Down and Dirty (22 page)

It was almost too much to think that she could get dressed and sneak out of the room. She found Kioshi sitting up in bed waiting for her. “I thought you were asleep.”

“Your whimpering woke me up,” he said. He looked her over from head to toe. “You have a fantastic body.”

Cristal tried to cover herself with her hands.

“Now you’re just being foolish,” he said. “I’ve seen everything you have.”

“Ooh,” Cristal said. “What happened? The last thing I remember, the driver was taking you back to your dorm.”

“He did,” Kioshi said. “But then I got a call from you. You were at a club, drinking.”

“Oh yeah,” Cristal said, remembering.

“So I drove over to pick you up. The bartender helped me get you into the car.”

“You can drive?” Cristal asked.

“I’m eighteen,” Kioshi said. “Not stupid. Of course I can drive and read a GPS. I just programmed it and it directed me to the club where you were .”

“So how did we end up here?”

“Because you didn’t want to go home. You kept telling me about how confused your feelings were for me. And then you said the only way you could get me out of your system was by sleeping with me.”

“So you brought me to a love hotel?”

“Where else was I supposed to bring you? To my dorm?”

“You could have taken me home.”

“I don’t know where you live,” Kioshi told her.

“You could have called Damien and found out.”

“That never crossed my mind,” Kioshi said. “Anyway, it’s too late for that.”

Cristal sat down. “And we did it?”

Kioshi nodded. “Quite a few times.”

She groaned. “It couldn’t have been too enjoyable for you. I was drunk and unable to perform.”

“You did okay,” Kioshi said, moving from the bed. “Once you stopped crying.” He had on a pair of briefs.

Good
. “That had to be horrible.”

Kioshi walked to the bathroom and showered while she just sat and tried to figure out how to get herself out of the mess she was in.

Kioshi came back into bedroom looking freshly scrubbed and smelling good.

Cristal groaned. He was so not out of her system.

“I used protection,” he told her.

“Thanks.”

“And I kissed you throughout and thanked you.”

“Nice to know.” She felt a hand on her shoulder.

“For what it is worth, I think you’re much prettier than Akemi.”

“Thanks,” Cristal said. “She is the least of my worries.”

“No one has to know,” Kioshi said. “I will be discreet.”

“I don’t even remember,” Cristal said. “So it won’t be a complete lie. Oh my gawd. How are you going to explain being away to Hiroyuki and Izanagi?”

“They’re used to me slipping out the dorm,” he said.

Cristal groaned again.

He wrapped his arms around her neck. “It will be okay.”

“Did I come?”

“What?”

“Did I come? You know, get off?”

Kioshi released her and walked around. He knelt before her. “Women do that too?”

“Oh!” Cristal said. “Are you kidding?”

The look on his face told her he didn’t know.

“Strip and get in bed,” she told him. “I might as well teach you about women’s work before they cart me off to jail.”

****

Cristal did the walk of shame from Kioshi’s car all the way into her apartment.
Little demon. Who taught him how to screw? And he’s good at it too. Damn good. And no, height has nothing to do with the length of his dick. Did I just think that? I’m going straight to hell
.

Cristal made it inside her apartment and her phone went off with a text. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked down at it. It was from Kioshi.

“Saranghae, Cristal.”

Of course he loved her. He’d just made it with a big girl and he had bragging rights while all she had was the moniker of cougar.

She spotted a blinking light on her answering machine. She walked over to it and played the message.

“Hello, beautiful Cristal.”

Oh gawd, Yi-jun!

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m in town and want to see you.”

She groaned. “Not now.” She walked to her bedroom and crawled into her bed. She had had enough.
Merry Christmas
.

Chapter Ten

Shaundra entered the dining room carrying both babies. Ichiro and Satoshi rushed over to help her.

“Why didn’t you call me to help you?” Ichiro asked, noticing she was now dressed and her hair was combed.

“I didn’t have time. I was heading down the steps with one when the other one woke up. Take one.”

Satoshi grabbed Ryoto and Ichiro took Raiden.

“It’s about time you guys came down to play,” Satoshi told the baby. “It’s time to open your presents.”

Shaundra turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” Ichiro asked her.

“Home,” Shaundra said. “It’s your day with the boys, remember?”

“I thought you were going to stay too.”

