In Deep Kimchi (31 page)

The next couple of hours went through in a blur of boring speeches followed by the introduction of the authors to the audience. Hordes and hordes of publishers, editors and the news media made the evening complete with reporters pushing mikes and cameras in their faces, asking the same type of questions about their careers and seeming pretty shocked to learn that she wrote erotica. The highlight of her day so far had been the book signing, which had taken place earlier. Both
Temptation
and her latest,
Rapture,
literally flew off the shelves because they were translated in Japanese. The other authors did equally well and they even received orders that Harper and Mr. Niigata promised would be shipped the first thing in the morning.

After another round of questions, Mr. Niigata thanked everyone for coming and announced that dinner and dancing was to take place shortly in another room. Crowds piled into the second ballroom, which also would serve as the dining room. Aomori had yet to put in an appearance.

Mr. Niigata had sectioned off tables for the authors and their guests. She and Dorothy led the way over to the table to look for their spots.

“Where is Aomori?” Dorothy asked after they arrived at the table.

Shaundra found her spot. She was seated right in the middle between Yori and Ichiro. Her eyes landed on the place card to Yori’s right…Amaya Saitama. She picked it up and showed it to Dorothy.

“I thought she went home two weeks ago?”

“I thought so too. Maybe she’s flying back in for this special occasion.”

“Maybe,” Dorothy replied.

They were both answered when the young woman entered wearing a cute purple evening gown that looked like it was made just for her, which it possiblly could have been since both her parents were famous fashion designers. There was nothing flashy about her, just pretty and polite with long, black hair styled in long waves.

She approached. “Hello, my name is Amaya Saitama, Yori’s fiancée. I have wanted to meet you for some time now…since I saw the two of you together on that magazine cover.” She bowed and extended her small hand out to Shaundra, which Shaundra accepted with grace since most Japanese did not like to shake hands. She still didn’t trust her, though, after that little rolling of the eyes incident in the restaurant.

“Hello, it is nice to meet you. I didn’t know that you were still in town.”

“I wasn’t. I flew back in because Yori asked me to. I’ll have to fly back out tomorrow because I have to attend class.”

“You’re in college?” Shaundra asked, trying to ignore the fact that Yori had sent for her.

“Yes, my last year. I will be joining my parents full-time in their business when I graduate and Yori and I will be married shortly afterwards.”

There it was. Amaya had round about told her that Yori was hers and that she better keep her hands off of him. She did it so cool and calmly. Shrewd for someone so young.

Dorothy nudged her from behind, which Shaundra chose to ignore. “That’s nice, dear. I wish you happiness and success in both endeavors.” With that, Amaya bowed again and then sat down. Shaundra and Dorothy slid into their seats.

Harper finally broke away and came over to talk to them, looking stunning in a white tuxedo with a black cummerbund and bow tie.

“Are you three ladies enjoying yourselves?” he asked, grabbing three glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and giving it to them before taking one for himself.

“I’ve just arrived,” Amaya announced. “Sorry that I missed your speech.”

Shaundra put down her glass. Okay, when had the two of them become friends, and why? Had he made a pass at her the night of the after-concert party?

“I’ll make sure you get a video of the entire event,” Harper told Amaya.

“Thank you.”

Okay, they are too chummy
, Shaundra thought.

Harper turned his attention back on her. “Stand up and let me look at you.”

“Why?” Shaundra asked, still perplexed by Harper’s conversation with Amaya.

“To see if it fits the way I imagined it would.”

Harper had a warped sense of reality, but he had very good taste in female clothes. She wondered if he was a closeted cross-dresser. She rose and he spun her around.

“You can still bounce a coin off that ass.”

Shaundra slid back into her chair. “How much have you had to drink today, boss man?”

“Not as much as you think. Mr. Niigata and I just shared a bottle of sake earlier to celebrate.”

“I must try some of that before I return to the United States,” Dorothy announced.

