finally…
Hereyeslandedonhim.
“It’syou!”shegasped,recognitionflaring.
ChapterThree
LILLICOULDN’TBELIEVEIT.Themansittingbehindthedeskwastheonefromtheclub.
Shestillrememberedhimclearlyfromthatnight.Sotallandleanandalmostregally handsome.Hisnearlyblackeyeshadseemedascoldanddisinterestedasahawk’s, evenashecloselywatchedtheinterplaybetweenLilliandtheblondAustralian.
Nothisgirlfriend,perse,butanotherOsakaCharmescortitwouldseem.Maybehe hadathingforblonds?Shecouldn’thelpbutwonderafterrecallingtheselectionof othercandidatesinthewaitingroom.Maybetheagencyhadmadeamistakein sendingherover…?
Butinsteadofimmediatelydismissingher,theenigmaticmananswered,“Yes,it’s me.”Then,“Whodidyouthinkitwouldbe?”
“Um,yourfather,”sheadmittedwithagrimace.“Imean,theagencymadeitseem likethiswouldbeajob.Like,aseriousjob.”
“Youdonotthinkthisisaseriousjob?”Hiseyesdarkened.“Youwouldhave preferredmyfather?”
“No!Oh,God,no!IwassotryingtofigureouthowIwasgoingtodothiswithhimif Igothired,”sheansweredfrankly,beforerecallingthatfranknesswasnotnecessarily appreciatedinsituationslikethis.
DuringhertimeinJapan,she’dfoundthattheJapanesetooktheirfamilial relationshipswaymoreseriouslythanAmericans.Sheknewenoughtorealizethisguy probablywouldn’tappreciateherinsultinghisfather…asheinterviewedhernaked self.
“Imean,it’sjustthatyou’resoyoungandhandsome,and…”
Shetrailedoff,anothertoo-latevoiceremindinghertheJapanese,unlike Americans,didn’tnecessarilyvaluebeautyoverage.Here,inacountrywithsomany beautifulpeople,itoftenseemedtoherasaWesternerlookingin,thatthepowerand moneythatcamewithagetendedtotrumpgoodlooksasfarasthedesirabilityscale wasconcerned.
Butthisguy…
Asembarrassedasshefeltstandingtherenakedinfrontofhim,shecouldn’tstop lookingathim.Couldn’tstopfromadmitting,“Iwasn’texpectingyou.It’skindofa pleasantsurprise.”
God,couldthissituationbeanymoreexcruciating? Andthewayhewaslookingat her…studyingherbodysoclosely,shewonderedifhewassodispleasedwithher heavybreasts,widehips,and—insertshudderhere—unshavenvaginathathecouldn’t evenbebotheredtointerviewher.
Buthewastheonewithallthepower,andshewastheoneaskingthathedoherthe favorofpickinghertofuckforthenextsixmonths.Soshetriedagain,“Mynameis Ana.AnaGranger.It’sverynicetomeetyou.”
True,she’dtoldRubyandalltheotherJapanesekidsattheinternationalschoolto callherAna—easierthandealingwithallthosetongue-twistingL’sinhername.
However,thatwasn’tthefirstnamemostpeopleknewherby,andtheGrangerpart wasjustacompletelie.Butwhatever.Thiswholesituationcouldprettymuchbefiled under,“BiggestFreakingLieLillianaTuckerHasEverTold.”
Stillnoanswerfromthemanbehindthedesk.Buthecontinuedtowatchher quietly.
She’dtoldthedistortedvoiceontheothersideofDoug’sphone.Tolditthiswould happen.ButthevoiceholdingDoug’sfutureinitshandshadinsistedshetakepartin thischarade.Comehereandhumiliateherselfforatickettothebillionairemistress lottery.
Lilliiswallowed,closedhereyes.“Okay,soshouldIleave?”sheasked.“Arewedone here?”
“Iwouldliketoseeallofyou, onegaishimasu .”Arequest,deliveredwiththepolitest formoftheJapanese“please.”Buthisvoicewasdarkandominous.
Sosheturnedaround.Deeply,deeplyawareofeverydimpleandrippleofcellulite onherbodyasshedidso.Sheimaginedtheblondshe’dmetinthelobbydoingthe samething.Probablynotnearlysoawkwardly.
No,she’dprobablysashayedherperfectlyproportionedbodyrightonaroundfor him.Noembarrassmentwhatsoever.Buthell,whenyouhavetheperfectbody,whybe embarrassed?
“Youmaysit,”themantoldheronceshe’dcompletedher360.
OnlythendidLillinoticetwoblackmetalguestchairsinfrontofhisdesk.
Shegingerlytookaseat,onlytobouncerightbackupagain.“That’sokay,I’llstand.”
Thehandsomeman’seyesnarrowed,evenashistonestayedpolite.“Ifyoudon’t