7:55 AM

  I felt the warmth of the morning sun dance on my skin as I waited outside of frosted glass doors. Holding onto my bag and sketch book, I daydreamed myself back home in Brazil, the bass of the Samba music playing in the streets vibrating through my body as I danced with my girlfriends. They had chosen me to wear the costume for the Samba school I had attended back when I was a child, so even as I carried 20 extra pounds of jewels and feathers, I still felt like a goddess among men. Even as the beads of sweat trailed down my back, I danced for my people, my culture and myself. Of course, any amount of ass-shaking would tire anyone out, so as I made my way through the massive crowds for some reprieve, I could feel something telling me to turn my face and look, which blessed me with the prettiest eyes I had ever seen. Time felt slow as we smiled at each other, but not slow enough as I was pulled by one of my neighbors and lost the sight of those eyes. I couldn’t forget them even as I made my way back to normalcy, so much so I had to sketch them from memory and hope that maybe one day I’d see them again.

  “Miss Moreno, hello?” I snapped back to current reality, the petite secretary in my presence waving her hand slowly to get my attention. I blinked rapidly a few times before smiling at her and tucking my hair behind my ear.

  “Sorry, got a little lost in thought there.”

  “I don’t blame you, it’s early. Mr. Nagatsuchi is ready to see you now.” She smiled back, leading me to the doors. I clutched my sketchbook closer to my chest as I followed behind her, thanking her once she stepped in and held the door open for me. At the end of the room sat her boss, whose attention was focused on his paperwork until she cleared her throat and took it away. He looked up, standing when our eyes finally met, a slightly crooked smile on his face.

  Goodness, he’s gorgeous.

  Dismissing his secretary, he waited for me to take a seat before taking his, his piercing eyes causing the hairs in the back of my neck to stand up. I took my seat, clutching my sketchbook even tighter as I focused on his hands, only to distract myself from his disgustingly good features. I had done no research on him or his company as it didn’t feel necessary to. The email I had received inquiring about my talents was legit enough for me to accept the job, which wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to do; but I was always about thrill, that’s what kept life exciting anyways.

  “Thank you for coming in on such short notice, my secretary had made me aware that you were on vacation; I hope my inquiry didn’t tamper into your private time.” His voice matched his aura well, smooth and smoky; like a well reserved barrel of bourbon.

  “No, it’s no bother. I usually don’t respond back to emails until I’m back home, yours just happened to be the first one.”

  “I hope it’s the last email for a while given my inquiry.” He clasped his hands together as he smiled again, truly a smile that could melt ice.

  “Well, I skimmed the email as I prefer to speak to my clients directly. So, tell me; Mr. Nagatsuchi, how can I be of service?”

  “Mr. Nagatsuchi is my father, I’d prefer us to be on a first name basis if you don’t mind.”

  “I’d prefer that.” I smiled back, the grip on my sketchbook even tighter. Unclasping his hands, he sat back in his seat; a grin on his face that truly made my heart skip a beat. “Kazuhito Nagatsuchi, but for the sake of time, you can call me Kazu.”

  Kazu, finally a name to the face that had me gripping my pages tightly.

  He was…well, beautiful.

  He had the most gorgeous amber eyes, with dark, sable hair that obscured those jewels in the little time that we had spoken. With peachy skin and soft lips, he was truly something out of a fantasy. I swallowed hard as he sat forward, his chest peeking from his shirt and giving me a sneak peek at what I could assume were tattoos. I exhaled as I smiled again, his confidence was sexy, I needed to match it.

  “Airla Moreno. I love my name, so I’d prefer you use it.”

  “Such a pretty name, I’d be honored to use it.” That smile had turned into a flirty smirk,I think we were both aware of what was happening. There was an electric tension in this room; as dangerous as it felt, I didn’t want to back away. I smirked back, releasing the grip I had on my sketchbook.

  “So tell me Kazu, how can I realize your vision?”

  ??

