“You’re safe!” Maylee exclaimed on the other line. “Have you seen him yet?”
“Yeah actually,” Rochelle replied. “I’m at his place right now waiting for him to get back from the office. I sort of made him miss work yesterday.”
Maylee giggled. “I can just bet what you two did to make him not go to work. Did you work out the whole relationship thing yet?”
“If you mean a fish and a bird can marry but where would they live, no we haven’t. And the truth is I don’t care about that anymore.”
“So if he said you need to give up your business and move to Japan, you would be totally all right with that?”
“Of course not. I don’t wanna give up my business. And he wouldn’t say that. Look, don’t start…I am trying to be positive here.”
“My bad. Just talk to him and don’t wait too long because it seems you two fall deeper in love every damn day.”
Rochelle chuckled and rubbed her eyes. Her phone beeped at her. “Listen, I have to go. My phone is dying. But I’ll call you once I know something, all right?”
“You be safe.”
“Love you.”
Maylee laughed. “Love you more. Bye.”
After hanging up, Rochelle rummaged through her purse looking for her charger but she could not find it. She checked Raiden’s but it wasn’t compatible with her phone.Moaning, she placed the phone down and looked around for something to do while she waited for him to get back. Then she remembered the garden she’d seen earlier through the window. Darting to the front she grabbed her shoes, pushed her feet into them, and left through the back door, propping it open with a garbage can. She walked into the most beautiful garden she’d ever seen. Lanterns lined each path and Rochelle wondered how it would look at night. Rocks lining the path as well and to the far left a well made from the same rocks. A small bridge ran over a small body of water and when she looked down she could see fish swimming around in it. After crossing the bridge, she saw something that resembled a teahouse and she arched a brow. Raiden Rei had his own teahouse?
“Sakura!” she gasped, rushing toward the tree. Rochelle may not speak much Japanese but that word she knew by heart. She looked up at the Cherry Blossoms and inhaled. She could recognize the scent of her favorite body wash anywhere. A blossom slipped from the tree falling against her face. She caught it and sniffed. What a pleasure seeing the tree up close, and being able to run her hand over the trunk and have the smell slip downward naturally against her skin.
She sat beneath the tree, wondering when she last had a chance to just sit, quietly. But her brain wouldn’t stay quiet. She began thinking of a possible future with Raiden even though they lived so far from each other. They crossed the first hurdle—love. Maylee always told her once you find love everything else will fall into place. Rochelle prayed that was true because she fell hard for Raiden. Giggling at the thought of his name she shook her head. She never giggled that much in her life before—ever. But they had decisions to make before things went any deeper. She rubbed her stomach feeling remarkable and different than she had the first time they made love. Now she felt happier.
Another Sakura blossom landed in her lap and she grinned. It seemed to confirm her decision. She entered the house once more and peered into the fridge. Half the things had Japanese writing on them. She opened one container and peeked in; left over Chicken Tatsuda—the same thing Raiden made her for dinner back in Canada. She rummaged around for some sauce but couldn’t find any. She settled for ketchup. Grabbing a copy of The Island of Doctor Moreau from Raiden’s library, she carried her treasures back beneath the tree and sat down.
* * * *
Driving away from the house seemed different knowing that when he returned someone he loved would be there. He held onto her at the door, wrapping his arms around her voluptuous waist and kissed her lips. He glanced back a few times debating whether or not he should just take her back into his bedroom. He decided against it and continued to work. He took a moment in the parking lot before entering the office. The moment Raiden walked in, Nia came charging in closing the door behind her. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and crossed her legs. When he looked at her she stared at him expectantly and he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Ha! Warai!” Nia exclaimed happily. “I haven’t seen you laugh—truly laugh—in a while! So you’re happy she’s here?”
Raiden turned and sat down beside her. After he had gotten over his initial shock that Rochelle Hayes was standing outside his door, his heart had fluttered. He never thought he could be happier to see any woman in his life. She was standing there looking so beautiful and so vulnerable. After their argument he thought he would be going to hell for not taking her in his arms. But Daitaro always told him that true love never did run smooth. It infuriated him that she couldn’t see just how deeply he felt for her but at the same time he understood that some people just didn’t believe in love at first sight. Neither did he until it knocked him on his ass in the middle of a foreign airport.
He rested his elbows on his knees and nodded. “Hai. I am. And she finally told me she loves me and I swear I could have floated out of that room.”
“She must really be something. I’m glad for you. So when do I get to meet her?”
“You promise to behave?”
“Me? Not behave?”
“Ya-ku-so-ku!”
Nia pouted. “Yakusoku—I promise.”
Raiden nodded and stood. “I never did say thank you.”
Nia arched a brow and genuine confusion washed over her beautiful features. “For what?”
“For being concerned. For having my back and taking care of me even when I don’t feel like taking care of myself. I’m glad to have a friend like you.”
“Yeah well, you’re lucky to have me.”
Raiden leaned in and kissed the side of her head “I know. So how are things between you and the Canadian?” He walked to his desk and began rifling through the different folders that had piled up the one day he wasn’t there. He sighed.
Nia giggled and he turned to face his friend. “You giggled.”
