Unexpected (4 page)

Just then a crazy idea popped into Kai’s
head. “I’ll be right back,” he said to the trio but really was addressing Noel.

Pretending to refill his glass from the
carafes behind them, he beckoned to one of the security guards and whispered
something into the man’s ear and dropped an object into the beefy palm.
Surreptitiously pointing behind him at Noel, the bodyguard gave Kai a wink and
a nod.

Returning to his place with a huge grin
on his face, he first shook Rachael’s hand, then her sister’s, then Noel’s,
holding it just a fraction longer, savoring the warm softness.

“Thank you all for coming. I promise
I’ll
never
forget the chocolate cream pie.”

Rachael giggled as Noel’s face flushed
hotly.

 As the three of them were making
their way towards the casino proper, it seemed the line for autographs had more
than tripled and Noel spared a sympathetic thought for the members of T4L,
certain that by the time the night ended, they’d all have massive writer’s
cramp from all the signing.

“Excuse me ladies,” came a booming voice
from behind them. Noel spun around and came face to face with the bodyguard
she’d seen briefly standing behind Kai. “I have been asked to escort the three
of you upstairs where you and a few chosen others will spend a little time with
the member of your choice as a way of thanking you for your support. Will you
follow me please?”

All three women stood with mouths agape,
Kami practically frozen to the spot and for the first time during the entire
crazy night, utterly speechless. Without thinking, they followed the bodyguard
back inside the arena where maintenance crews were busy cleaning. They were
ushered toward a door marked Authorized Personnel Only, which he graciously
opened for them.

“Kibum,” Kami grabbed her sister’s arm
when she finally managed to speak. “We’re going to meet
Kibum
!”

“Why don’t
you
go and meet Kibum,
while me and Noel meet Kai,” Rachael suggested but the bodyguard shook his head
apologetically.

“I’m sorry, but because she is underage,
she will have to be accompanied by an adult. Are you related to her?”

“She’s my sister,” Kami announced,
“Which means she has to come with me to meet Kibum, so there,” and she stuck
her tongue out for emphasis.

Rachael was far from thrilled but there
was nothing she could do. “That means
you
get to meet up with Kai then,”
Rachael said, the disappointment in her voice evident. Noel did her best to
look as if she’d gladly trade places, though inside her heart hammered against
her chest.

“This way,” he said leading down a long
corridor painted in dark blue and covered with posters of all the acts who’d
performed there.

Noel was still in shock. This was like
some sort of weird dream. A few hours ago she’d known absolutely nada about
K-Pop and now here she was being treated like a VIP. Moreover, it was as if the
fates were conspiring to bring her and Kai together, even if for just a little
while longer. As much as she didn’t want to be, she was excited at the prospect
of seeing him again.

At the end of the corridor was a private
elevator and the bodyguard entered a code onto the keypad and the elevator
doors slid open.

“This elevator leads to the band’s
suite,” he said with a reassuring smile. “You must imagine what would happen
should the band be forced to walk through the casino floor.”

Kami gasped, the enormity of what was
about to happen finally catching up to the effervescent teen.

Several floors later, the doors slid
open and all four stepped out into a foyer which led to the suite of rooms
reserved for T4L. Sliding the keycard into the lock, the bodyguard opened the
door and ushered them into a magnificent suite with a stunning view of the
Strip.

“The band will be here shortly, so
please make yourselves comfortable.” He then gestured to Noel. “This way
please,” and he escorted Noel to another set of exquisitely furnished rooms.
Noel carefully sat down on the plush beige sofa. “I was given express orders to
see to your every need, miss. May I offer you some refreshment while you wait?”

“Some water if you please,” she
practically croaked. Her throat was dry.

The bodyguard walked over to a
well-stocked wet bar and procured bottled water and a glass with ice. He set
both down on the table in front of her.

Needing something for her hands to do,
Noel fiddled with the water, pouring it into the glass though she usually drank
her water at room temperature. She tried not to fidget, focusing her mind on
the understated yet elegant décor and wondered just how much a suite like this
would set her waitress salary back. The bodyguard somehow managed to blend into
the surroundings as if he were a statue. There were so many questions she
wanted to ask him and yet her brain wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door
and Noel practically jumped out of her skin. In stepped Kai, having the nerve
to look no worse for wear after hours of signing autographs and smiling for
pictures. His eyes were full of something that she didn’t expect and had less
idea what to do with—
desire
.

