Chapter Nineteen #3
God, she hoped she still had a spare condom in her bedside drawer. She was no longer bothered that she was still wearing her pajamas—there was no bra or panties to impede their progress this time—or that her bed remained unmade. They were undressed in seconds.
Jiro almost threw her onto the bed and then dived after her.
Her heart was hammering so hard as Jiro lay the length of his body against hers.
One hand slid between her legs, while his other grasped the back of her head as he fastened his mouth to hers, leaving her speechless.
Not that she had anything to say, she was pure physical form right now.
Besides, she didn’t trust her words. He was here, and she was reacting to him as if he’d never even left.
Desperate to feel him inside her, she bucked her hips, sucking hard on his bottom lip, hoping he would get the message.
He did. A condom appeared in his hand as if by magic—had he come prepared this time?
He slipped it on and then levered himself so that he was hovering over her.
Aurora stared deep into his beautiful brown eyes as he slowly entered her.
Then everything became fuzzy around the edges, but yet also so sharply focussed as he began to move.
Her hands slid up and down his body, whispering across his tanned skin, reacquainting her with his strong back, broad shoulders, and taut thighs.
How could he make her feel like this so fast?
She was hanging on by one tiny thread, her whole body taut with her need to orgasm.
Before she could even warn him, a deep shudder started low in her belly, rising like a crescendo that she couldn’t control.
“That’s right, baby, come for me,” he whispered in her ear.
And she did just that, as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her until she felt almost entirely drained. Then Jiro orgasmed almost as hard and fast as she had, his whole body going rigid as he gasped out her name, over and over.
Afterward, Jiro pulled her into his arms, and they spooned, draping a sheet over their naked bodies as a warm breeze floated in through the bedroom window.
They slept peacefully together for a few hours before Jiro stirred beside her again and this time they made long, languorous, middle-of-a-summer’s-day sex which was just as satisfying but proved beyond a doubt in Aurora’s mind that they were as sexually compatible as two humans could possibly be.
But this time, Aurora couldn’t fall asleep afterward. Her mind had begun to function again, and there were a million and one things she needed to know.
Eventually, she could stand it no longer, and she rolled over and lifted up onto an elbow so she could look down into his handsome face.
“When did you arrive?” she asked, voice still raspy.
She didn’t ask the other question on her mind, “And how long are you here for?” because that was skating too close to the edge of the abyss.
Was he here to stay? Or was this just a quick visit?
A roll between the sheets a few times before he headed back home.
Not that she’d regret what they’d just done, but her heart was hoping for so much more.
“I got in late last night. I booked a room at the Scandic Hotel. I wasn’t sure if you would even see me.” He reached up to brush a strand of hair away from her face.
“Okay.” It wasn’t quite the answer she was looking for.
Before she could phrase another question, he got in first. “How’s your dad? I mean, he’s not here, so is he out at an appointment or something?”
Aha. So M?rten had told him she had a day off, but hadn’t mentioned the other momentous thing that’d happened in her life.
She wasn’t sure where to begin or how to tell him about Karl.
Her happy mood began to evaporate. It’d been six months without any contact, and now he just reappeared as if not a single thing had changed.
He knew nothing about what’d occurred in the past few months because he hadn’t bothered to stay in touch.
She was confused, to say the least. But if anyone were to understand what she was going through with her father, then it would be Jiro.
And she shouldn’t be the pot calling the kettle black, as she hadn’t enquired after him or his family either.
While Jiro hadn’t tried to contact her once he’d returned to the US, she hadn’t followed him up either, even though she’d been tempted more than once to ask M?rten for his address.
But she’d been kept updated by her partner as to what was going on with Taros’ case, even though she hadn’t asked, so perhaps she had an unfair advantage.
She knew that after Liam Kenzo had recovered from his bullet wounds, he’d been tried down in Stockholm and found guilty of unlawful deprivation of liberty and serious aggravated assault.
He would be spending most of the rest of his adult life behind bars.
She also knew that Taro’s trial had recently been held, and he’d been found guilty on multiple charges of gun-smuggling.
His sentence was yet to be handed down, however, so that must still be hanging over Jiro’s head.
Hiroshi Kiyota, the man who’d first coerced Taro into working for the Kyodo-Kai gang, had been arrested after months of undercover work by the FBI and been charged with multiple smuggling charges.
His trial had been postponed, however, as they tried to get more information out of him about the inner workings of the gang, so they could dismantle the American faction.
Jacob managed to collar two of the leaders of the gang in a well-orchestrated raid, but soon after, most of the other members fled back to Japan and went underground.
M?rten and Jacob both knew that even though the Japanese authorities were hunting them, they’d probably just re-group and come back in a newer, better configuration in a year or three.
This was one of the frustrating parts of policing—sometimes you never fully eradicated the vermin.
Jiro was still looking up at her, gaze gentle as he waited for her answer.
“Astrid and I made the decision that Karl needed more care than I could give. So yesterday, he was moved to a care home down by the harbor.” At least Karl would be able to see the big cruise ships come in, if he ever stopped sulking enough to actually go and look.
A sympathetic frown wrinkled Jiro’s forehead, the wayward lock of hair falling into his eye as he got up onto one elbow as well so he could look her straight in the face. “Oh, Aurora, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. That must’ve been hard for you.”
“Hmm.” Yes, harder than most people would ever know, except perhaps Astrid.
And now Jiro. She nodded, suddenly unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
In many ways she pitied her father, having to live a life that wasn’t his own anymore, in a situation against his will, with people looking after him he’d already decided he hated.
He’d been the architect of his own downfall, however, and while Aurora was desperately sad for him sometimes, she knew she could no longer be responsible for his actions.
Thinking about her father in the care home reminded her that she was now free to do as she wished.
Date whomever she liked. She was unencumbered.
Her life was now her own again. The fantasy of having Jiro all to herself could now become a reality because she had no excuse for not being able to love him.
The idea terrified her and excited her in equal measure.
But there were still so many questions that remained unanswered. Things she needed to know. “What about your papa?” she countered. “How has he recovered from his ordeal?” And more importantly, how was he coping with his older son being sent to jail? But she left that one for now.
“He’s doing really well.” A smile lit up Jiro’s face.
“Physically, he’s recovered completely. He’s a tough old bird.
” Jiro gave an affectionate laugh. Then, his face turned thoughtful.
“And he’s also a determined old bird. I thought that seeing Taro charged with those horrible crimes, he might never recover.
I think I told you that Taro was always the golden child; the one who could do no wrong in Papa’s eyes. ”
Aurora nodded, letting her hand that was resting on his arm move up and rub his shoulder soothingly. Jiro had mentioned that his relationship with Kenichi was complicated, and he’d never been able to please his father, no matter how hard he’d tried. They both had difficult fathers to overcome.
“Well, after many discussions, Papa and I have come to some understanding. He’s adjusted quite well to the idea that he can no longer control the paths of either of his son’s lives.
Especially mine. I think it helps that he’s found a new lease on life; he’s dating a lady he met while he was attending a doctor’s appointment one afternoon.
” Jiro shook his head as if wonders would never cease.
“He was actually the one who encouraged me to come here and find you.”
“Oh.” Aurora felt some of the wind go out of her sails. So Jiro had come here because his father had told him to? Shouldn’t he have come because he wanted to? Because he loved her? But he still hadn’t said those three little words.