  I’d be a damn liar if I didn’t admit to feeling my heart skip a few beats as I admired the beauty in front of me. A name fitting for someone so beautiful, a name I definitely wouldn’t forget. I was definitely feeling the tension in the room, so much so I could feel the warmth increasing in my skin. Unbuttoning my cotton sleeve, I took my time rolling them up; making sure to keep my attention with her as I spoke.

  “I’d like for you to paint a mural of my family. I came across your portrait work and I was truly taken aback. I’m absolutely sure you’ll be able to catch my grandfather’s likeness perfectly.”

  “Would you be included in that mural?” She asked, her silvery voice a joy to my ears.

  “I wasn’t planning to be included, but I am open to ideas if you’re willing to share them.”

  By now, I was on my other sleeve, rolling it up meticulously as I wasn’t fond of wrinkles. I could feel her eyes on my arms as I did, the bright red from my tattoos possibly being the culprit. A small smirk grew on my face as I slowed down, my eyes back on her. She had taken her pencil out, tapping it on her sketchbook as she bit her lip.

  “You’re sitting in the boss’ chair, I don't see why you wouldn’t be included.”

  “Well, you’re the artist. Show me what you’re capable of.” I teased slightly, hoping she’d take it lightly. The tapping of pencil sounded almost like a beat, a slight chuckle coming from her as her eyes shifted from my arms to my own, a sweet flutter of her full lashes.

  “Let’s start with size, how big of a mural are you looking at?”

  “It’s rather large. The wall in question is the wall downstairs where you walk in. I want my grandfather’s face to be the first thing you see, his contribution to this family and my life is important; your mural should reflect that.”

  “Would your grandfather be joining us for a meeting? I'd love to meet him and get a real life sketch of him before I start.”

  “You’re a month too late, my grandfather is no longer with us.” I could feel the sadness dripping in my voice, I was close to my grandfather, his death came with a lot of change that I was learning to accept.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. I should have been more sensitive in my questioning.” Her voice was apologetic, her sweet brown eyes following suit. I felt a warmth from her that I hadn’t felt from many people, it was electrifying in every single way, but fear was far from the feeling that I felt, unaware of what that feeling was, one thing I knew for sure, I was intrigued.

  “You wouldn’t have known, no need to apologize. By the way, is there anything I can have my secretary get for you? Water, tea, perhaps coffee, given the time?”

  “Not much of a coffee drinker, but a nice black tea would do.” She tucked her curly hair behind her ear, a smile on her face as she opened her sketchbook; the drag of her pencil filling up the silence between us as I let my secretary know of my request.

  “My secretary will be up soon with your drink, may I ask what you’re sketching?”

  “Just the flowers I see from your tattoos. Camellia flowers, am I right?”

  I raised my brow, I didn’t expect her to know the specific flower, but I was surprised that she did. Intrigue increased.

  “That’s correct.”

  “Camellia japonica, if I’m not mistaken, right?”

  “Correct once again. I wouldn’t have expected anyone to know the scientific name.”

  “Given my profession, I tend to do a lot of research for projects. I remember doing a painting for a Japanese client once, they were very fond of the same flower.”

  Judy, my secretary walked in, a coy smile on her face as she placed down the tea service tray. Given my background, I had immense respect for the art of tea; so all the accoutrements that made a great cup of tea were there for our enjoyment. A slight bow, she winked at me as she turned away and walked out. I gestured for her to go first, which gave me a moment to take a really good look at her.

  Mesmerizing didn’t feel like a strong enough word to describe her. Ethereal, heavenly, maybe? What I mean to say is that if I could stare at her all day, I would. She had the most gorgeous brown skin, little specks of gold danced on her skin, probably from body oil. Her reddish brown hair bounced as she moved, the vastness of it fitting for the aura she exuded. I watched as she made herself a cup of tea, 2 sugars and just a dash of milk. Something to remember. Stirring with the adjoining teaspoon, she took a sip of it, a curl of her lip as she indulged and gave me a good look of her gorgeously warm russet brown eyes. They felt…familiar.

