Twenty One (Love by Numbers Book 2) (20 page)

T
oo often we are so busy trying to create something beautiful, that we never stop and see that beauty already surrounds us.

A
light breeze ruffles the trees all around us, their leaves whisper of a promise about to be made.

The five of us all stand in silence as we watch a newly married couple, walk across the courtyard, in front of the magnificent Meiji Shrine.

The bride wears a simple white kimono with hood and the groom is in a formal black robe. They are walking together under a big red parasol, with Shinto priests leading the way and the rest of their wedding party trailing behind.

I feel so honoured to get a glimpse of the day that they promise themselves to each other in this awe inspiring place.

The air feels charged yet calm, like a total contradiction of elements. Maybe it’s this sacred place welcoming the excitement of their new journey and blessing their love.

J
ake is still holding my hand, he hasn’t let go of it all day. It’s almost like he needs to be touching me.

He doesn’t notice when I look up at him, he’s too busy following the new couple on their graceful walk beneath the trees.

I squeeze his hand, wondering what his thoughts are in this moment. After all, he was the clichéd, eternal bachelor until me and we have barely been together a few days, so it doesn’t really count.

He looks pensive as his eyes track the procession but when he registers the squeeze of my hand, he untangles our fingers and wraps his arm over my shoulder to pull me into his side.

“Do you want that some day?” His voice is small and thoughtful and it takes me a second to comprehend his words. When I do I startle slightly.

“You mean do I want to get married? I hope you’re not proposing.” My lame attempt at a joke falls flat, making me feel like a right idiot.

He ignores my embarrassing remark, “Yes, get married. Is it something you see in your future?” He looks down at me now, his face unreadable.

“I …. I … I haven’t really thought about it if I’m honest.” I stammer.

His response is a vague “Hmmm”.

What the hell does Hmmm mean?

The moment passes but I still feel a little flustered by his unexpected question. We are in no way ready to go anywhere near
that
topic of conversation.

I want to explore the world with him and then figure out what I do next. I know I can’t be his hanger on forever; I need something for me, something that gives me a purpose.

W
e wander around the grounds until we come across a beautiful camphor tree that is surrounded by a low wall made up of small blocks of wood.

“It’s the wishing tree.” Liv points towards it before glancing back down at her trusty tour guide.

“You have to write a wish or a prayer on a small wooden tablet, hang it by a peg on the wall and the Shinto priests will then pray for it to come true.” She looks up at Nate thoughtfully before adding in a soft voice “I know what I’m going to wish for.”

They both make their way towards the tree, collecting a marker and a tablet from the stack available. H follows them without saying a word and proceeds to pick up his own wish block but we hang back and just watch.

“Don’t you want to go and make a wish Emmy?” Jake pulls me closer to him and places a light kiss to the side of my head.

Do I want to make a wish?

No, I think I’ve used up my entire quota of wish requests by begging for Jake to be returned to us safely.

“No, I don’t need to use up a wish that might be of more use to someone more worthy of one.”

He pulls back from me slightly until he can look into my eyes, “I have never met anyone more worthy than you. You deserve all of your wishes to come true.”

With that he tugs me towards the wishing tree and lets go of my hand to selects his own wooden tablet.

I can’t see what he writes but he finishes quickly and pegs it to the wall.

“What did you wish for?” I ask when he returns and laces our fingers together, tucking my thumb into his palm in that way that is uniquely Jake.

“Not telling, if I tell it might not come true.” He’s not teasing; he is taking this wishing business very seriously.

This side of Jake is new to me. I’m used to intense Jake, seductive Jake, cocky Jake but a spiritual and deep Jake, is a surprise.

I love that he has all these layers and I get to find out more about him with each one I peel back.

The more I know him, the more I fall for him.

Who am I kidding? I’ve well and truly fallen.

I’m freefalling without a parachute, just praying that my pull-chord works and that the impact when I finally reach the ground, doesn’t destroy me.

H
comes back over to us looking very unlike H.

He is normally a joker and the life of the party but since we have arrived at the shrine his whole demeanour has changed.

He’s pensive, preoccupied and a little withdrawn.

“What did you wish for H? Spoilsport here won’t tell me his.” I elbow Jake playfully to try and get H to engage and hopefully break out of his funk.

He looks back over at the tree before turning to face us. For a moment I think he’s not going to reply, then a grin breaks out on his face and his answer is typically H.

“World Peace, a new series of Baywatch and for Liverpool Footy Club to win the league this year.”

We all burst out laughing, lamely trying to not be too noisy so that we don’t disturb the other visitors, but we completely fail and garner some admonishing looks.

Jake pats him on the back, “You never disappoint H. Don’t tell me you also want Pamela Anderson to be in the new series.”

“Bloody right I do.” He smiles but on closer inspection, it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

It seems H is still in his funk. Maybe he needs a night out with the guys tonight so he can offload.

“S
o I was thinking, how about you guys go and have a lads night out tonight, then Liv and I can do some girly catching up?”

