Unexpected (5 page)

The next morning Noel awoke to find herself
laying sideways on the bed, cell phone in hand. She instantly remembered Kai’s
pre-show and post-show phone calls and blushed hotly thinking back to how
provocative she’d been. She’d never had phone sex before, though it was less
sex and more flirtation.

Still, the fact that he’d gone out of
his way to get her phone number and call had her all but skipping into the
bathroom with a wide smile on her face.

As soon as Noel came out of the bathroom
from a leisurely shower and wrapped in a fluffy robe, her cell phone rang
again. She padded over, grabbed it from the nightstand and flipped it open.

“Hello?”

“Good morning Noel.”

Another silly smile crossed her lips at
the sound of Kai’s voice. “You must have some kind of radar or something.”

There was a slight pause before he
asked, “What do you mean?”

She couldn’t keep herself from giggling.
“I mean almost every time you’ve called I’m naked.” Noel heard a strangled
groan as he said something in Korean. “What’d you say?”

“I said you’re trying to kill me.” It
almost sounded as if Kai were hyperventilating.

Noel feigned innocence. “Who
me
?”

“Yes
you
. Now I’m sitting here
thinking of you all naked and wishing I could be right there.”

His comment made Noel’s body shiver
deliciously. She wished the same thing and knew she really shouldn’t. Instead
she moved to a safer, less explosive topic of conversation. “So where are you
guys headed next?”

“Beijing.”

“You don’t sound excited.”

“Well. the fans in China can be a
little…how can I put this, enthusiastic?”

Noel thought what Kai may have meant was
something else. “Is that code for psychotic?” When he laughed, she knew she’d
been right and couldn’t wait to hear his adventures with the ‘enthusiastic’
fans, though she was certain Kami might give them a run for their money when it
came to that.

“So how many times have you been to
China?”

He sighed wearily. “Sometimes it feels
like a billion times and it’s crazier every time too.”

Noel couldn’t keep the envy out of her
voice. The farthest she’d ever travelled was Tijuana on a weekend trip with
Rachael. “Must be nice to go to all those exotic places.”

“You’re welcome to join us if you can
dance back up” Kai teased. “We could use a girl in the group. You’ll have to
learn Korean though.”

For the next several weeks, Kai called
Noel at least three times a day, talking about any and everything under the
sun. After his calls, which could last for a few minutes to several hours, Noel
often went to work with a huge smile on her face and Rachael wondering what the
hell was going on with her friend.

There were so many times Noel wanted to
tell Rachael about Kai, but a sliver of guilt kept her silent, though to be
fair she hadn’t known how things were going to turn out. So she was completely
caught off guard when he announced from out of the blue, “I want to see you
again, Noel.”

“What?” Noel almost dropped her phone in
shock.

“We’re going to be in Los Angeles this
weekend for a show, so I want to see you.”

Oh god she wanted to see him too, but how
was she supposed to get to L.A.? “I live in Vegas in case you’ve forgotten. How
am I supposed to get down there?”

“A flight has been booked for you on
Friday and I’ll meet you down here.”

Feeling a rush of giddiness at the
prospect of actually seeing him again, Noel started deciding what to take
though she couldn’t help but tease him. “A little confident were you?”

“I’m a musician. I’m supposed to have
confidence,” Kai replied smugly. “Besides, I know you can’t wait to see me
either.”

 Noel felt her entire body
literally warm up at his words and realized he was still speaking while she was
in a daze.

“Your flight should arrive at LAX about
six-fifteen in the evening and I’ll be there meet you.”

Everything was fine until that moment
when she realized the two of them were going to meet in a crowded airport and
suddenly the impact of who he was struck hard.

“Is that going to cause any trouble, you
meeting me in public like that?”

“It should be fine. It’s not like in Asia,
and people don’t really know who I am.”

Noel was still a little hesitant. “I
don’t know Kai…”

“Trust me, okay? It will be fine. Just
say yes,” he urged in that tone Noel could not resist.

“Oh what the hell,” she said, deciding
to just go for it. “Okay. I’ll come.”

