What Men Want - Chapter 40

Four days later, Ryo realized God was a woman. Probably Karma’s twin. And both sadistic bitches hated him. Because they were making him pay for everything nasty, ugly, and demeaning he’d said and done to Kaori in the past. With interest.

The doctor had dismissed her late afternoon of the same day she’d woken up with clear instructions to take it easy, rest, not force herself to remember, and come back immediately if she felt nauseous, the headache returned, or her vision turned blurry.

He’d breathed a sigh of relief, sent up a prayer of thanks to the sadistic bitch laughing down at him from the sky, and drove Kaori home.

Where she’d promptly fallen asleep on the couch.

He’d gone to the kitchen to get her some soup and returned to find her sleeping peacefully on her back, one hand on her stomach, the other on her sternum, her features relaxed, mouth slightly parted.

He’d crouched down beside the couch, and as he looked at her, he felt the last vestiges of the icy darkness inside him melt.

Was it any wonder he loved her? She’d saved him. She’d brought light into his darkness, sunshine, and heat to the ice enveloping his heart and soul.

She was his life; she was his light; she was his everything. And she had no idea. And he couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Not until she remembered.

If she remembered.

He’d shaken his head at the gloomy thought. She would remember. And if she didn’t, he’d just have to wait for the right time to tell her and show her just what she meant to him. After a while, when the possibility of increasing her trauma, as the bastard doctor had so eloquently put it, passed.

And in the meantime, he’d act like he should’ve acted before. He’d be nice, attentive, present, downright loving, even. The bastard doctor had said nothing about not making her fall in love even deeper than she already was.

Plan formed, Ryo had grinned. After he was done with her, Kaori wouldn’t know what hit her. Memory or no memory. He might die not being able to touch her, hold her the way he wanted, or kiss her, but there were worse ways to die.

He’d stood, tucked his hands under her, and slowly lifted her into his arms. She hadn’t even stirred as he’d carried her to her bedroom, even though he’d wanted nothing more than to take her to his. She’d probably scream bloody murder if she woke up in his bed.

He’d tucked her in and stood over her, watching her face and listening to her breathe...Unable to help himself, he’d leaned down and kissed her softly, allowing himself a small taste...

He’d had to take an ice-cold shower later.

 

Four days, four long, lonely, sleepless nights, and multiple icy-cold showers later, Ryo was in his own personal hell. A hell of his own making.

Because his plan sucked.

He’d spent the past four days at home with Kaori. Talking to her, listening to her, laughing with her, helping her with chores, and sneaking in quick, gentle, soft touches whenever he could. A tousle of hair here, a brush against her shoulder there, a quick caress down her arm, brushing away invisible strands of hair from her forehead, non-existent lashes from her cheek...

He’s even resorted to purposefully standing in her way, so she’d have to brush against him.

Every touch inflamed him and filled him with longing and desperation, while she simply looked at him like he’d gone crazy every single time.

He was going crazy. Slowly, yet surely crazy.

Still, there was nothing in her eyes, besides bewilderment and doubts about his sanity. There was no spark of recognition, no trace of lost memories. Nothing.

It was driving him insane!

She was driving him insane.

“That’s it!” she snapped, bringing him out of his miserable reverie. Arms akimbo, she glared down at him, then bumped his knee. “Move.”

He remained seated where he was, sprawled, legs spread, on the couch, his knees almost touching the coffee table. He arched his eyebrow, daring her.

With an eye-roll and a sigh, she stepped over him until she stood between his legs, glaring down at him.

He swallowed convulsively. She had no idea what she was doing to him. Brushing against his thigh, standing between his legs...Even her glare made him hot.

“Okay,” she said with another sigh, and plopped her butt down onto the coffee table. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

He shrugged, smirking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Tell me the truth, Ryo? Are you sick?”

He blinked. Where did that one come from? “No.”

“Are you dying?” Her voice trembled.

“No.”

“Am I dying?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” he snapped.

“Well, I don’t know what the doctor told you. Maybe I am dying, and no one wants to tell me the truth.”

He snapped upright and grabbed her wrists, pressing his knees against her thighs and trapping her between his legs. “You’re not dying,” he snarled. “So knock it off!”

“You knock it off!” She tugged her wrists free and slapped her hands onto her knees. “What am I supposed to think when you’re acting so strangely? All of you!” She rolled her eyes on a huff. “Mick and Umibozu are staring at me as if I can read their minds, Miki and Saeko keep dropping all these hints and innuendos that I’m apparently supposed to understand, they all look between you and me as if—” She lifted her hands in exasperation. “I don’t know...Like we hold the answers to all the questions. And you...” She pointed at him. “You’re acting the weirdest of all.”

He simply stared at her in silence.

“What?!” she snapped. “What are you looking at?!”

“You,” he answered simply.

“Yeah, you’ve been doing that ever since you brought me home from the hospital. You keep staring at me like I’m the be-all and end-all of everything. You’re constantly underfoot. And what’s with all the touching, huh? You’re freaking me out!”

“I’m waiting for you to remember.”

“Remember what?!” She rolled her eyes again. “Just what have I forgotten, huh? It must not have been that important if I can’t remember, and no one cares to clue me in.”

It felt as if a giant fist was clenching around his heart. It must not have been important.

“Listen, Ryo,” Kaori continued as if she hadn’t just cut his heart out, broke it into millions of tiny little pieces, and stomped on the remains for good measure. “Don’t you have anything better to do with your days...” She paused, thinking. “And nights, for that matter? Shouldn’t you be out and about instead of annoying me? Visiting your lady friends, for example? They must all be missing you terribly.”

He glared at her. “I don’t want them. I never did.”

She blinked rapidly. “What?”

He shrugged. He might as well tell her whatever happens. “I never wanted them. The only one I want is you. The only one I ever wanted is you.” He gently tapped her on the forehead with his index finger. “Which you would know, if you bothered remembering!”

She stared at him...And then a brilliant smile spread across her face as her eyes swam with tears. Eyes that showed him everything he’d wanted to see these past few days. Eyes that held knowledge and relief. Eyes brimming with love.

“You...you remember,” he breathed.

She nodded, the smile still on her trembling lips, as a tear trickled down her cheek. “I remembered when you kissed me that first night,” she whispered.

When she’s obviously been pretending to sleep. Boy, she was good.

He pulled her into his arms, onto his lap, and pressed his face against her neck. “Oh, God,” he groaned, trembling, as he felt her arms around him, fingers tunneling in his hair. “I missed you so much...”

“I missed you, too,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple.

He let her cuddle him for a moment longer, then lifted his head and glared at her. “So this was some sort of test?”

She looked sheepish, but didn’t look away. “You tend to take advantage of such opportunities.”

He deserved that. “Used to. Past tense.”

“Excellent!” She grinned. “Don’t forget that.”

He pulled her closer. “So, did I pass?”

“You aced it,” she whispered against his lips.

Then she kissed him, and Ryo’s world was finally right side up again. He deepened the kiss, tucking her snuggly over his erection…

 

He was nestled between her thighs as she lay under him on the couch, his jeans impossibly tight in the groin area, when it clicked.

He broke the kiss, lifted himself onto his forearms, and glowered down at her. “You mean to tell me we’ve wasted four long days and nights for nothing?!”

Her grin was mischievous, her eyes twinkling, as she pulled him back down to her. “I’m sure you’ll make up for it.”

She had a point. He better get down to it, then.

“I love you,” he murmured, and kissed her.

The End