by Julie Caplin
Grabbing her camera, she slid open the doors to the balcony and slipped out, naked in the cool night air, and the chill pricked at her tender, abraded skin. With a smile she relished the shiver of pleasure and memory. Shades of blue, white, and silver dappled the horizon as the moonlight lit the bright snow encasing the top of the peak. It radiated a bluish ethereal light that seemed to pulse in the stillness of the night. A few stray wisps of clouds drifted into the shot. Hoping she’d capture the sense of spirituality, Fiona took several photographs, so absorbed she almost didn’t hear the slide of the door behind her.
‘A moonlit shot,’ whispered Gabe’s voice suddenly.
She turned and glanced over her shoulder, smiling as he tucked his warm body behind her, kissing her shoulder.
‘It’s so beautiful. I was hoping to get the “definitive” shot.’
‘And?’ he asked putting his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, the faint prick of bristles sanding her skin.
With a scrunch of her face, she shook her head. ‘Not quite, but those clouds will move in a minute. I’d like to get a shot without them.’
‘And we’ve got tomorrow … or I think it might be today now.’
She shivered again, aware of her nakedness, realising that he’d had the foresight to pull on his boxers.
‘Want me to get you a robe?’
‘No, I’ll go and get it.’
She moved past him and into the bathroom where she’d seen a complimentary robe hanging on the back of the door earlier. For a moment she stopped as she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her mouth a little swollen, her hair a mussed halo around her face and her eyes glowing with satisfaction. She nodded at herself, pleased with what she saw and slipped on the robe.
Gabe was leaning on the balcony, his outline a dark shadow and over one broad shoulder the mountain rose, ghostly in the radiance of the moonlight.
With her heart in her mouth, she snapped the picture, taking several quickly before Gabe lazily turned around.
‘Better?’ he asked, holding out a hand.
‘Yes,’ she said, her pulse still tripping with excitement, unsure as to whether to share the shot with Gabe. He probably thought she was taking pictures of Mount Fuji over his shoulder, not pictures of him in the foreground and the mountain in the background. She didn’t dare take a peep at it; she’d save that for later.
They stayed a little while watching the moon dance in and out of the clouds before Gabe yawned. ‘Bedtime.’ And then he bent and scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to bed. He stood her up, took off her robe and nudged her down onto the bed, sliding under the covers after her.
‘Mmm,’ she murmured as he lay his arm across her and slipped one leg between hers.
‘Don’t get any ideas,’ he teased, kissing her shoulder. ‘You’ve worn me out.’
She smiled and stroked the silky hairs on the forearm draped over her waist, savouring the smooth cotton of the sheets, the heavy weight of his limbs, and soft warmth of his slow breaths lifting the wisps of hair around her neck. Before long he’d dropped off and she lay smiling into the darkness listening to his steady breathing before she finally fell asleep too.
Chapter 23
She woke to Gabe’s broad smile as sunshine poured in through the window. He was propped up on his pillows, the soft white cotton bedsheets contrasting with his golden skin and dark stubble.
‘Morning, Sleeping Beauty.’
‘Morning.’ Her smile was shy, which was ridiculous given what they’d got up to the previous night, but she wasn’t used to waking up with a man beside her, let alone one of all male perfection. It was a little mind-blowing. His arm snaked out and he pulled her to lie on his chest while he pressed a kiss on the top of her head. Her hand caught his nipple and he sucked in a breath.
‘You’re not going to pester me for sex this morning, are you?’ he groaned with a teasing glint in his eye.
‘Me?’
He caressed her breast with a lazy hand, nuzzling down her cheek to find her lips.
It was some time before they made it to the shower where he scooted in behind her and insisted on making her very clean.
‘Do you think I dare do the walk of shame in my towel?’ he asked, surveying the heap of last night’s clothes at the foot of the bed.
‘You can’t! You’ll shock the chambermaids.’ Or give them a great start to their working day.
He grinned cheerfully at her. ‘Why not? It’s a few doors down. You can be lookout.’ She gave him a prim stare.