As her flight took off, Noel thought of
Liz and Rachael’s faces when she had asked for three days off. In the entire
two years she had worked at The Aloha Room, she had never asked for that much
time off. Usually it was one day during her finals, but never an entire three
days. Liz was more than happy to oblige, saying that it was long past time Noel
used the vacation hours she’d accrued over the past two years. As expected,
Rachael grilled her.

“You’ve been acting really weird lately,
Noel. What’s going on with you?”

Noel shook her head, still uncomfortable
telling her about Kai. “I’ve just been working too hard and it was starting to
catch up with me. I’m just going out of town to relax.”

Rachael wasn’t convinced but she left it
at that.

Noel gazed out of the window, thinking
about seeing Kai once more. She had no idea what would happen between them, but
if it were anything like the last time, heaven help them both.

Kai fidgeted in his chair as he sat
waiting in the crowded airport terminal. He tugged at the baseball cap covering
his head.

A large group of girls glanced
surreptitiously at him, then began to whisper excitedly amongst themselves as
if they recognized him. It certainly didn’t help matters that there were also
three large men in dark suits and sunglasses hovering directly behind him.
Checking his watch for what felt like the millionth time, Kai tapped his foot
impatiently.

He gave the brim of the baseball cap
another annoyed tug. It was twenty minutes after Noel’s flight had been due to
arrive.

“How many times can you check your
watch,” G.K. asked with a cheeky grin. “It’s only going to be one minute from
the time you last checked it.”

Kai looked at G.K. with annoyance,
wondering for the millionth time why he’d brought his cousin and along.

Kai said as much. “Why did I ask you to
come again,” he asked in Korean.

“Because you would have pulled your hair
out by now if it weren’t for me,” G.K. replied in English. Mumbling under his
breath, Kai’s eyes drifted toward the arrival gate. Finally over the intercom
came the announcement of Noel’s flight having landed and in the process of
taxiing towards the terminal.

Several minutes later, a large group
disembarked from the plane. Kai stood up, excitement coursing through him like
lightning. He tugged on the hat again.

“Will you stop with that stupid hat
thing,” G.K. demanded, a little annoyed with Kai.

Kai wasn’t listening. His palms began to
sweat. He grabbed the small white and black sign bearing her name from the seat
next to him and held it up. Kai’s breath caught as he spotted Noel’s frame,
holding a carry-on. Her eyes lit up upon seeing the sign with her name. Kai
felt his lungs burn from a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

She looked good enough to eat. His dreams
hadn’t done her justice. Her lovely dark skin radiated with health, jeans
molded to her generous hips, and her light pink v-neck t shirt made her breasts
look ripe and firm. Kai’s mouth went dry as he watched her approach. She was
about ten feet away when she got an odd look on her face and slowed down to a
stop. Within seconds her face broke into a wide, beautiful smile. Then as if by
magic she launched herself into his arms, knocking his hat off from the force
of her body against his. Kai dropped the sign and tightly wrapped his arms
around Noel, happy to have her here at last.

Noel had never in her life done anything
so crazy as to fling herself into a man’s arms, especially in such a public
place, but once she realized it was really him standing there waiting for her
she felt so special. All of the weeks talking and teasing over the phone had
spilled into wanting to kiss Kai for all it was worth. She paid absolutely no
attention to G.K. standing behind Kai or the shocked expression on his face.

Unfortunately their reunion was cut
rudely cut short by a huge man in suit and shades who grabbed his shoulder and
tugged him backwards.

“What?” Kai protectively pulled her
close to his body before snapping his head around, obviously furious at being
interrupted. While having a difference of opinion in Korean with the man who’d
tried to separate them, Noel was content to burrow her nose in his neck.

 
God he smells good,
Noel
thought, practically getting high on the scent of whatever cologne he was
wearing and his pheromones. Wrapped in her own little world of happiness, she
was startled when Kai gently released her.

Kai took her hand in his. “Come on, we
have to go.” Taking the previously forgotten hat that the guard held in his
beefy hands, he placed upon his head backwards and the two of them left the
airport.