  I preferred a cup without milk, so I managed to make my cup quickly, my desire to give her my undivided attention urgent. Taking a sip, the tea was brewed perfectly; courtesy of my mother’s incessant need to hire a chef from the UK, all to assure tea would always be supervised by a British eye. It was the only real place she could influence our surroundings with her culture, so as annoyed as I would get, I respected it. Placing my cup down, I smiled warmly to acknowledge her comment.

  “That’s perfect to hear, I truly do like the idea of incorporating the flowers into the whole mural, I’d love to assure a bright red for the flowers so they truly pop.”

  “We can speak about the budget of the paint after, I have a lot of calculating to do; I want to assure the best price for quality paint.”

  “Please don’t worry about a budget, money is not an object.”

  “It’s only right I budget the paint in, it’s necessary for me to price out the cost of the entire mural.” She pushed back slightly, an endearing sight to see. I truly meant what I said.

  “My grandfather was truly an important person to me, I never worried about expenses because of him and the men before him; it’s only right I do the same in honoring him.”

  “If money isn’t an object, I want to be fully transparent in my choosing of the most expensive paints I can get my hands on. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I need to take full advantage of it.” She exclaimed excitedly, placing her cup down.

  “I implore you to do so.”

  “So you mention the men before him, am I to assume that I’ll be painting them as well?”

  “That’s correct. I can get pictures of my forefathers flown in a day or two. I just ask that you do whatever sketches you need on Naga Inc grounds. My father is very sentimental about our history and I’d hate to come across the possibility of tarnishing them.”

  “Would I be sketching in your office?”

  “You would, is that alright with you? I can leave the door open to your liking if you’re concerned.”

  “I’d prefer a closed door, it gives me more freedom to think freely.” She raised a brow as she smirked, I wondered what that smirk meant.

  ??

  Attractive as sin, polite as royalty and an unlimited wallet to match? I couldn’t have been so lucky. I was glad at the outfit I had chosen, the warm spring weather giving me a chance to show off slivers of my legs while still keeping warm with some knee high socks. Crossing my legs, I made note to turn slightly enough to give him a peek of my bare skin; I wanted him to ogle, I didn’t want him to doubt any interest at all.

  “So tell me, what else can I do to assure your comfort while you work?”

  “Tell me more about what you want on the mural, I find your voice rather appealing to listen to while I sketch.” He chuckled at the compliment, pushing his hair back and giving me a good look of those cut cheekbones.

  “I’d love for you to paint my forefathers and I in traditional yukatas, with a camellia bush in full bloom and a background of Hayama Shiosai Park. It was a park that we all have enjoyed at some point in our lives. Some koi fish jumping out of the water would be nice too, if I could be the one with my hand in the water, that would be great.”

  “I take you have a fondness for koi fish?”

  “Mhm. It was one of the first pets I was allowed to own. It’s still alive actually, it’s in the care of my housemaids back home.”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Housemaids, not surprising given the excessiveness of wealth as I made my way up here. In the lobby alone, the chandeliers looked like they absolutely had some insurance placed on them. The overall smell of the place smelled luxurious. Kazu himself, he looked expensive.

  “Okay, what about colors?”

  “Besides crimson red, I want to see shades of pink and blue, maybe incorporate some purple in there too.”

  “I do love purple, there’s loads of shades I can incorporate.” I mentioned as I kept sketching, the picture coming together even as I made rough shapes to include his ideas. I could feel his eyes on me as I went on, the warmth of his eyes bringing me back to the same warmth of that day.

  No way.

  Should I ask? Would it be invasive to ask?

  “I could tell, a purple leather bound sketchbook kind of gives it away.”

  “Wait till I show you my art room, purple heaven..” I trailed off, lost in the sketch in front of me.

  “Is that an invitation?”

  “It is if you want it to be.”

  I looked up at him as I stopped mid sketch, our eyes finally meeting like that day. It was him.