Her hand flew to cover her mouth and her face took on a red tint. “Well, we’ve been on a few dates,” Nia finally lowered her hand and replied. “He’s been nothing but a gentleman. Sometime I think he is staring at me and grinning when I’m not looking.”
“Well that’s normal for someone in love. I found myself doing the same thing this morning while Rochelle slept and I didn’t even know I was doing it.”
Nia nodded. “I’m falling for him, Zero and it is such a bad idea.”
“Why is that?” Raiden turned and leant his bum against his desk crossing his ankles.
“He’s going home soon.”
“That was the issue—rather is the issue Rochelle and I are having. I’m prepared to split our lives between the two worlds. And I am prepared to move to Canada if we have children. But she has to be a part of the decision.”
“You’re lucky. Rochelle seems to be a reasonable person. I haven’t said anything to Jeff.”
“You won’t know until you try. Talk to him and see what he says.”
Nia nodded.
“Okay now I have to get some work done. I don’t want to leave her alone for too long. She has nothing to really do in the house and I, like an idiot, didn’t give her keys before I left.”
Nia grinned knowingly. “Sure that’s why you’re in such a hurry. It has nothing to do with that beautiful brown skin.”
Raiden laughed, his mirth causing his hair to shake from side to side. When he could control himself he pulled out a tissue, bunched it up and tossed it at her. Nia simply laughed and walked from the room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. He shook his head when she closed the door behind her. He wanted to go home as fast as he could so he could taste Rochelle. But he had to keep focus while at the office. That would be easier said then done. By the end of the day he only managed to get half his regular amount of work done. Thankf
ully he finished up payroll. He dropped off some mail for Nia to send out and smiled at her.
“Do it tomorrow,” he told her. “You go home.”
“Yes, boss.”
Raiden moaned and darted out the door. He stopped at a local restaurant, picked up dinner and chose a flower arrangement from a street vendor. By the time he reached home it was late. Entering the house he arched a brow. Something smelled good.
“Koibito?” he called, dumping his keys into the bowl and removing his shoes. He walked into the kitchen to see her peering into a pot. He smiled. “Konbanwa koibito,” he greeted. She gasped and spun around knocking a glass off the counter.
“You scared me!” she exclaimed, turning to pick up the glass.
He rushed toward her and took her hands leading her away. He handed her the flowers.
“These are for you.” He kissed her. “Now, let me do this.”
When she nodded, Raiden carefully cleaned up the broken glass. “How was your day?”
“I took a nap under the Sakura tree,” Rochelle explained while opening cupboards and closing them. “I still can’t find anything in this kitchen.”
“Relax, baby, you’ve been here less than a day.” Raiden grinned. “What are you looking for?”
“A vase.”
“Oh that’s easy, I don’t have one.”
She turned to look at him as though he had told her they were going to have triplets and he chuckled.
“What?”
“Did you just say—when was the last time you had a woman in this house?”
“Aside from Nia? Never.”
“Nia?”
“Jeff’s new girlfriend. She’s been my friend since high school. I don’t bring lovers home, Rochelle.”
“You had me here and I’m a lover.”
“You’re not a lover—you’re more.” He turned to the stove switching them off before taking her hands and leading her into the living room. He sat her down and kneeled down before her ensuring she had his full attention.
“So today I was in the office and I couldn’t stop thinking. I’ve been thinking that it is time we made some decisions about where this is going—no let me finish. I love you. You know that already. I don’t mind sharing our worlds—but the big decision needs to be where we will live if we have children.”
Rochelle pressed a finger over his lips to silence him. “It will work out, Zero. Our kids can live in Canada and visit Japan regularly or vice versa. I don’t care where I am just as long as it’s with you.”
“Okay, then we will live in Canada. I don’t think our babies would have a complete childhood without snow, do you?”
Raiden smiled at her and she kissed his face. That caused his heart to soar. He felt absolutely giddy knowing even though he would live with her in Canada, he could always visit Japan.
“But, I want our babies to have a Sakura tree in the backyard. I want them to learn the language of their father.”
“And they will, this will be their home too,” he whispered. “Koibito, no matter where we live our children will have the absolute best of everything. Yakusoku.”
“Ya-ku-so-ku—what’s that?”
“It means, I promise.”
“You have to teach me,” she whispered, taking his lips.
He moaned as her hand began unbuckling his belt. Silently, he allowed her control of his body. He watched her with heated eyes. He folded his arms behind his head after she removed his shirt. When he lay naked before her eyes, Raiden smiled at the way she stared at his body. She trailed the curves of his abs with a finger bowing her head to kiss them. He moaned arching up to her mouth. Temptation told him to wrap his fingers through her hair but he couldn’t. He would let her take her fill of him and then he would demand the same in return. His body would take from her everything she wanted to give. He smiled, licking his lips trying to keep his eyes from rolling back.
Her hot mouth engulfed his cock and every thought of staying sane left him. His eyes did roll back and his fingers tightened. His breath left him in hard, fast bursts as her mouth moved up and down, sucking at his member. His hips gyrated upward.