Kai’s first thought upon seeing Noel was
wholly impure.
I wonder what she’d do if I kissed her?

She looked so beautiful sitting on the
sofa, a beauty that came from not trying but just
being
. His instincts
were seldom wrong and his instincts were telling him that they belonged
together.

“I am very happy to see you again,
Noel.”

Her smile was unsure. “So, how many fans
are coming to visit you after I leave?”

He grinned impishly. “None. You’re the
only fan I care about seeing. I hope you’re not angry with me.”

“Why should I be?”

“Because I never told you who I really
was, though to be fair I didn’t have much time to do so.” As he walked into the
room, the silent bodyguard nodded and left the room, closing the door behind
him. “Besides, I was afraid if I had told you, you’d think I had some ulterior
motive.”

 That was precisely what she was
thinking and Noel vocalized her insecurities out loud. “What the hell would you
want with
me
? I’m just some poor waitress at some dive of a restaurant in
a last-chance casino. You’re a world-famous musician who can have any woman he
wants. We have nothing in common.”

Kai quickly bridged the distance between
them and sat beside her on the sofa, stretching out his long, muscular legs. Looking
deep into her soft brown eyes he said gently, “I cannot explain it but I feel
that I can just be myself around you and you wouldn’t treat me differently. I
don’t have a lot of genuine people in my life. And,” his fingers reached out to
touch the smoothness of her cheek, “You are beautiful. How could I resist you?”

They were both silent for a moment, lost
in the wonder of the other as Kai’s fingers lightly traced the outline of her
chin and the plump fullness of her lips.

“You will think I’m crazy, but something
calls me to you and I want to spend this time learning everything I can about
you.” I also want to kiss you, he thought trying his best not to look at Noel’s
sweet lips beckoning him to do just that. “So, when’s your birthday?”

“Is this like twenty questions or
something,” Noel asked still not certain where this was going to lead. “Do I
get to ask you stuff too?”

Kai nodded, relief in his eyes. “Of
course. I want no secrets between us. My birthday is June 14
^th
and
I’m twenty-four years old.”

Noel took a deep breath. “My birthday is
April 25
^th
and I’m twenty-three. What’s your favorite food?”

That simple question easily led to
others and before Noel knew it, time passed by quickly as they grew comfortable
with one another. Noel was impressed by Kai’s maturity, his dedication to music
and his deep appreciation for his fans. He might have been a world-famous
musician, but he certainly didn’t act that way. He shared stories of life on
the road with his raucous band mates and adventures with rabid T4L fans. She
told him tales of the various characters who came into the diner and her life
in Las Vegas. For that moment in time, Noel gave serious thought about the
possibility of at least being good friends.

Still the undercurrent of something else
hung in the air between them, especially when Kai’s thigh lightly brushed
against her own and the sensation of his fingers on her face was still
palpable. Noel nervously licked her lips, the gesture drew him in.

“May I,” Kai asked as he leaned in and
gently pressed his mouth against hers, giving her the opportunity to pull back.

Her mind whirled like an out-of-control
carousel. His lips were so soft, so warm. A delicious tingle suffused
throughout her body. She couldn’t explain it, but it just felt right, so Noel
went with her feelings.

Understanding his silent request and her
acquiescence, Kai ran his tongue against the seam of her lips and he felt her
open to him like a flower. His tongue gently invaded her mouth wanting to taste
as much of her as he could. She was so sweet and warm and perfect. He wanted
more but there just wasn’t the time and he didn’t want to leave things this
way. Kai slowly, unwillingly pulled away, his eyes on her passion-filled ones.

“Please,” she begged in a throaty
entreaty that stripped Kai of his will. No, there was just no resisting her and
dammit he didn’t want to.

She wrapped her arms around his neck to
bring them back together. Kai moaned and deepened the kiss. Tongues dueled and
danced, and hotly explored each other’s teeth and mouths. Kai felt her nipples
harden against his chest and it took everything he had not to rip away her
blouse so that he could see and taste them for himself.