  “It was you in Brazil, wasn’t it?”

  “Mid-crowd, feathers and jewels?”

  “The green jewels went really well with the blue feathers, I assume it was an ode to your home?”

  “Precisely that.”

  “Well, you’ve made your country proud. Say, I know it’s only 8:39 AM, but would you like to accompany me to lunch?” He sat forward from his seat, his hands tucked in his strong arms as those fucking beautiful eyes of his stared me down. He had a little smirk on his face, the kind of smirk you’d like to kiss right off.

  “I don’t mind lunch or dinner…maybe even breakfast.”

  I got a full on bright smile from him, a joy to see really.

  Can’t wait to see him smiling like that in between my legs.

  ??

  We decided on a change of scenery for the sake of modesty. There was a strong attraction between us that could have had us making decisions that others would deem…unchaste. There was still much to do in regards to the mural, so we made it downstairs to the wall itself, a public place meant restraint for both of us. Watching her as she walked from wall to wall was a show in itself, the outfit she had chosen for this meeting a delight for me and any other person who got a peek at her. The cotton white long sleeve she had chosen left little to wonder when it came to her torso, Her ass, for as crass as this might seem, was definitely an ass that left a fucking mark. The turning heads of the passing men in the lobby assured me that.

  She would approach the wall and touch it, her lips pursing as she stepped back. Her other hand would go to her lips, where she would lay her manicured fingernail and stand there in thought. It was truly endearing to watch, I could truly do it forever. Making her way to my side, she crossed her arms as she turned to me, those sweet eyes fluttering those pretty lashes at me again; my knees feeling a bit…weak as I waited for her assessment.

  “So given the dimensions of this massive wall and how intricate each portrait is going to be, I’m looking at maybe 6 months? In respect to your grandfather, I’ll get his portrait done first to appeal to your request.”

  “I appreciate that. What about the others?”

  “If your dad would be kind of enough to come in for a live sketch, that’d be great.”

  “I can speak to him. What about mine?”

  “If you’re available for a session outside of normal hours, I’m more than happy to accommodate.”

  “You could sketch me during dinner tonight, I wouldn’t mind watching you work.”

  “I prefer to do portrait drawings comfortably, the public space distracts me too much, I like to lose myself in my work.”

  “I can always cook while you draw.” I was finding whatever I could to spend time with her in more ways than one. I didn’t want to miss any opportunity I had to get to know her. Her cheeks lit up in a smile, I could tell that brought a certain delight to her.

  “How good are you at following recipes and directions?”

  “I’d say I’m pretty disciplined.”

  “That’s good to hear, I enjoy an obedient subject.” She bit the tip of her tongue as she smirked at me, another invitation.

  “Well, I can always be as obedient as you’d like.” I winked at her as we faced each other. Our considerable height difference would have me looking down at her and causing nothing but pure endearment.

  11:49 AM

  As distracted as I was by her, I did have to return to my job eventually. My tasks were menial as the CEO of a company, but it was something I’d rather much do than my other duty. She followed through with her process, sitting on the couch in my office while I took my calls. There was no need for her to do so yet, but I could tell she wanted to spend time with me, even if it meant passing glances and smiles. Lunch was soon approaching, keeping a consistent schedule was important to me. I always took the free time I was blessed with to nurture the things I really cared about. It was only due time before my doors opened, the papers on my desk occupying me until then.

  Soon the doors opened and there they were. The two other pieces of my heart and my longtime friends, Ken and Kurenai. They were truly empyrean, Ken with his long golden brown hair and stormy grey eyes, he stood at a whopping 6 '4 with broad muscular shoulders and a defined waist. He was truly breathtaking in every way. Then there was Kurenai, a statuesque beauty standing at 5 '11, with legs that rivaled even the best of supermodels. Not only was she wickedly gorgeous, she was truly a force to be reckoned with. With an eye sight comparable to a panther, she was an amazing markswoman with martial arts skills to match. I trusted her with my life, she was my head of security after all.

