In Deep Kimchi - By Imari Jade Page 0,16

to stoop over when we dance slowly."

"I think she's pretty," Ichiro announced.

Yori glanced over at him. This was a fine time for him to speak. "Yes, she's very pretty."

"And she has nice legs."

Yori looked back on the dance floor. Shaundra was dancing with the Asian writer, Hideohi Chiba to DBSK's Miortic and busting some very serious moves. Her "booty" bounced sensually beneath the black mini dress. His body stirred. The sight awoke all of his senses. A big behind was something most Asian women lacked.

"Hideohi is a real good dancer," Satoshi replied. "The two of them look good together on the dance floor."

Yori rolled his eyes at his friend. Satoshi had a way of prying, but not prying. How could he explain to them why he did the things he did with Shaundra Morrison when he did not understand why he did them? He had to remember that she was here on business and that she was older than he was, and that meant he should not be imagining what it would be like to kiss those full, brown lips.

A young woman approached the table and asked him to dance. Yori looked up at her. She was Korean, about twenty, with short brown hair and a pretty smile. She'd do. He rose and followed her. Miortic had ended and the disc jockey now played Mystery by B2ST. The young woman was a good dancer, but she lacked rhythm. His eyes wandered back toward the other table. Shaundra had returned and was busy pulling Masaaki to the dance floor. This was a first. Masaaki never danced when he accompanied them to a club, but here he was, moving around the floor with Shaundra and obviously knowing what he was doing.

The older woman, Dorothy, danced with Harper Kehoe while the other American men guarded the table.

Yori bowed to his partner after the song ended and returned to his friends. Satoshi and Takumijo were talking about lyrics to some song, but Ichiro continued to stare at the other table. "What's up, baby brother?"

Yori asked him.

"Nothing." Ichiro lowered his eyes as if embarrassed.

Yori turned his attention on the group of authors. Shaundra Morrison had her legs crossed and was revealing quite a bit of thigh. That answered his question. Ichiro was embarrassed because he was caught ogling the author's beautiful legs. No problem. At least that answered another question. Ichiro was definitely interested in women, and he had good taste.

"Aren't we supposed to be socializing with them?" Satoshi asked. "Or at least sitting with them?"

"Probably," Yori answered. He had entertained the idea when they first arrived, but not so much now that he knew that Shaundra was camera shy and that Ichiro was interested in her. He didn't want to make either of them uncomfortable. "But this seems to be working out fine for all of us.

We're close enough."

Satoshi rose.

"Where are you going?"

"To ask Ms. Morrison to dance."

"Why?" Takumijo asked.

"Because I feel like it." Satoshi strolled over to the other table.

Shaundra looked over toward them and then accepted.

Yori lowered his sunglasses, looked over at her, and then pushed the glasses up and pretended disinterest.

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Masaaki asked everyone at the table once they'd given up dancing and were all nursing sore feet. He'd just returned after receiving a phone call.

Harper looked around to see if everyone was in agreement. Heads nodded up and down furiously.

"Good. I'm starved and my head hurts from the noise."

Shaundra found his bluntness comical.

Masaaki pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Tell the boys we are leaving for dinner." He hung up and rose, signaling to one of the guards. The guard leaned over and said something to Yori, who, in turn, told the other three. The four young men rose and walked around the dance floor until they arrived at the table with the authors. "We're all going out to dinner," Masaaki announced. He turned and everyone followed him out of the club.

"Where are we going?" Riley asked Harper as Masaaki began to walk.

"I have no idea. Since they're Japanese, I think it's safe to say that we're going to a Japanese restaurant."

The idea both delighted and frightened Shaundra. To eat authentic Japanese food would be fun and interesting. She just hoped she wasn't required to use chopsticks. She'd hate to waste anything on her dress.

Shaundra and Harper caught up with Masaaki. "Where are the limousines?" Harper asked.

"I sent them ahead to the restaurant parking lot. Too much traffic."

They stood on