‘Or I could get dressed and go and get some clean things for you.’
‘You’re no fun.’
‘That’s not what you said in the shower.’ She lifted her eyebrows with pointed meaning.
Still clad in a towel, he yanked her to him. ‘You are …’ He gazed down and then with a quick disbelieving shake of his head, he kissed her so thoroughly that she was left clinging to him because her knees were having a moment.
‘Can you grab my phone? I left it charging.’
‘Sure. Anything else?’ she shot him a teasing smirk.
‘Unless you want me to go commando today,’ he raised lascivious eyebrows, ‘underwear would be good. Top drawer. And I wouldn’t mind a clean shirt. I brought two … you can choose.’
He dug out his key card from his jeans pocket.
His room was the twin of hers with the same picture window view of the mountain. She gathered up pants and socks and took a little while deciding which shirt to take him. The intimacy of this act she would store up and savour as a memory for the future. She chose a pale blue button-down Oxford shirt before checking to see where his phone was.
Focused on the phone charging on the bedside cabinet, she didn’t see the pair of running shoes protruding from under the bed and went flying as she tripped over one of them. Her hand caught the phone with an undignified karate chop and the sudden jolt brought it to life, the screen notification telling her Gabe had three missed calls from Yumi. It was an unpleasant reminder that she’d still be in his life long after Fiona had returned to London.
‘But you knew what you were getting into,’ she told herself, pocketing the phone. ‘This was only ever going to be temporary. It finishes when you step on that plane back to Heathrow.’
***
Thoughts of flights and London were quickly banished when they went down to breakfast and the tone for the day was set. Gabe seemed to like holding her hand a lot and sneaking in kisses whenever there was a quiet corner. After a Western-style breakfast – Fiona couldn’t resist the pancakes on offer – they took the train to Kawaguchiko and the staggeringly steep cable car which climbed 200 metres in three minutes up to Tenjozan Park.
‘Fancy walking back down to the lake?’ asked Gabe after they’d spent nearly forty minutes in the viewing area taking in the view of Mount Fuji to one side and Lake Kawaguchiko on the other.
‘Yes. I’m all viewed out and I don’t think I can possibly take any more pictures of Mount Fuji. I’m done.’ Besides, a sneaky peep at the middle-of-the-night pictures confirmed she’d bagged the shot she wanted. No one but her would ever know it was Gabe, so she felt safe in planning to use it in her exhibition. For all his promises, she couldn’t see him flying to London for it and really didn’t expect him to.
‘Good. Think you might put the camera away for a while and enjoy yourself?’
‘Jealous?’ she teased, unhooking the strap from her neck and tucking it into the padded bag she carried over her shoulder.
‘Hell, yes. I want your undivided attention for the rest of the day.’
She laughed at his mock diva pout. ‘OK then. Let’s tackle this climb then.’ The route down was about five kilometres along paths and steps lined with dense, wide-leaved bushes which Gabe said were hydrangeas.
‘This is lovely. I’m not sure I want to go back to the city,’ she said as they paused at the top of one flight of stairs, the birdsong around them sweet and pure, with a sl
ight breeze rippling through the canopy of trees above them. In the distance she could see the blue of the lake, almost sapphire today in the brilliant sunshine reflecting the cloudless sky.
‘Me neither. Although don’t tell Haruka I said that.’
‘Why not?’
‘She’s a great believer in shinrin-yoku. Forest bathing. Walking in the forest to recharge your batteries. Apparently it’s good for the soul. We should experience the wonder of nature, the blossom, the leaves, as well as the imperfections of nature.’
‘She told me about wabi-sabi,’ said Fiona thoughtfully.
‘Forest bathing is another expression of it.’ He gave a short mocking laugh. ‘And when I’m here, I can almost believe in it.’
Fiona frowned and took Gabe’s arm, disturbed by the return of his characteristic cynicism, guiding him over to a nearby bench.