Once outside they were hustled into two
large black SUV’s with deeply tinted windows. Two of the bodyguards got into
one car while the third held the door open for Noel, Kai, and G.K.

Noel sat as close to Kai as she could,
without being in his lap. His arm lay comfortably around her shoulders, hand
very close to her left breast. The inside of the truck was filled with
companionable silence on one end. On the other, she felt G.K. staring at her.

Noel smiled brightly. “Hi there G.K.,
remember me? The woman who didn’t know anything about K-Pop?”

His thin smile did not reach his eyes.
“Yes, I know who you are.”

Her smile dropped when he said nothing
else, as he continued to stare at her in a hostile manner.

Kai hit G.K. in the arm “Hey
babo
,
idiot, be nice to my lady.”

G.K.’s smile remained icily polite,
“Nice to meet you too.”

Her heart sank a little, sensing G.K.
did not approve of her but as she snuggled against Kai, she just didn’t give a
damn. She was here with Kai and that was all that mattered.

Noel felt like a rock star surrounded by
the three hulking figures in shades, perfectly tailored suits and very serious
expressions on their faces as they entered the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel. She
also felt pretty special walking past the reception area with the sexiest man
in the universe holding her hand.

“I thought you said you didn’t have any
crazy fans in the states,” she said glancing at the bodyguards.

G.K. snorted behind them. “We have crazy
fans
everywhere
.”

The large group somehow managed to wedge
themselves inside one of the ornate elevators as one of the bodyguards pushed
the button for the top floor. It was a miracle they all fit inside the confined
space, but it was nice to have Kai’s body so close. Noel smelled the tangy
spiciness of his cologne.

The guards stepped out first followed by
Noel, Kai and G.K. Still holding her hand, Kai led her down the posh hallway.
Noel’s first thought was there was no way in hell she could ever afford to stay
in a place like this.

That thought was borne out when Kai slid
the keycard into the slot and the door opened with a silent ‘click’. Her breath
caught at the elegant European-style suite with a large sitting sofas,
armchairs and coffee table which appeared to be antique. Everything in the
room, from the huge plasma screen television mounted above the mantle to the
plush carpeting beneath her sandaled feet was obviously meant for the traveler
who demanded unobtrusive luxury.

Her eyes were huge as she took in the
view of busy Pershing Square, the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.

“It’s beautiful,” Noel gushed. “I feel
like I’m in some kind of dream.”

“The master bedroom is over there,” Kai said
pointing to his right, “And there’s an adjoining bathroom.”

Noel was halfway into the finely
appointed room, before realizing that Kai wasn’t behind her. Leaving her
luggage in the sitting room, she retraced her steps she found him leaning
against the door frame watching her intensely. “Are you going to come in?”

Kai shook his head. “It wouldn’t be
proper.”

Noel gave him disbelieving glance.
“There was nothing proper about us practically making out in the middle of LAX
either.” She saw him grin sheepishly and before he could think of another lame
excuse, she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

With his hands still on her wrists, his
palms slid around her back, and then lower until he had a hand in the back
pockets of her jeans.

Noel chuckled. “Oh I see. You just like
feeling me up where other people can watch,” noticing the door to her room was
wide open.” She looked into his face, set in a slight frown. “Hey, what’s
wrong?”

Kai leaned forward until his forehead
pressed against hers. Several loud wolf whistles erupted behind them as his
bandmates stood outside the door with amused expressions on their faces.

“So we finally get to meet the woman
who’s been keeping the old man on the phone for hours.”

“Nice to see you guys again.” Noel
waved, stepping a little away from Kai. “Let’s see if I remember who’s who.
Young, right,” she asked pointing at the young man with the dramatically
colored hair who grabbed her hand and kissed it to her surprise and Kai’s
growl. “And you’re Kwan.”

Kwan grinned, fashionable sunglasses
perched on the end of his nose. “You’re Noel. Kai’s done nothing else for weeks
but talk about you. He doesn’t do that ever.”

That piece of information warmed Noel’s
heart.

 “So me, Kwan and Boom planned to
go out tonight,” Young said, looking at Kai and Noel, “And wondered if you guys
wanted to go to.”

