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“Shinji and Takeshi don’t seem to have the same effect on you.”
Kori takes a bite of her roasted jerk pork dip. “Maybe if I’d never seen Shinji’s effect on Takeshi I would be. Takeshi behaves like a teddy bear around his husband, and I can’t unsee that. Same thing with Katsuo. Once you see him in a feather boa playing tea party with his daughter, you won’t find him as terrifying as I did the first time we met.”
“Tea party?” I choke on my surprise.
Kori grins, showcasing the attractive woman I glimpsed at Katsuo’s.
“You do know what Katsuo does for a living, right?”
Her smile fades, and she forks an asparagus spear into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she says, “I know Katsuo pays me very well to cook for his family. That’s the extent of my knowledge, and I intend to keep it that way.”
I nod, accepting she is neither gullible nor manipulative. “So, what did you want to know?”
A slight blush darkens her chestnut cheeks. “That thing you did. You said I could do it, too. How?”
“Do you have someone in mind you’d like to dial up the sensuality on?”
Kori bows her head and nods once, her shyness is an endearing quality. I can’t imagine anyone overlooking her.
“We attended the same culinary arts school, but then he went to Italy to apprentice with other chefs. Since I went to France and then toured Asia, I let go of any hope I’d see him again. Then miracle of miracles, I bumped into him recently and discovered he’s taken a head chef position in Serenidad.”
“And now’s the best time to make your move.” I nod, the full picture materializing in my head.
“Exactly!”
Masanori’s warning to stay away from Kori whispers in my ear. As domineering as he is, I have Shinji and Takeshi in my corner. Not to mention a contract they’ll do anything to ensure goes smoothly. I’ve never enjoyed being bossed around by a man, and Masanori is no exception. I grin and give Kori pointers to help her entice her crush.
She, unlike me, still has an alluring innocence about her that enhances her sexy eyes and disarming dimple. And if she learns to scrunch her nose in the right way, she’ll have a slew of men outdoing themselves for her attention.
As we speak, an unwelcome warmth enters my chest. I recognize it from the few times I’ve connected with my escorts. I ruthlessly crush the sentiment. Keeping my distance is a habit born of necessity. A work relationship won’t endanger people the way having friends will. Despite beating the message into my head, I seem to always embroil myself in other people’s problems. Portia is one example, and I hope I don’t come face-to-face with her again. I’m sure she doesn’t want me around as a constant reminder of her painful decision five years ago. Helping women is a weakness, and although Kori’s request is innocent enough, I can’t risk her entangling me in anything else.
“So… Are—do you, Shinji, and Takeshi have some sort of business as to why you needed Mr. Kimura’s help?” Kori’s voice after our lapse into silence jars me into responding without thinking.
“They want me to be their surrogate.”
“So Shinji’s going to get his wish.” A smile blossoms across Kori’s face that stuns me. Whoever she has her eye on won’t stand a chance. “I’ve been rooting for him since little Kioshi was born. He’s so fun and easy to be around, but I bet he’ll be more overprotective than Takeshi because he wants a family so bad.”
“Yeah, I gathered.” I clear my throat, as unease snakes its way into my chest, settling in for a long comfy sit.
Family.It’s too easy for me to relate. Having someone greet me at home, like me for who I am and not the front I put on in public, and if I’m lucky, someone who loves me despite my flaws… I rub at my chest, realizing the emotion isn’t unease but a deep yearning I’ve run from for years.
“Look, um, thanks for lunch. I don’t know much about Serenidad so meeting some regulars was a pleasant treat, but I should head back.” I jerk upright from my seat and grab the remnants of my lunch, ignoring the awkward moment.
Escape is my priority. Escape from the mess of feelings long enshrouded and entombed in a crypt deeper than the oldest pyramids. Yet one innocent observation could upend all my work. Yeah, I’m not sticking around while a sweet woman who has no business associating with the Kimura’s threatens my equilibrium.
Kori stares at me with a wrinkle crinkling her forehead. “Okay… Oh, and if you’re ever around while I’m working, don’t be shy. I’ll cook you something good whenever you stop by.”
I force my mouth to rise in the semblance of a smile. “Don’t tempt me. I might become your number one stalker.” I wave to her and rush away before she says or does something to persuade me to stay and soak in her companionship.
Her open invitation will already test my resolve to stay away. Life, it seems, wants to throw tons of obstacles to make me question my decisions, but doing so could see me dying before I obtain my goal. And no sweet talk or images of happy families and healthy friendships are worth letting Tommaso Giametti live.
As I walk toward the exit of the farmer’s market, a stall catches my eye and I halt without meaning to. Before I talk myself out of walking away, I make the vendor’s day by dropping a few thousand on his wares.
When I return to the car, I’m still unsure what came over me, and I’m undecided if I’ll unpack any of the parcels. The boxes containing an elaborate cat tree stare at me on the silent return to the house.
Will Katsuo put a hit out on me if I accidentally steal his cat?
CHAPTER 16
