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“I’ll always be weak for you when you serenade me.”
“Keishi, I’m serious.”
He drops his head back to stare at the ceiling. “I don’t know if I can step out of my way and let things happen. What if she decides I’m the deal breaker in pursuing a deeper relationship?”
“She won’t if we play our cards right.”
Takeshi pushes away from his chair to pace, his stride more measured the deeper his introspection. “Shouldn’t she have shown signs she’s opening up to us by now?”
I leave the booth to sit on the couch. “What makes you think she hasn’t?”
“It’s like she’s more guarded than…”
“You?” I finish his question.
“She never calls,” he grits with a frown, offering an alternate theory and disregarding the trait he shares with Lakeshia.
“What?”
“If she’s thinking about us… me, why doesn’t she call? She has my number in her phone. I’ve told her I want to hear her voice, but… She hasn’t reached out.”
“And this is why you’re spiraling?”
“I’m not spiraling. You know what hearing your voice whenever we’re apart does for me. Why can’t she give me this? Do you think I like going through the day obsessing over if the next time I hear her voice it will be because she’s hurt or in danger?”
I rush into the control room. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t fixate on the people you care about. But we don’t have to hit her with the full Takeshi when she isn’t as invested as we are yet. But I swear we can get her there.”
“Yeah? How?” He swings around and pierces me with his turbulent brown eyes.
“We show her a future she can’t refuse. One she can’t run from because when she does her calculations, we are the only solution that will fulfill all her dreams. I know you can do it because you surpass my expectations every day.”
Takeshi pulls me into his arms and rests his forehead against mine. He draws comfort from our embrace, and I happily give him the support he needs until he can stand on his own.
My husband tends to exhaust his emotional battery when he keeps a tight rein on everything. When I exchanged vows with him, I accepted my role in being his place to recharge and be himself. One day, I know Lakeshia will jump to do the same because a man who feels as deeply as our Keishi deserves that and more.
“Okay,” Takeshi exhales. “I’ll wait for her to call me.”
I nod, but doubt remains in his eyes. Today’s session will probably buy Lakeshia a week before Takeshi will need a refresher. When in doubt, I have one method to clear his mind.
“Keishi-kun…”
“Hmm?”
“We have the room for another hour.”
“And?”
“It’s been a while since we reenacted thatPretty Womanscene.” I grab his hand and walk backward, dragging him to the recording room.
Takeshi shakes his head, but quickly unbuttons his shirt. “I think I remember the one song you taught me to play on the piano.”
“If not, improvise.” I lick my lips. “ I know I will.”
CHAPTER 18
Lakeshia
Ichiro keeps checking the door as if I don’t know how long it’s been since Shinji and Takeshi disappeared. I know and I’m trying not to let the scenarios of what those two men could be up to distract me. A week has passed since I agreed to Takeshi’s request to share intel and work with Ichiro. In the days since, I’ve discovered Takeshi and Shinji didn’t exaggerate about their overactive sex drives.