“Rochelle,” he gasped, struggling to sit up. He couldn’t though—every muscle in his body felt limp. Her tongue licked over the head, down against the shaft before he felt his balls in her mouth.
“Yes!” he managed. He lifted a hand to his face, covering it before raking his fingers through his hair.
“Scream for me, Raiden,” she teased. “I know you want to.”
“How—how do you know that?”
She smirked at him before the head of his penis disappeared in her mouth again. Her tongue danced over the head quickly and Raiden yelled as he released against her tongue.
Raiden’s body jerked against the couch as she continued stroking him. This is not what he wanted to do at all. He wanted to come deep within her.
“Oh wow,” he managed still not able to sit up. “No matter how many times you do that—”
“Thought you didn’t want to scream for me, Raiden?”
“Tease!” he accused. “How about I return the favor?”
“What do you have in mind?” She arched a brow at him.
“How about you climb up here—I’ve wanted to taste you all day. I want to feel you dripping, hot down my chin.”
Rochelle giggled and wiped a hand across her mouth. She slipped from the brand new pants he bought her along with the thong and did as he so asked. The moment she sat over him, Raiden’s tongue went to work and Rochelle couldn’t contain her self. She pinched at her nipples and when she couldn’t take the delicious torture anymore, she bit down against one of her fingers. She fell forward against her elbows as she rode his tongue. His hand came down against one butt cheek with a resounding slap. “Oh!” she gasped, wiggling her ass against his tongue. “Again!” she pleaded breathlessly.
He slapped the other cheek again and again.
She squealed driving her hips down over and over.
He ate her through her first orgasm, her second and through her third. Rochelle melted from his face to lay on her back beside his head. He climbed over her, spread her legs and drove himself deep within her. She arched upward, eyes widening, yelling, “Zero!”
He stopped moving and Rochelle wanted to scream in frustration. She looked up and he grinned down at her. She clawed at his chest and gyrated her hips to show him what he wanted but he simply leaned down and kissed her nipple. “Tell me what you want, Koibito.”
“I want you to fuck me—hard.”
“As you wish,” he smirked and drove his hips home.
A delirious smile braced Rochelle’s lips as Raiden gave her what she wanted.
“Oooh-yes-baby-yes!” she cried out, digging her nails into his back.
He plunged within her, again and again. With each thrust, Rochelle squealed his name in absolute bliss. When she finally came undone around him, Raiden gave up, and erupted deep inside her.
“Welcome home, baby,” Rochelle moaned.
“I’m so glad I came home—”
Chapter Eleven
After being in Japan for two weeks, Rochelle woke up one morning feeling less than stellar. She lay alone in bed wondering where Raiden disappeared to. He walked through the door at that moment carrying a tray with breakfast. The smell of food turned her stomach so violently that she shoved from the bed and breezed by him into the bathroom. Falling on her knees before the toilet, her stomach heaved and it seemed everything she had ever eaten made a re-appearance.
“Baby?” Raiden questioned. She heard his footsteps coming toward the bathroom. He kneeled beside her, holding her braids out of her face.
“I don’t feel well, Zero,” she whispered. Her body heaved again. She wanted to faint by the time she stopped. Falling against Raiden’s chest he cradled her head against his neck.
“Come on,” he said, gently helping her off the ground. “Let’s get you to a hospital.”
“Sweetie, I don’t
think I need a—” She again fell to her knees before the toilet. “All right—hospital.”
She stopped to rinse her mouth and allowed Raiden to pick her up into his arms and carry her to the car. On their way out she reached for his cell phone and car keys. At the vehicle he refused to put her down and she chuckled, “Baby, you’re going to have to put me down for me to get into the car.”
“I just—”
“I won’t break, I promise. It’s probably a stomach bug.”
Rochelle saw reluctance in his eyes but he placed her gently on the ground. She kissed his cheek and climbed into the car. When he closed the door and walked around, she leaned over and inserted the key into the ignition. He climbed into the car and before he had his belt on, he started the engine and backed out of the driveway. They drove so fast that at one point she gripped his arm. “Slow down, Zero!”
“I’m sorry.” He took her hand but didn’t slow down very much. In no time at all they pulled up to a large building with Hoshigaoka Koseinenkin Hospital written on the outside along with the Japanese symbols. She took his hand and allowed him to fuss over her as they walked into the large building.
The hospital was unlike anything she had ever been in but she didn’t have time to take it all in. The last place she wanted to end up in Japan or anywhere else was a hospital. They were barely in the door when someone called to Raiden.
“Rei-Chan!”
They both turned around and Raiden waved. “Yamamoto-isha,” he returned the greeting bowing slightly. He then went on to ramble in rapid Japanese. “Rochelle, this is Doctor Yamamoto,” Raiden said, before turning back to the man and continued in Japanese. The older man’s eyes widened, then he glanced at Rochelle. Suddenly the doctor shouted to a nurse who came running with a wheelchair. The nurse helped Rochelle into the chair and wheeled her into a private room. They stopped Raiden from entering and closed the door. The nurse handed her a hospital gown.
“You—put—on,” she spoke in careful English. “Take off clothes.”
For the Love of Rei Page 14