They stayed that way for what felt like
forever, kissing and learning how the other liked to be kissed. There was no
hurry and nothing else mattered save the feel of Noel in his arms. Her sensuous
curves fit against him naturally and his palms lightly skated over her sides,
savoring their lushness. Her body was built for a real man to enjoy, ripe and
full. He felt himself sinking into the sweet madness that was Noel when he
heard a throat clear from behind them.

Kai wanted to ignore it, but when the
sound came again, Noel began to pull away from him.

“What?” he asked the bodyguard with as
much civility as he could.

“I believe the party the lady came with
is ready to leave. They are asking for her.”

Abruptly untangling herself from his
embrace, Noel stood up, face flushed and breathless. “That’s ok I was just
leaving.” She straightened her clothes while avoiding eye contact with Kai.
Without a backward glance Noel whispered, “Goodbye Kai,” before slipping out
the door in search of Rachael and her sister.

“
Nimiral,
shit!” Kai spat as he
looked at the doorway helplessly from his spot on the sofa. He licked his
bottom lip, sealing in the taste of Noel before finally resting his eyes on the
security guard.

“What did I say?” the bodyguard asked
apologetically.

“Nothing, it’s fine,” Kai muttered as he
stood up and left the room.

Kai knew that Noel thought he was going
to leave and never see her again, that this was nothing more than a quick
tryst, but she was sadly mistaken. Now that he’d tasted her he wasn’t going to
be able to forget her and he was most certainly not going to allow her to
forget
him
.

It had been two weeks, fourteen days,
three-hundred and thirty-six hours since that night with Kai. Not that she’d
been counting of course.

Rachael tried her best to get Noel to spill
the beans about what happened that night, but all she would do is shrug. “We
just talked for hours. He’s a very nice guy.”

How could she ever tell her best friend
that she’d seriously lip-locked with the man Rachael wanted? How could she tell
her that if they hadn’t been interrupted, she might have wound up flat on her
back doing the horizontal mambo with Kai?

None of it made any sense. Noel just
wasn’t that kind of woman, but Kai had made her want to release her inner
freak. She remembered the taste of his kiss, the feel of his long, lean body
against her own. She remembered how beautiful he made her feel, that he wanted
her as much as she did him. He didn’t seem the type to indulge in one-night
stands.

Dammit, she had to forget him.

That was far easier said than done. She
found her eyes drifting toward the entrance of the diner, hoping against hope
that he’d walk in. It was foolish since Kai was probably half way across the
world, and probably being seduced by women who looked like supermodels.

It just wasn’t meant to be, Noel’s head
realized but her heart wasn’t quite convinced.

One particular night at work, Noel found
her mixed emotions getting way in the way. That evening she either mixed-up
orders or gave customers the wrong bills. Thankfully the customers were
regulars and most teased her about obviously being in love.

Liz, the night supervisor, had noticed
Noel’s preoccupied demeanor. Noel was one of the most efficient waitresses so
whatever it was needed to be dealt with and she decided to send Noel home
early. The tall brunette called Noel into her office.

“Maybe you should call it an early
night, hon. You haven’t been yourself lately, so go home and relax.” Liz gave
her a comforting smile. “It’s a slow night, so we’ll be okay. If you need someone
to talk to, you know me, the Dr. Phil of the diner circuit.”

Noel shook her head. “No Liz that’s
okay, I’m fine. Just off to a rough start is all.” Going home to her empty
apartment would give her too much time to think about Kai and she didn’t want to
spend another night doing that.

 Not convinced Liz patted Noel on
her shoulder. “That may be true, but I still want you to go home. Get some
rest, you deserve it.”

By the time Noel arrived home she was
completely disgusted with herself. “I can’t let him rule my mind like this,”
she muttered angrily to herself. “It was just a kiss okay, nothing else!
Dammit, I need to get out more often.”

As she stomped through the small
apartment, shedding her work clothes along the way, Noel headed towards the
bathroom, deciding a long hot bath would do her good.

She turned on the taps then gazed at
herself in the mirror. “Just forget about him Noel,” she said with conviction.
“It was just a nice kiss and think how envious his fans would be if they knew
you got to suck face with their idol.”

She poured a generous handful of
relaxing bath salts into the water and shed her clothes while the tub filled
with lavender-scented water. A few moments later she shut off the water and
sank in blissfully.

