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His bed is in the center of the room. A blue so dark it may as well be black.
“You love the stars.” My voice is hushed. This room seems like a sacred space for him. The bed is elegant and smooth like him. The wood is smooth dark teak or mahogany. I can’t tell in the low luminescence. It’s a traditional low frame sitting on what looks to be a solid wood frame. The mattress loft gives it a height. It comes to just below my thighs. It smells like him but more intimate. There is a low table beside the bed with nothingbut a single book on it. The room is minimalist. No clutter. Everything meticulously put away. Hidden, whispers in the back of my mind. Yet what would he need to hide from me? I’m no one to him.Yeah, he totally came out in that downpour for no one,whispers my overeager for something more inner me.
“They bring me peace. Have since I was a child.” He looks at the stars, his face awash with the peace he speaks of and pure, unadulterated joy. Then he turns back to me. “You can rest here. I still have some work to do. There’s a headscarf on the table.” He’s already moving to the stairs missing the way my mouth falls open.
I want to badly to ask him to stay. And do what? “Well, goodnight,” I say, letting the words trail off almost sounding like a question.
“Goodnight.” He gives an absent wave, his mind seemingly on his work.
I pull the thick cover back. Falling back on the pillow, the crush of my curls reminds me to tie my hair up.
Just as I knot it at the top I hear his low voice. He’s talking to someone. I almost stop breathing just so I can hear what’s being said. Even though his dialect has changed, it takes me more than a few seconds to pick up on what he’s saying in the rapid-fire exchange.
Finally, I catch chichi and know he’s talking to his dad. Something about taking medicine. Is he reminding his father to take his medicine? Then he wouldn’t be any different than me and Mom getting on my dad about taking his high blood pressure meds and him grumbling he’s tired of getting up at night only to have me snap back that he better or he won’t be getting up at all.
Soon the quiet and twinkling stars in the night sky have me drifting off to sleep.
I’m not sure what wakes me. A sound, being too comfortable — despite finding an excellent featherbed my extra-long twin is nothing compared to this enormous piece of heaven.
Flipping the cover back, I immediately miss the warmth as I get up from the bed and head to the lower part of the loft.
Hisashi is still working seeming so focused on his work as I walk up to him.
“You should be resting,” he says, not looking up from the code he’s inputting at a speed defying pace..
“I will when this is done.” Tucking my hands under my arms, I’m already second- guessing myself.
He types one line of code after another one with ease. I watch him fascinated, though I understand none of what he’s doing.
“Where?” I’m feeling brave now that those all too knowing eyes aren’t boring into me.
He pauses.
“Where will you sleep?” I hurry to ask before I lose my courage.
“There is another room off the kitchen. But I’ll probably take the sofa. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
I can tell by his demeanor he’s not changing his mind. I feel like he’s dismissing me.
“I miss you not holding me,” I blurt out, cringing. I turn away mortified, but he tugs me back.
“Come here, little dove.” He pulls me onto his hard thighs. His arms cage me in as he starts typing more code. I listen to his heartbeat and his swift movement over the keys.
My head is fully turned into his chest when he whispers, “Come, let me put you to bed.” Shutting down his computer, he pulls me to my feet. He pushes me ahead of him as we take the stairs.
He tucks me into the bed pressing a kiss on my brow. When he moves to leave, I grab his hand. His fingers curl around mine for a brief moment before he disengages.
My heart feels like it’s caving in. I turn into the pillow, embarrassed by his rejection.
The bed dips on the other side. Hisashi slides under the covers to the center and pulls me closer. He whispers, “I’m going to keep you,” as he curves his long body around mine.
And he did.
Chapter
Five
Taylor
