekends, I had the whole place to myself. I chose a window table so I could watch the street. Half way through the pot, Daniel arrived. I walked out to the car to greet everyone, but my grandparents stayed in their seats.

  “Hi,” I said, bending down to the open window. “Don’t you want to come inside?”

  Gung-Gung flicked his hand. “No time. We like to arrive very early for international flights.”

  “Um, okay. May I at least give you a hug?”

  “Hi, Lily,” Po-Po said, leaning forward from the back seat. “We’ll see you soon, okay?”

  “But…”

  Gung-Gung nodded his approval and added nothing more.

  Had I dragged myself from bed and ingested 360 calories and eighty-eight grams of sugar for “See you soon?”

  Daniel got out of the Lexus as Gung-Gung rolled up his window. I inclined my head toward the rear of the car where we could speak in relative privacy.

  “What’s going on? Ma said they wanted to see me.”

  He smiled. “I think they wanted to see you seeing me.”

  “Seriously?”

  He nodded.

  “Wow.”

  “Uh-huh.” His lips curved into a devilish smile.

  “What’s on your mind, Mr. Kwok?”

  “Would you like to make this worth their while?”

  “Hmm…”

  He leaned in as if to whisper but gazed at my lips instead. “I don’t want to take advantage.”

  “No. That could be dangerous.”

  “Then again, I’d hate to disappoint.”

  I smiled. “My grandparents, or me?”

  “Either.”

  I cut him off with kiss—lightly at first, then longer and more deeply.

  When our lips finally parted, I had forgotten what had prompted this action or why we were standing at the curb.

  He collected my fingers in his and lowered his forehead against mine. “Are they spying on us?”

  The heat from his face made me dizzy, but I didn’t want to break away. So, I rolled my forehead against his and glanced through the rear window to find both my grandparents gaping in their seats. “What do you think?”

  “I think we should do that again.”

  I rolled back the way I had come and found Daniel’s lips waiting for me, parted and inviting. But as I leaned in for another kiss, he pulled away with that mischievous smile. “Oh, no. If I give it all away now, you might not answer my calls.”

  Heat flushed up my neck as I struggled not to smile. “You’re a brat.”

  He walked over to the driver’s side of the car and looked back as he opened the door. “So, will you?”

  “Will I what?”

  “Answer my call.”

  I shrugged and sauntered toward the restaurant.

  “Will you?

  I kept walking.

  “Lily?”

  I chuckled.

  Through the reflection in our restaurant window, I watched Daniel get into the car and Gung-Gung and Po-Po descend on him with poking fingers and prying questions. I hoped they needled him all the way to LAX. And I hoped Daniel didn’t say a word. It would serve them all right for playing games.

  I might not have Daniel’s experience or my grandparents’ caginess, but I had spent my life training in the ninja arts. And one way or another, a ninja always won.

  THE END