‘I don’t like it when you talk like that,’ she said softly, surprised by her own boldness.
‘Why not?’
‘Because you sound … bored with life. Weary of everything.’
He shrugged, focusing on something in the distance, his head slightly turned away from her. ‘Sometimes I am. I’ve been around longer than you. I’m trying though.’
She nudged his thigh sharply with her knee. ‘You’re not that much older than me and I’m not completely wet behind the ears. I might not live in London but I’ve certainly travelled in and out a lot and to plenty of other places. I’m not bored with life. You’ve stopped looking at things.’
‘Ouch,’ he said mildly as if he really didn’t give a damn, leaning back against the bench, his arms outstretched on either side as if he owned the damn thing.
‘Sorry Gabe,’ she said fiercely, annoyed by his seeming indifference, ‘but I hate it when you act like this. It’s not really you.’
Watching his profile, she watched him press his lips tightly together before he said distantly, ‘Isn’t it?’
‘No. It isn’t. I think it’s an act … so you don’t get caught out by anyone.’
‘What’s someone going to catch me out at?’
‘Having real feelings. Caring about things?’
She’d got to him, she could tell by the clenching of his jaw as he took an annoyed breath.
‘Like Haruka. You adore her really but you can’t say it. You always have to say things like, “she’s a grumpy old woman”. And yesterday you said you’d forgotten what a special place Japan is.’
Some of his stiffness receded and one of his hands crept onto her lap where he intertwined his fingers with hers. ‘When I’m with you, I remember all that stuff you do to make me see everything through fresh eyes. But … things have happened that I find hard to forget.’
Fiona winced at the flatness in his tone.
‘I understand that,’ she said, squeezing his fingers. ‘After the bullying at school, I locked myself away from other people for a long time but what helped was coming back to life and finding decent people who cared about me.’
‘You volunteering?’ he asked.
She shook his hand in exasperation, saying with asperity, ‘I’m not the sort of person who would jump into bed with someone if I didn’t care.’
He turned to face her, his blue eyes softening. ‘No, you’re not. Promise me one thing: don’t care too much. I’m not much of a catch.’ She shook her head but he carried on talking. ‘I’m sorry. Maybe it’s time I thought about leaving Tokyo instead of chasing memories. In the meantime, you’re right and instead of brooding on the past I should be making the most of this glorious sunshine and the gorgeous woman at my side.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘Come on, let’s try some of this forest bathing. And then I’ll take you for lunch down by the lake.’
She followed him back to the path, watching his broad back with a sad smile. He turned and took a shot of the skyline behind her as she stared down at him. Good job she hadn’t blurted out last night that she loved him. Did that fall into the category of caring too much? Now that really would have been making a dick of herself.
They walked by the lake and for a very late lunch found a charming if expensive restaurant – the prices included the waterside view – although Gabe insisted on paying. ‘You don’t have to,’ she protested. ‘We could go halves. Or I can pay for dinner.’
He paused and gave her a piercing stare as if he were seeing her for the first time. She noticed he’d done it a couple of times since they left Tokyo but this time it was as if he was trying to see into her soul. Her skin prickled with awareness as his eyes roved over her face.
‘You’re a very nice person. That’s the first time in a long while that someone else has offered to pay for me. Which makes it all the sweeter and my pleasure to pay for someone who doesn’t expect it. But unfortunately, on this occasion, I can’t take the credit. This is on the competition prize tab.’ He winced. ‘You know I am still officially your mentor. I feel like I’m taking the piss slightly. I’m not sure Kaito would approve of my mentoring last night. I’m pretty certain it’s not what he had in mind when he set this trip up. Me seducing the competition winner.’
‘Seducing makes it sound one sided. I’m a grown-up.’
‘You certainly are. And there was nothing one sided about last night.’
With one sentence he had the power to make her blush and remember the flurry of clothes hurriedly shed in a tangle of limbs.
‘So,’ his mouth quirked, ‘dinner tonight. I thought we’d go to a steamboat restaurant.’
‘Explain.’