Just as she was about to open her mouth,
she heard a short but decisive “No” from him.

“Oh come on Kai, stop being a grumpy old
man,” Kwan teased. “It will be fun. Plus we’ll get to know more about your
girlfriend
.”
He added, dragging the word out with a wink at Noel.

Thrilled at being acknowledged by the
others as Kai’s girlfriend, she instantly agreed before he could say no again.
“I’d love to go! I’ve never been to L.A.”

“Awesome!” Kwan’s eyes lit up. “Seems
we’re VIP’s at some new club in Hollywood where all the super-famous people
go.”

That was even better, Noel thought.
She’d get to rub shoulders with celebrities. This weekend was turning out to be
better than a dream.

Kwan’s voice broke into her star-struck
thoughts. “We’ll meet in the lobby around ten okay?”

“That’s fine. See you guys then.”

Young and Kwan left, closing the door
behind them.

Kai’s grip tightened against her rear
where his hands still rested. She saw the hard set of his jaw.

“What?” she asked concerned. “Did you
have other plans?”

“I wanted to spend time with you…
alone
.”

Trailing a finger across his cheek, Noel
smiled warmly. “You’ll have me tonight, all tomorrow and Sunday and I’m going
to want to do nothing but be with you. I just want to make a good impression on
the rest of your band. G.K. doesn’t like me, so I don’t want to give the rest
of the guys any excuse to feel the same.”

He muttered something that sounded like
a curse in Korean when she said G.K.’s name.

She rolled her hips against him
sensuously. “Besides, I want to dance with you.”

Kai tried to smother a groan. “Okay,
okay. We’ll go.”

Noel kissed him quickly on the lips,
then pushed him laughingly towards the door. “Now go away so I can get
beautiful for you. After all, it’s Hollywood.”

Kai was in the middle of getting dressed
when the door of his suite opened. Not bothering to look up he said in Korean,
“What do you want G.K.?”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Because I always end up sharing a room with
you, that’s why.”

Taking in his cousin’s pajama pants and
rumpled t-shirt Kai figured that G.K. would be staying in, but not by choice.
“Everyone’s going you know?”

“I didn’t think your guest would want me
to.”

Shooting him a dark glare, Kai said, “She
has a good reason considering how rude you were to her today.”

G.K. looked hurt and offended. “I was
caught off guard.”

“I told you about her before she came.”

“Not
everything
,” G.K. countered.
“Not the most important part.”

Kai turned to look at G.K. “Like what?”

“Like…” G.K. was about to answer but the
words wouldn’t form. Defeated he dropped his hands to his sides. “Nothing.”

Kai was growing frustrated with his
cousin’s odd behavior. “It must be something since you brought it up.”

Instead of answering G.K. asked with wry
sarcasm, “What did father say about your new
friend?
”

Kai shrugged the question off. “He
didn’t ask any questions.”

G.K. let out a bitter laugh. “I guess
that’s my answer.”

If looks could kill, G.K. would have been
lying dead on the floor from the cold look Kai threw his way. “What is your
deal? Do
you
have a problem with Noel?”

“No.” With a huff G.K. stormed toward
the door. “I just hope this doesn’t blow up in your face.” He walked through
the adjoining door and closed it silently.

Kai swore loudly in Korean, pacing the
floor as he did so. He had to calm down; he didn’t want to ruin this weekend
with Noel and he certainly wasn’t going to let his cousin’s stupid hang-ups get
in the way.

He grabbed his tailored leather jacket
from the closet and practically ripped the door off its hinges as he went to
get to Noel. He plastered a huge smile on his face, wondering what she was
going to wear for him tonight.

Noel had gone through practically every
outfit she’d brought, looking for just the perfect ensemble that would make Kai
fall all over himself. She finally settled upon black flared jeans that hugged
her ample curves where curves would do the most damage to a typical male libido
and paired it with a rocker-style Crystal Rock tee and a pair of black boots.
She’d top it off with a black leather blazer and black crystal accessories.
Noel was more than sure she could hold her own with any skinny starlet.

