His Revenge Baby: 50 Loving States, Washington by Theodora Taylor Page A

tongue,anexplanationabouthowhewasonlytryingtounderstandherthought processformingatthebackofhismind.
    Butthenhisphonevibratedandlitupwithanothertext:
    “IsthereanythingelseIcandoforyoubeforeIgotosleep?” itflashed.Miyuki’s gentlewayofrepeatingaquestionwithoutactuallyaskingit.
    “Seriously,ifyouneedtoanswerthat…”Anasaid.
    Themoodwasawkwardnow.Thickwithpost-sextension.Apparentlyshe’dtaken hiswordsaboutwaitingforadismissaltoheart.Shedidn’tmoveoffhislapbutshe shiftedsohewasnolongerinsideher,andherdiscomfortwaspatentlyobvious.
    Heglancedatthephone,butonlyoncebeforesaying,“Weshowerbeforebed.That isourwayhere.Willyoutakeashowerforme?”
    Atthispoint,NohadtowonderiftheAmericanhadevenanounceofguileinher blood.Hereyesflaredaswideasananimecharacter’swithsurprise,whichmadeitall thatmoreamusingwhensheanswered,“Sure,noproblem,Icandothat,”withaforced casualtone.
    Hesitating,shestartedtogetupoffhislap.Thenstopped,seemingtothinktwice aboutpossiblydisobeyingoneofhiscommands.
    Funny,Westerngirlshadaworldwidereputationforbeingmuchmoresexually openandoutgoing,buthe’dnevermetawomanfromWestorEastasawkwardasthis one.Sowhydidhefindhermannersoarousing?Soincrediblyhardtoresist?
    Hegaveheraslownodofdismissal.Afterwhichshescrambledintoherbedroom, closingthedoorsoftlybehindher.
    Then,andonlythen,didhepickuphisphonetotextMiyukiback.
    ChapterFifteen
    LILLIWOULDN’TSAYshetookthelongestshowerever,butyeah,ithadtobeupthere intheranks.Shekeptgettingdistracted,losingherselfinthoughtsofwhathad happenedwithMr.Nakamura.Jesus,whydidn’tanyonewarnhersexcouldbethat good?Thathot?
    Makeyoufeelthisguiltyafterwards?
    She’dexpectedtofeelsomekindofsluttyaboutthiswholebusiness,butthatwasn’t howhe’dmadeherfeelatall.Beautiful.Sexy.Treasured.Allthewordsthatprobably shouldn’tcometomindwhentalkingaboutherjohn.Aseriouslyhandsomeand upscalejohn,ofcourse,butajohnnonetheless.Ajohnshewassupposedtobekeeping tabsonforthemysteriousvoice.
    Butwhatever,hewasgonenowafterpolitelycommandinghertotakeashower beforeshewenttobed.Shegotoutoftheshower.Driedoffandthrewherhairinto fourbantuknots,beforeflickingoffthelightsandheadingintothebedroom—
    SheyelpedwhenshefoundNorioNakamurainherroom.Pantszippedup,and textingonthechaiseloungeasifthiswerehisbedroomandnothers.
    Helookedupfromhisphone.“Youweren’texpectingmetobehere.”
    “Well…no,”Lillianswered,pattinghernowrapidlybeatingheart.“Miyukisaidyou wouldn’tstaymuchlongerthanittookto…”Shetrailedoff.
    Andhesetthephoneasideontheroundglasstablenexttothechaiselounge.
    “Miyukiwasmistaken.”
    Andthat’swhenLillinoticedhehadwhatappearedtobeasetoffoldedpajamason hislap.
     
    “SOAREyoustayingthenight,Mr.Nakamura?”sheaskedwhenNoreturnedfromthe bathroomdressedinalongsleevedteeshirtandsilkpajamabottoms.
    Anawasnowtheonesittingonthechaiselounge,seeminglytoobaffledbyhis behaviortogetintobed.
    Noinwardlycursedherforasking.Cursedhimselfforstillbeinghere.Whyhadhe veeredsofaroffplan?Hestillhadnoclue.
    Buthewashere.HadevenhadMiyukidropoffasetofpajamaswhileAnahadbeen
    takingaratherlongshower.
    “Anddidyou…”Shestood,sniffingtheairaroundhim“...usemyshampoo?”
    “ Hai ,andyoursoap,andyourdryer,”heanswered,jawtight.“Ididn’thavemy own.”
    “That’stotallyfine,”shesaidwithawidegrin.“OyinHoneyWashsmellsstupidgood onyou.”
    Astrangecompliment,butacomplimentnonetheless.Andonehesomewhat understood,becausestandingtherewithhermadehimfeelbothstupidandgood.
    Desiretofeelhersoftbrownskin,warmagainsthisownpaleshade,throbbedinhis gut,threateningtocompelhimoutofreason.
    Butheknewbetter.Knewwantinghersoftnesswasn’tworthbreakingoneofhis family’smostsacredrules.
    “Leftorright?”
    Hersoftquestioninterruptedhishardthoughts,andhelookedovertofindher watchinghimwithastrangelookinherwarmbrowneyes.“Doyousleepontheleftor rightsideofthebed?”
    Itwasconcern,herealized.Thesamethingthathadbeeninhervoicewhenshe askedabouthisdayearlier.Inherreallife,theonebeforeandafterhersixmonths