  They both smiled warmly as they made their way to my desk, Kurenai making her way around and laying back on my desk; her choice of a sweater dress and thigh highs truly adding to the allure of her. Ken took a seat, his thumb pointing at Airla discreetly as he mouthed his curiosity.

  “Time for lunch, Kazu. It’s my day to choose today.”

  “No objections to that. Just letting you both be aware that we’ll have company joining us.”

  “I noticed her, I was going to ask in private.” She tucked my hair behind my ear for me, our closeness catching Airla’s eye as she looked at us from the corner of her eye.

  “Trust me, it’s better we’re open about everything when it regards her.”

  “Oo, my little Kazu’s infatuated.” Kurenai teased, a flirty smirk on her face as she looked at Ken over her shoulder, her hazel eyes finally meeting with Airla and smiling.

  ??

  You’ve got to be kidding me. If I didn’t believe in luck before, I definitely did now. Not one, not two but three ridiculously bewitching individuals. They were all so intriguing in their own ways, this truly was a once in a lifetime opportunity. His female friend made her way around the desk and to my side, taking her manicured hand out for me to shake. Her nails had the prettiest soft pink polish adorning her short nails.

  “Kurenai Almarosa, head of security to the one and only Kazuhito Nagatsuchi, pleased to meet your acquaintance.”

  Two vastly different names, I wondered what she was mixed with. I took my hand out to shake hers, but I was greeted with a warm kiss on my hand instead. Unreal given the beautiful eyes that looked up at me as her soft lips touched my skin.

  “Airla Moreno, pleasure’s all mine.”

  I had noticed her title was Kazu’s head of security. He was just a CEO, how much protection did he really need given his size? Kazu was by no means a small man, I had to bend my neck to look at him and the size of his arms sure gave me enough notice that he was athletic, so why need such a beautifully alluring woman as a guard? His male friend soon came too, his gorgeously deep gray eyes leaving me breathless.

  “Kentaro Nakamura, Kazu’s longtime partner. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Moreno.”

  Oh I could hear him speak all day. His husky, melodic voice was the kind of voice that you’d imagine the attractive lead in a romance novel to have. The kind of voice you’d like to hear while reaching ecstasy.

  “Pleasure’s truly all mine. Are you both joining us for lunch?” I asked, I had no qualms if they were to join us. Matter of fact, I would embrace it.

  “It’s more like you’ll be joining us for lunch. This is a little tradition of ours we’ve been trying to uphold, I hope that’s not an annoyance to you.” Kurenai proclaimed, her long straight black hair framing her face nicely as she smiled brightly.

  “No, it’s okay." I wouldn’t want to impose on anything that’s been around way before I have.”

  “Lovely. It’s my turn to choose where we’d be heading; but the best way to know a woman is through her stomach, so I’d love for you to choose on my behalf.”

  I felt my cheeks flush as they both towered over me, my eyes meeting with Kazu as he stood up from his seat.

  “Unlimited budget, darling. Choose whatever you’d like.” He winked and smiled, his canine teeth adorning his gorgeous smile perfectly.

  ??

  I could tell this woman had Kazu a little nervous. The way he turned to her while we waited for our drinks was like watching a teenage boy realize that girls were indeed, appealing. Kurenai and I watched as she excused herself to the bathroom, both of our eyes trailing to a rather magnificent backside.

  “I see why you’re infatuated.” I teased, biting my lower lip as she entered the bathroom.

  “She’s the woman we saw from Brazil, isn’t she? I remember how she stopped you in your tracks in the middle of the crowd, it’s serendipitous that you’ve managed to find your way back to each other.” Kurenai remarked, looking up from her phone.

  “If you’re planning on pursuing anything with her, let us know. We can always put our little arrangement on the back burner until you’re comfortable.”

  “Don’t be silly, Ken. I can have my cake and eat it too.”

  “It’s not about what you want, Kazu. Who knows what she’s comfortable with, don’t scare her away due to your selfishness.”