‘Wait and see but I think you’ll like it.’
She rolled her eyes.
‘And after that …’ Oh God, he was doing it again. The man was positively wicked and every naughty thought seemed to be etched onto his face. Her cheeks seemed to be in a permanent state of pinkness. ‘I have a surprise, although you’ll have to get naked.’
‘What?’
‘You don’t have any tattoos I missed, do you?’
She almost choked on her water at the wicked gleam in his eyes.
‘No.’
‘I didn’t think so. I thought I’d been very thorough in the shower.’
‘Gabe!’ she hissed, her face turning even redder. His wicked smirk was unrepentant.
‘Tattoos are banned where we’re going. They’re associated with the Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of the mafia.’
‘I don’t have any tattoos,’ she said primly, sitting on the edge of her chair and pressing her knees together, trying hard not to think of Gabe’s laughing face that morning in the shower and the intimate places he’d kissed which were now throbbing with latent memory.
‘Phew, that’s a relief. I was worried I might have missed something and was going to have to give you another thorough inspection.’
‘Gabe!’ she hissed again, glancing round.
He leaned forward. ‘You kept saying that last night.’
She kicked him under the table. ‘Will you behave?’
‘Why, when teasing you is so much fun?’
And that pretty much shaped the rest of the day.
***
‘Will you quit with the sexy feeding thing,’ said Fiona when Gabe lifted his chopsticks to her mouth for the third time during dinner that evening.
‘You might starve. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone quite so inept with a pair of chopsticks.’
‘You’ve had years to practise. How am I supposed to get any better if you don’t stop doing that?’
He fished a piece of Iberico pork out of the bubbling broth in the steamboat in front of them.
‘Every time I think I’ve had my favourite meal, something else comes along. This is another amazing dish,’ sighed Fiona.
Since they’d arrived she been fascinated by the big silver steamboats on the tables of the other diners and now it was their turn. The ornate, stainless-steel pan sat over a single gas ring which had been brought to their table and held a bubbling chicken broth. The best way Fiona could describe it was like a sa
voury fondue, where you chose the flavour of your cooking broth from beef, chicken, pork, fish or seafood and then cooked your own delicate slivers of meats, raw prawns and chopped vegetables that of course came beautifully arranged on a circular tray in front of them. Peppers – red, yellow and even purple – had been sliced into fine strips, while the carrots had been carved into cherry blossoms and the broccoli had been cut into tiny, delicate trees, the stems carved with an intricate pattern.
‘That’s incredible. I’m not sure I should eat it,’ she said, marvelling at the detail of the work.
‘Then the chef would be offended. The Japanese take hospitality very seriously and vegetable carving is considered a fine art. You’ve probably realised that they celebrate the seasons, like with hanami, but there’s also Iris flower season, the autumn foliage; you’ll see it in the art but also in other parts of the culture, especially food. Having the first of the season, like the first strawberry, is much prized and they often carve the food to match the seasons. In autumn you’ll find the carrots are carved into maple leaves.’
‘That’s incredible and these are just beautiful.’ She held a radish carved into the shape of a lotus flower between her fingers; knowing her, if she’d attempted it with chopsticks, she’d fire the vegetable at Gabe across the table.
‘I wish I had my phone. I’d have WhatsApped a picture to Sophie; she’s a food writer and she loves to try new things, and insists everyone else does too. Her motto is that it’s good for your food education.’
‘Eating in Japan is certainly an education in its own right. I still don’t know what half this stuff is.’
‘I know what these are.’ She poked with one end of her chopstick at the clumps of tiny white mushrooms that looked as if they belonged in a fairy glade. ‘Enoki. We had them at an amazing restaurant in Copenhagen. The food was to die for.’ She grinned at the memory. ‘We all thought Sophie was going to have an orgasm at the table.’
‘Now there’s an idea. Although wasn’t that done in When Harry Met Sally?’
She rolled her eyes. He was completely incorrigible and she couldn’t remember when she’d last had so much fun with someone.