“Uh-uh,” she said. “I’m going home to relax and write. There’s enough milk in the refrigerator to last until tomorrow. The nursery is filled with diapers, wipes, and clothes. And don’t teach them how to drink beer.”

Yori cleared his throat. “Do you need a ride home, Shaundra?”

She looked at him. “Cute. Tempting. No.”

“Good answer,” Ichiro said. “Remind me to put some coal in your stocking, Yori.”

“You can’t beat a man for trying,” Yori said.

“Knock yourself out with that,” Shaundra told him, and left them with the babies.

“What was that all about?” Takumijo asked Ichiro as he held Raiden in his arms.

“Just what she said. It’s my time to act as Daddy. Shaundra has some asinine idea that I need to learn to take care of the boys just in case something happens to her. Huh! How hard can it be?”

****

Ichiro awoke to the sound of a baby crying. He crawled out of bed and walked down to the nursery. He found Raiden wide awake and screaming. “What’s wrong, big guy?” Ichiro picked him up and Raiden moved his head around his father’s chest. “Hey, no milk there.” Raiden continued to cry. “And you’re wet.”

Ichiro changed Raiden’s diaper, heated him a bottle, and sat down in the rocking chair with him. Once he fed him, Ichiro tried to make the baby burp and Raiden threw up all over him again. “I thought breastfed babies didn’t throw up as much.”

Ryoto woke up crying just after Ichiro got Raiden to sleep.

Ichiro changed him, but Ryoto refused to go back to sleep. “Let’s go for a little walk.” He yawned and walked out of the nursery still carrying Ryoto.

Ryoto started to cry again. “You’re not wet, you’ve eaten, and you’ve burped,” he told the baby. “What is the matter?”

Ryoto’s cheeks reddened. “Oh, don’t cry. Daddy will sing to you.” Ichiro took Ryoto to the den, sat down on the sofa, and sang to him. Less than ten minutes later, Satoshi entered carrying Raiden.

“What’s wrong with them?” he asked. “It’s three in the morning. I’ve never heard them cry like this before.”

“That’s because you’ve never been around them at three in the morning. They miss their mama. Maybe I should call her.”

“Hell no,” Satoshi told him. “Do you want her to think you can’t handle this?”

“No,” Ichiro said. “But I can’t get them to stop crying.”

“Maybe they have colic,” Takumijo said, entering the den yawning.

“What’s colic?” Ichiro asked.

“Gas,” Takumijo told him. “I remember reading something about it somewhere.” He turned on the computer and searched. “They need to be given something call Mylicon drops and then you need to walk them until the gas passes.”

“I think I saw something like that in the diaper bags,” Ichiro said.

Takumijo left the room and went back upstairs to check the diaper bags. He returned a few minutes later. “Found it.”

“How much should we give them?” Satoshi asked.

“Zero point three milliliters,” Takumijo read from the box.

“Hurry and open it up,” Ichiro said.

Takumijo opened the medicine, shook it, and screwed off the top. He measured the recommended dosage into the eyedropper and managed to get it into Ryoto’s mouth during midcry.

The baby stopped crying long enough to smack.

Takumijo did the same for Raiden. “The next thing I know, I’ll be fixing him his first hangover medication.”

The babies stopped crying.

“I think we need to walk them now,” Satoshi suggested. He got up on his feet and he and Ichiro began pacing the floor.

Takumijo headed toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Satoshi asked.

“To put this medicine back in the diaper bag and then back to bed.”

“Traitor,” Satoshi said.

“You two seem to have this very well under control,” Takumijo said, laughing and leaving.

****

Shaundra got her wish about an hour later when Raiden shit all over Ichiro.

Satoshi tried not to laugh, but couldn’t stop himself until Ryoto did the same thing to him. “No wonder Takumijo went back to sleep. He must have known this was going to happen.”

They cleaned up both babies, who went right off to sleep.

“Foul,” Satoshi said, heading to his room. “I’m going to take a shower.”

“Me too,” Ichiro said, joining him in the hall.

“With me?” Satoshi asked playfully.

“Don’t be stupid. You’re not my type. Your boobs aren’t big enough.”

Satoshi laughed his way to his room.