  “Something about her tells me she’d be up for it.”

  “Stop making assumptions and look, gentlemen.” Kurenai interrupted, her brows raising to guide us to look. We both turned to look at Airla, time had indeed slowed as she made her way back to us, that voluptuous hair dancing along with her. Smiling as she took her seat, her plump lips were glossy.

  “You’re…a sight.” I complimented, I always made due with letting a woman know she looked good.

  “Thank you. I appreciate the compliment. Usually I’d keep it up in a bun, my chosen profession makes it so.” She’d respond with a lifted brow.

  “I can relate, I keep my hair up when in the forge; Wouldn’t want to risk burning my hair off.”

  “Forge? Are you a blacksmith?” Her question was full of intrigue, given by the way she sat forward, I could tell her interest was piqued.

  “It’s one of my jobs. I only truly pursue it when asked of me, it’s not an everyday occurrence.”

  “I’d love to watch you in action someday. This might sound a little silly, but one of my favorite movie scenes is Robert Downey Jr doing his thing in the first Ironman movie. The sound of the hammer hitting the metal is quite fun to hear.”

  “I’ll let you know when I head to Japan again, maybe you can accompany Kazu when he visits again.” I grinned as our drinks came to the table, the waitress smiling as she placed them down. We were at a Brazilian restaurant, which wasn’t surprising given the enchantress in front of us. I kept my order light, ordering a roasted veggie salad. Kurenai followed my lead, deciding the same. Kazu, though. He had the waitress stand there for a little longer than need be.

  “I’m not particularly all that hungry, mind sharing a branzino with me?”

  “Sure, as long as I get a side of feijoada.”

  “Whatever you’d like, darling. Always remember that.” Kazu assured her, smiling to the waitress as he made his decision. Airla’s cheeks glowed as she picked up her drink and smiled. Kurenai and I shared a glance.

  He was smitten alright.

  Shit, we might be too.

  ??

  Time had escaped us as we ended up heading back to Naga Inc, the need to learn more about Airla taking up most of that time. Somehow, the more she spoke, the more interested we were. Coming from the lifestyle that we came from, normalcy felt like a treat. Walking behind Kazu and Airla, it was sweet to watch them interact. They looked comfortable with each other, which was truly amazing given the amount of time they had known each other.

  It was only 3 pm, they had only met this morning.

  Getting into the elevator, Ken and I brushed hands as we stood behind them, a smile to my face as I took his hand. Airla looked over her shoulder, her eyes going to our hands and a sweet smile appearing on her face after.

  “You two make a cute couple.”

  “Oh, we’re far from that, sweetheart.” I assured her. One thing I held close was honesty, so I had no qualms with opening up to her. She was going to be around for a while, I could sense it.

  “Ah. Sounds fun. Room for one more?” She chuckled jokingly. Kazu and Ken chuckling just the same. I looked to Kazu, who looked to me from the corner of his eye. Shaking his head yes, he gave me the permission I was looking for; obedience was my strong suit.

  “Sure. We’re always looking for someone new to taste.”

  3:12 PM

  We made our way into the office as Ken closed the door behind us. Airla made her way to the chair, taking a seat and sitting back. Crossing her legs, she played with her lip as her cheeks slowly lost the intensity of color. She was still flustered, the way she pulled at her lip gave her away. Kazu took his seat behind the desk as expected. Ken and I headed to his respective sides. Ken, his right. I, his left.

  “So…was that an inside joke between you guys or…? Airla asked as she trailed her hand down the side of her collar. Her long manicured nails added to her sex appeal. I truly understood why Kazu was so enchanted, she was a knockout.

  “No. I meant what I said.”

  “Funny you say that. I have been looking for something new. How…exactly does the dynamic work?”

  “Why don’t I let our Boss explain?” I smirked at Kazu as I placed my hand on his shoulder, looking at Ken; who did the same. Airla’s brow raised, intrigue increased.