Hearing her name Liv bounds up behind me and links her arm through mine.

“That sounds perfect. I haven’t had you all to myself in ages and seeing as I’m flying home tomorrow night, I need some time with my bestie.”

I look over at Jake who is silent, his intense gaze focussed on me.

“Jake? Are you happy to let me steal your girl for a few hours? I’ll tell you what, I’ll swap you your girl for my guy and then we’ll trade back later. Deal?”

His eyes flick from Liv to me and then he breaks into a breathtaking smile. “You keep
my
girl out of trouble and I’ll make sure
your
guy get’s back to you in one piece. How about that?”

“Deal”, Liv squeals like a hormonal teenager, practically bouncing up and down on the spot.

“But..” Jake interrupts, “You don’t get my girl until 7pm, we have plans. Let’s go everyone.”

No-one disputes his demand and he grabs my hand, pulling me away from Liv, who winks at me before joining Nate and fitting herself against his side.

“It’s time to go Emmy, I’ve shared you enough for now and seeing as I have to share you again later, I need some one on one time.”

I blush as he pulls me into his side and leads me away from the sacred wishing tree.

“If I give you some
quality
one on one time, will you tell me what you wished for?”

“Nope and quality time is non-negotiable Emmy, so no point bargaining with something that’s inevitable.”

I can hear the smirk in his voice as we walk away from the Meiji shrine and into a waiting taxi.

“God you are cocky Mr Fox, I think I’m going to have to rid you of that.”

He laughs, “Sorry babe but all I heard of that sentence was
cock
and that’s yours anytime you want it. Just say the word”

“I said cocky not
cock.”

“Yep, again, there’s that word
cock.
Keep saying it and we won’t make it back to the hotel before
my
cock finds the place it’s wanted to be in balls deep all day.”

That and the fact the others are piling into the taxi, make me snap my mouth shut.

I’ll never win with this man and he knows it judging by the smirk on his face.

W
hen we get back to the hotel we all go our separate ways but not before Liv and I arrange to meet up in the hotel bar later, while the boys go out.

As soon as everyone leaves us, Jake rushes us straight to our suite.

I’m practically dragged to the private elevator, only able to get out a quick “Hello” to the security guys who watch us with smirks on their faces, causing me to blush profusely.

We aren’t even fully through the door before I’m picked up over his shoulder and carried to the bedroom.

By the time I’m flung on the bed and divested of my clothing I am completely breathless.

Then my cocky man proceeds to show me not once but
twice,
how talented he is with his cock.

T
oo often we are so busy trying to create something beautiful, that we never stop and see that beauty already surrounds us.

W
atching the wedding procession got my mind racing.

Not in a bad way, I was just picturing the bride and groom as someone else.

I was picturing them as us.

Emma and I.

I have never thought of marriage before, well at least not for me, but watching that couple, seeing the way they looked at each other like they were staring at their entire world, got me thinking.

Would Emma want that with me?

Would she look at me that way?

Before I even know what I’m doing the question just pops out.

She doesn’t freak out though, she makes a joke of it and that’s enough to tell me that she doesn’t want that with me
. At least not yet.

Why am I over-thinking this? I’m not about to propose.

I want to spend every spare moment with this girl, just enjoying her, enjoying us, not scare her away with my possessive, stalkerish tendencies.

Shit.
She brings out the best and worst sides of me.

I don’t
do
jealousy.

I don’t
do
possessive.

I fuck and I leave.

Not with her though. I will never get enough of her.

W
e make our way through the majestic grounds, idly taking in the beauty all around us.

My thoughts are anything but idle. With Emma’s body pressed up against mine, my mind races from salacious, erotic filled thoughts of her naked and pressed up against me, to confusing thoughts about the future.

Thirty years from now I don’t want to be just another name to her, just another memory.

I want someone to stop her in the street, ask her how she’s doing and then bring up my name.

Thirty years from now I don’t want her answer to be, “I haven’t seen him in ages.”

I want her reply to be “He’s waiting for me at home.”

I may not be her first date, her first kiss or even her first love, but I plan on being her last.

I just need to convince her to let me.

W
e come upon the wishing tree, where people place their thoughts and prayers, in the hope that they come true.

While all the others, even H, leave wishes, Emma says she would rather her wish go to someone more worthy.

She says it with such truth, such honesty, that I resolve to show her how worthy she is. How she deserves all her dreams to come true, no matter how fantastical or seemingly unachievable.

I pull her along with me to the tree, select my own wooden tablet from the pile and proceed to write my wish, before attaching it to the wall.

“What did you wish for?” she questions when I return to her side, her vivid aquamarine eyes drawing me in.

I refuse to tell. I’m not normally one to believe in all this mumbo jumbo but if what I wished for has any chance of coming true, then I’ll take the secret to my grave.

W
e all leave the shrine shortly afterwards. The girls making plans to spend the evening together while the guys plan a night out, in order to let them have their girlie space.