Noel ran her hands over her body as her
thoughts again wandered to Kai and his long pianists’ fingers trailing along
her skin. Her mind instantly went south, the thought of how it would feel to
have them running down her wet naked body, gliding from her shoulders to her
neck, to her breasts, and even lower to touch her between her thighs…

“No!” She shook her head as water
sloshed over the rim. “This is getting ridiculous. He’s got me acting like some
lovestruck teenager.”

Noel closed her eyes and settled back
into the bath until the water began to cool. She stood up; the water sluiced
down her body as she grabbed a towel and padded back into her bedroom, a bottle
of vanilla-pomegranate body oil in her hand. Just as she was about to plop down
on the bed, her cell phone rang. She grabbed her purse, rummaged around the
bottom where the damn thing was probably hidden and looked at the screen.

Probably some telemarketer she thought,
not recognizing the out-of-state number.

“Hello?”

For a moment there was silence and
Noel’s patience was wearing thin. The last thing she wanted to deal with was
some bored kids prank calling her and was seconds from cussing someone out.

“Uh hello, who is this?” Once again
greeted with silence Noel said finally, “Fine, I’m done,” and was just about to
hang up when she heard a voice that made her heart race.

“Noel?”

She stared at her phone as if it had
sprouted three heads.

“
Kai
?”

Kai was on the
phone
. Kai was
calling
her
?

“How the hell did you get my number?”

She heard him clear his throat. Even that
gave her a tingle all over her body.

“I had my manager locate you. I told him
that you had left something in the room when we met and I wanted to make sure
you got it back. He is a very honest man,” Kai chuckled then his tone turned
serious. “I hope you’re not angry.”

 “I’m not angry, just a little
surprised that’s all. I really wasn’t expecting to hear from you again.”

“Then you don’t know me very well, Noel.
I have missed you.”

Noel’s heart fluttered at the words.
“You haven’t known me long enough to miss me,” she teased.

Kai chuckled again and Noel melted
again. “Tell that to my head and my heart.”

Oh crap, Noel thought. She was so not
expecting
that.
Taking a deep breath she asked, “So where are you?”

“I’m in New York. We’ve got a show
tonight. In fact, we go on in about ten minutes.”

Noel’s head snapped up at this. “You
called me in the middle of your
show
?” she laughed. “You’re insane!”

“Technically before,” he countered
playfully. “I have a little time.”

“You are crazy,” she said as she heard
shuffling and someone speaking in Korean in the background. “Get off this phone
and go entertain some screaming girls!”

“I’ll call you later okay,
Jahgi
,”
he whispered hurriedly and with what sounded suspiciously like a kiss, Kai
ended the call.

For a while Noel sat on her bed, holding
her phone as her mouth slowly grew into a huge shit-eating grin. When the
reality of it finally hit, she let out a holler and started dancing butt naked
around her room in sheer happiness. She had no idea what the last word Kai had
said was or what it meant, but it didn’t matter.

“Damn girl, a smokin’ hot, world-famous
Korean pop star wants this,” she bragged to her still naked self in the mirror,
pushing her breasts up and out. “He wants some good ol’ Noel Wright-stuff, woo-hoo!”

There was no sense in fighting it or
trying to make sense of it all. She wanted him too and was just going to go for
it.

Noel groaned as her phone rang,
interrupting her in the middle of a very hot dream starring her and Kai and a
bottle of warm chocolate sauce. She had just gotten to the rich chocolate being
followed by his tongue when the aggravating noise rudely ripped her out of the
fantasy.

Half asleep Noel reached over and
grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

“Were you sleeping? I hope you were dreaming
of me
, Jahgi
.”

Noel stretched, the comforter morphing
around her body. “I might have been,” she responded with a sultry chuckle. “I
know there was chocolate involved.”

She heard him moan. “Were you wearing
it?”

“Yes,” she whispered her body fully alive
now.

“And was I eating it,” Kai breathed into
the phone.

“Definitely,” Noel purred into his ear,
turned on now and wishing he were right next to her.

She heard him groan again. “I have a cold
shower calling my name, Noel. Go back to sleep and let me finish what we
started in your dream. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Noel smiled into the receiver. “Good
night.”