The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin Page 0,90

A waitress with a tray of drinks stood there and spoke in halting English. ‘From the house.’

‘That’s very kind,’ said Fiona, her heart still beating at a thousand beats per minute. She was conscious of the flush on her cheeks as the girl put them on the table.

‘You were so good!’ The waitress smiled and retreated.

‘Well, if that’s what a couple of whisky does … I think you might have had enough. I’m not sure I can take any more,’ teased Gabe covering the top of the drinks with a protective hand.

Her fuzzy heart, or whatever was wrong with it, beat faster and before she lost her newfound confidence, she lifted a slightly shaky hand to take his and looked at him. ‘Let’s go back to the hotel.’

Chapter 22

As they got to the hotel – Fiona having sung all the way back, encouraged by Gabe – they collapsed, bent double with giggles in the lift, and any thought about being nervous had completely sailed.

Okay, she was a bit pissed and possibly high on adulation so when they arrived at her hotel room door, she tugged at Gabe’s hand, pulling him into the room. Someone had been in and turned down the bed, switching on the bedside lamps which emitted a welcoming glow that softened the edges of the room. Like a looming guardian angel, through the window the outline of Mount Fuji glistened in the silver moonlight.

Gabe pulled her to him and she lifted her mouth to his kisses. Nerves fizzed a little but curiosity and desire beat them back and she began to tug at his jacket, sliding it down his arms, her fingers digging into his biceps, smiling into the kiss as he made short, efficient work of her jacket.

‘I like the jumpsuit,’ he murmured against her throat, undoing the buttons with slow, careful attention. She shivered as his mouth vibrated against the tender skin, her hands sliding under his shirt and T-shirt before roving over the smooth skin of his muscular back.

He stepped back and in one fluid movement stripped both off, lifting them over his head to expose a tanned chest dusted with dark hair. Something twisted inside her at the sight of his golden skin warmed by the radiance of the lamplit room.

‘Nice,’ she breathed, reaching out to touch him.

He gave her a crooked smile and skirted the lace of her camisole with one finger, skimming her skin with a barely there touch that sent fireworks shooting downwards.

He pushed the linen fabric off her shoulder and kissed the bare skin, his lips lingering, sending more tingles racing here, there, and everywhere.

‘I’ve been wanting to do that since you gave me that come hither look over your shoulder on stage.’

She swallowed, a little dazed and bemused by the sensations buffeting her body – aching in some places and burning in others. He tracked kisses along the sensitive skin to her throat and then to her mouth. When his tongue touched hers, everything seemed to go from zero to sixty in seconds. Their mouths duelled, danced, and teased and she felt her breath coming faster as the heat between her legs rose. Unable to help herself, and in truth a little shocked by the strength of her need, she ground against him, feeling his hard erection, wanting more. Heat rose and his kiss deepened, one hand behind her head holding her possessively as with his other hand he pushed down her jumpsuit, his fingers finding her breasts with a heartfelt groan. The gentle roving touch that danced around her nipple was a sparkling, fizzing contrast to his hungry lips that made her breathless with frustration and desire. More, she wanted more. She had thought about this for so long.

She kissed him back, unsure at first as he gave way, letting her tongue take dominance, allowing her to lead the dance.

Her hands found the button on his jeans and for a moment she fumbled with the stiff fabric, finding it difficult to concentrate with the delicious sensation drawn by his fingers, now moving to the other breast leaving her nipple tingling with a heady mix of yearning and aching need.

Somehow with his legs still in his jeans, the jumpsuit pushed to her thighs, they stumbled back towards the bed and when it hit the back of her knees, she fell backwards taking him with her. In a clumsy tangle of arms and legs they wriggled out of their clothes, laughing, and he settled on top of her, his