Once the issue of what to wear was
settled, Noel sank up to her neck in a tub so large and luxurious she could
have done laps. As she floated in a sea of creamy rose-scented bubbles, she
began humming one of T4L’s songs that had gotten stuck in her head. She
promised herself to have Kai teach her Korean so she’d know what the words
meant.

After her sumptuous bath, Noel primped
and preened as if preparing for royalty. Not a hair out of place, her wine-dark
skin scented and silky with vanilla-rose body cream, and her cute toes painted
in a sexy come-hither red. The lacy black lace bra and panties by La Perla had
cost a small fortune but the way the lace framed her hips and cupped her ample
breasts, the expense was well worth it, especially if Kai were to see her in
it.

Just a hint of makeup to highlight her
eyes and cheeks and a matching lipstick, Noel dressed to the nines. She might
have been a plus-sized princess, but that never kept her from looking her best,
even on a budget.

Noel took one glance at the
sophisticated image in the full-length mirror and blew a kiss at her
reflection.

When Kai knocked on Noel’s door he had
no idea what to expect, but the goddess who answered her door almost made him
fall to his knees in thankful worship.

“You look…,” he said something in Korean.
“You look beautiful. I am not letting you out of my sight for a second.”

With her standing there like some
supermodel, the last thing he wanted to do was go out. He wanted to snatch her
up, lock the door behind them and rip the clothes from her body.

Noel blushed. “Thank you. You look good
enough to eat yourself, Kai.”

After a few moments of each of them
drinking in the sight of the other, he asked, “Are you ready? The rest of the
guys are down in the lobby.”

“Let me get my purse and we can go.”

“Damn Kai, I might have to steal her
from you,” said Young as the rest of the band whistled appreciatively at Noel’s
appearance.

Kai fastened his arms proprietarily
around Noel’s waist. “Not on your life,
babo
. She’s all mine.”

Inside the limousine, Boom, Young and
Kwan all took turns teasing Kai about where he’d been hiding her, threatening
to steal her away and asking her if she had a twin.

“I want a dance,” Kwan announced, daring
Kai to say anything. “You can’t hog Noel all night.”

Noel smiled broadly thinking that being
around a bunch of sexy men who seemed enamored of her was good for her ego.
With such thoughts and the cheerful teasing banter, Noel was on a natural high.

When the limo pulled up to the
red-carpeted door of the club, she saw the infamous velvet rope behind which
hopeful patrons waited impatiently for their chance to get inside. The limo
driver opened the door and with her hand firmly and possessively held in Kai’s,
she stepped from the car, head held high and strutted inside flanked by T4L.
She felt like a star.

The club was one of those trendy
Hollywood spots always featured on entertainment shows and in glossy style
magazines. It was a place where the young and hip came to get their groove on
while the paparazzi waited outside like hungry sharks for someone to behave in
a compromising fashion.

The place was packed, the music loud and
everyone looked famous. If she hadn’t been with the members of TL4, Noel would
have felt out of place. Not to mention all the women were model thin.

On the other hand, as she strode through
the throng with Kai once again holding her hand, flanked by Boom, Young, Kwan
and their bodyguards, how many of those women were being escorted by a famous
pop band? She noticed a few inquisitive stares, but with an arrogant tilt to
her chin, she strutted as if she had every right to be where she was.

They were escorted to a raised booth
which was obviously the VIP area. From her vantage point she could look down to
the dance floor and bar. Noel slid beside Kai whose arm instantly went around
hers.

“What can I get you guys,” a perky voice
asked. A slender young woman with bright blue eyes and thick brown hair which
fell in waves around her small shoulders held a tray in her hands. She was clad
in fashionable next-to-nothing and seemed to have eyes for everyone in the
booth but Noel.

“Martini. Dry,” said Kwan in his best
James Bond impression.

“Scotch and soda for me,” replied Young,
who was immediately carded.

“I’ll have a Fuzzy Navel,” chimed in
Boom as Young razzed him about ‘girly drinks’.

The waitress then turned a thousand watt
smile and thousand-dollar cleavage to Kai. “And for
you
,” she asked her
voice taking on a deeper breathless quality, completely ignoring Noel.