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He shook his head and bent down. ‘What’s wrong? You’re better than this. You’re stronger than this.’
She closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds. When she opened them again he saw a whole host of vulnerability in the tiniest of flashes. ‘Welcome to my life, Avery. Just as well you don’t plan on being around too long. You’d have to get used to it, just like I have.’ Her voice was barely a whisper. The most fleeting of glances was taking the whole shine off their day.
He didn’t know where the words came from. They were just on his lips and out there before his brain had processed them. ‘And I would. Every. Single. Day.’
Both of them froze. He hadn’t meant to say them. Of course he would be leaving soon. He didn’t even know what this was.
Those deep brown eyes of hers were like a bottomless pool. They’d sparkled earlier. He liked them best like that. He wanted to bring that back. That was all this really was. That was all this could ever really be.
Her eyes blinked shut again for a second. He knew.
He knew she wasn’t really taking him seriously.
But when she opened them again it was as if she were giving herself a mental shake. She was putting it all behind her.
Part of his heart twanged as her mask slipped back into place and she smiled up at him.
He took a deep breath. It was time to get things back on track. ‘What do you have in store for me this afternoon?’
She stood up, arching her back and stretching. His eyes were instantly drawn to one place. Underwear didn’t appear to be required under the pyjamas. Any more thoughts like that and he’d need to find his jeans again.
She put her hands on her hips and looked at him. ‘Today is all about culture. I’m introducing you to some of the most famous Japanese pastimes.’
‘Do any of these pastimes involve food?’
She laughed. ‘You should know me by now. They all involve food. We’ve got a bit of a journey next. Why don’t we grab a drink and something to eat before we head out?’
She headed for the stairs and he followed close behind. He’d just spent ninety minutes in one of the hottest places he’d ever been, yet Katsuko still looked immaculate.
‘Did you even go into the bathhouse? How come your hair hasn’t frizzed in the steam? You don’t have a hair out of place.’
She turned in the stairwell and put a hand on his shoulder. Because of their position on the stairs her breasts were directly in his line of vision. Some things just couldn’t be complained about.
‘I told you. I’ve been coming here for years. It only takes me five minutes to fix my hair as they have hairdryers and straighteners in the changing room.’
‘You straighten your hair?’
She gave him an astonished look. ‘Every girl straightens her hair.’
He shrugged. ‘Good to know. Must have missed that one.’
They walked into the bar and sat at one of the tables. Avery went to pick up the menu but she put her hand on his. ‘Can I give you a recommendation?’
‘If I let you, can I claim a reward?’ The words came out instantly. He could feel the connection again. Feel the buzz between them. The truth was, it never seemed to go away. He couldn’t remember ever feeling like this.
But he could remember someone talking about it. His father. He’d always talked about feeling electricity between him and whatever number wife he was on. The trouble was, the electricity always shorted out. His father lost interest quickly and moved on.
Katsuko leaned across the glass-topped table towards him. He couldn’t imagine ever losing interest in her and he’d barely even scratched the surface. There was just that tiny little gnawing feeling that he didn’t want to end up like his father.
‘Has anyone ever told you that you can be quite cheeky?’
‘Has anyone ever told you that you bring out the best and the worst in them?’
She sat back a little, the smile dropping from her face. ‘I bring out the worst in you?’
His stomach churned. Wrong, wrong thing to say. He’d been thinking too much. Drawing comparisons with a man he’d never had anything in common with. He covered quickly, leaning across the table again and whispering, ‘You bring out lots of bad thoughts in me.’
There was a second of silence, then she smiled again as the waiter appeared. She spoke rapidly in Japanese to him and he nodded and disappeared.
‘What did you order?’
‘Two beers and two portions of prawn and pork pancake with caramelised onions and crispy noodles. Trust me, it’s delicious.’
He groaned. ‘I trust you already. It sounds delicious. How long will it take them to bring it out?’
‘Ten minutes.’ She tilted her head to one side. ‘This is the first time I’ve seen you out of work without your hat.’
His hand went automatically to his head. ‘I know. I had no idea where we might go. I know there are a lot of theme parks in Tokyo. I didn’t want to lose my hat on the first ride.’
‘You thought I might take you to a theme park?’
He held up one hand. ‘I had no idea. I thought you might be a bit of an adrenaline junkie.’
She frowned. It was obviously an expression she wasn’t familiar with.
He waved his hands. ‘You know, someone who likes motor racing, bungee jumping and parachuting.’
She shuddered. She actually shuddered. ‘Not a chance.’
He was amazed. ‘But at work you seem fearless—you don’t like theme parks?’
She counted off on her fingers. ‘I don’t like roller-coasters, I don’t like things that make you go upside down, things that shoot you into the air. I definitely don’t like ghost trains.’ She held out her hand and gave it a little shake. ‘I don’t mind simulator rides because I know they’re not real, and I might go on a water ride depending on how big the drop is.’
‘You’re really a big scaredy-cat. I’m so surprised.’
She shrugged as the waiter brought over their drinks. She took a sip from her beer bottle and gave him a wink. ‘Maybe I just like to surprise you.’
Was she joking? Pulling his leg because she wasn’t really scared of anything?
A gorgeous smell wafted towards them as the kitchen door swung open. He waited until the plates had been put down and the waiter had walked away. He picked up the chopsticks and wondered how on earth he could do this without getting into a mess.
Katsuko was staring at him as if she had something else on her mind. ‘You already surprised me,’ he said as he tried to grab some of the pork.
‘I did?’
‘You got me naked on our third date.’
* * *
This guy was going to drive her plain crazy. She hated to admit that she loved being in his company. But one minute he seemed to flirt like crazy and the next he seemed to back off. Yet if he did anything else as well as he kissed...
She had to keep reminding herself he’d been gentlemanly earlier. He hadn’t really meant what he’d said. He had been protective of her. And that was nice. It was kind. But she had to remember it wasn’t more than that.
She took him to the train station and listened to him talk about his favourite places in America for most of the journey. He was reluctant at first but she was glad that she’d asked. After a few questions his answers grew more passionate and she could see the love for the place reflected in his eyes. By the time they reached Komagome Station she knew that he loved the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian and an original nineteen-fifties diner back in Ohio. The one thing she did notice was that his memories all seemed attached to his uncle—none of them were about his mother or father. It seemed odd. Her favourite places were always associated with the people she’d been there with, a few with her parents and a few with Don. None with her grandmother.
‘Your family must miss you,’ she said as they rode on the train.
He blinked. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You’ve been to lots of overseas bases. You’ve moved around a lot. Don’t they get tired of it all and ask when you’ll come home?’
It seemed a natural question. She knew it was one that Don would ask her if she moved base.
He hesitated. And in that second her insides curled up a little.
‘My family aren’t the most...traditional.’
‘And mine is?’