Ichiro disrobed, tossed the soiled clothes into the hamper, and then got into the shower. Did Shaundra go through this every day? Bummer. He washed his hair, scrubbed his body, and then he dried off and crawled back into the bed. He’d make sure he’d be around more and be helpful when Shaundra returned to the farmhouse. Or maybe he should consider keeping Dae-Hyun. There was an extra room for him since Cristal had move out. And Dae-Hyun could help out in the kitchen, and he would have Takumijo and Satoshi to watch Dae-Hyun in case he tried something funny with Shaundra. Ichiro sighed. So much to do and so little time before the tour to Spain began.

He sighed. He’d gotten almost everything he wanted. He had a great birthday and he spent Christmas with his sons and Aomori. The only thing he didn’t get was his wish for Shaundra to move back in by Christmas. Well, he couldn’t get everything he wished for. Maybe she’d be home for New Year’s after Harper’s party. Ichiro closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Two hours later, the babies woke him up again.

Chapter Eleven

It looked like Harper really went all out for his first employee New Year’s Eve party, Shaundra thought after she and Ichiro arrived. The invitation said black tie, and of course, Harper had gone all out and provided her clothes for the evening. Right down to the underwear. And, of course, Ichiro complained when he found out about it, but didn’t harp on it like he used to.

The invited guests appeared to be enjoying themselves. Shaundra looked around to see who was there. She spotted a lot of familiar faces from KiNii, like Barbara, the American secretary deep in conversation with Damien. Next to them were a couple of the junior editors, Chiyo and Eiko. Hiromo from advertising was also there. She also noticed a lot of teenage girls, probably the daughters of some of the employees.

Yori had just arrived with Amaya, and they both looked stunning in black.

Osamu entered the hall next followed by Yi-jun Lee.
When did he get back into town
? And she wondered if Cristal knew he had returned. Speaking of Cristal, her friend was deep in conversation with Hiroyuki. Which begged another question, where were Kioshi and Izanagi?

Shaundra accepted a glass of punch Ichiro handed her, breaking her concentration. “Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome, wifey. Did I fail to mention how beautiful you look this evening?”

Shaundra smiled. Ichiro was trying his best to say and do the right things. “So you’re not still upset that I’m wearing something Harper purchased for me?”

Ichiro sighed. “No, I’m not upset. I think I’ve even gotten used to him dressing you. I know it’s nothing personal. It’s just his way.” He reached out and ran his finger down the plunging neckline. “And you’re rocking it.”

Shaundra sipped her punch. Ich’s vocabulary had advanced rapidly to incorporate popular American slang and jargon since she’d met him. And he really had quite a sense of humor. “Yi-jun’s here.”

“Where?” Ichiro asked, looking around.

Shaundra pointed to the right side of the room.

“Oh, I thought the party was for employees only?”

“Osamu’s here too.” She pointed him out.

“Not good,” Ichiro said, pointing toward the door.

Takumijo had just arrived with Amaterasu.

“Why isn’t it good that Osamu is here?”

“He doesn’t like Amaterasu,” Ichiro explained.

“Oh,” Shaundra said.

Satoshi came through the door next with is ex-fiancé Akemi Sasaki glued to his arm.

“Great, he’s brought Akemi,” Ichiro said sarcastically.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s twice as bitchy as Amaya.”

Shaundra couldn’t imagine that since Amaya had being a bitch down to a science. But she had only met Akemi once and wasn’t ready to pass judgment yet. But her soul mate did not look happy. If he didn’t like her, why in the hell did he invite her to the party?

Akemi dragged Satoshi over toward Yori and Amaya.

“Let me guess, they’re friends?”

“Yes,” Ichiro answered. “They went to school together.”

“Great, just great. But it is nice to see Satoshi getting a life.”

“And getting out of the farmhouse,” Ichiro said. “He’s like a hermit.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Shaundra asked.

Ichiro nodded. “For Satoshi it is. A couple of years ago, he used to date several women. Now he doesn’t date any.”

“I wonder why?” Shaundra asked. “Was this before or after his engagement to Akemi?”

“Both,” Ichiro said. “But he just stopped again.”

“Maybe he’s just tired of dating,” Shaundra said. She put her cup into the trash.

Kenshin and Masaaki entered with their dates, Kaede Shimizu and Hiromi Inoue. Shaundra liked Kaede, but she never warmed up to Hiromi. “Looks like the gang’s all here.” She’d seen Harper and Mr. Niigata earlier when she arrived.