Shaundra shook her head rapidly. “No, you shouldn’t,” she replied. “You will not like it.”

“Have you tried some?” Dorothy asked.

“Yes, it takes like…” She didn’t want to finish the sentence and be insulting.

“What does it taste like?” Dorothy asked.

Shaundra stuck out her tongue. “Not tasty.”

Harper laughed. “Yes, I thought it was horrible, too, at first, but after several of those tiny little cups, it grew on me.”

“You can’t convince me of that,” Shaundra said sarcastically.

“Where is Aomori?” Amaya asked as their table began to fill. Jackson and Riley had arrived with Chirau and Izanami in tow, and Hideohi and Iwao arrived with two female friends she did not know, but could possibly be their girlfriends. John Sampson also entered and sat down next to Dorothy, leaving two seats next to her and Amaya.

Harper pointed to the stage. Both she and Amaya turned to look. Aomori had arrived and were about to perform. “Mr. Niigata wanted it to be a surprise. He didn’t want fans camped outside all night so he didn’t mention that they were scheduled to entertain.” He walked away for them and over to his seat on the opposite side of the table and sat down just as the lights dimmed.

Japanese young people hopped to their feet as soon as Aomori began to sing. It reminded her of when she’d attended concerts and dances when she was younger. Aomori performed five song and the then the lights were raised. The crowd applauded like crazy and begged for more songs. A half hour later, all four men came out through a side door wearing white suits. Yori arrived at the table first and sat down next to Amaya, but not before winking at her and looking her directly in the eyes.
Tease
.

Satoshi arrived and sat across from them right next to a pretty young woman with blonde hair. Takumijo’s date surprisingly turned out to be a young woman whom she later learned was a famous Japanese actress that he’d once performed with.

Ichiro bowed to her and then sat down. He had done something different with his hair. Instead of the long ponytail, he had wound it into a bun at his neck. It looked neat and went well with the tux. But the moment she saw it, Shaundra’s mind started releasing it from the band and spreading it out on her pillow.
Why does it do that
?

Dinner was a Japanese menu, during which they socialized and got to meet the other people at their table. Most of the women were very interested in Amaya once they learned that she not only was Yori’s fiancée, but also the daughter of two famous Japanese fashion designers. Shaundra caught a glimpse at something she hadn’t noticed earlier, a diamond engagement ring on Amaya’s finger. Jealousy stabbed her in a chest and then it subsided. What good would it do to fret about something that was done long before she’d arrived?

The music started up again and people got out of their seats.

“Would you care to dance?” Ichiro asked her.

“I’d be delighted, Mr. Yoshida.”

Ichiro helped her to her feet and did not miss the delighted look on his face when he finally saw her in that gown. “You look so beautiful.”

All she could do was smile as he led her onto the dance floor and took her into his arms.

“I do believe I am the envy of every man here,” he told her as they danced slowly to a song she’d never heard before.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because it is true. That gown fits you perfectly.”

“Then you’ll have to thank my boss because he picked it out for me.”

Ichiro chuckled. “He has excellent taste.”

She thought it would bother him more that another man picked out her clothes. “And the shoes and the underwear.”

His grip tightened around her waist. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. I think he used to play with dolls when he was a kid.”

“What type of underwear did he pick out for you?”

“A thong.”

Ichiro’s body hardened below the belt and an erection quickly rose.

“That’s going to be hard to hide in a white tuxedo,” Shaundra teased.

“I have a very vivid imagination when it comes to you.”

“So does Harper.”

“Is it red?”

“What?”

“The thong.”

“Yes, the same color as the gown.” Ichiro groaned and Shaundra chuckled at his discomfort. “Would it help if I told you that wearing a thong is the most uncomfortable thing I have ever worn in my life and I can’t wait to take it off?”

“Not really,” he said hoarsely. “I think it made it worse.”

Lucky for him, the dance floor was pretty dim and they managed to get back to their table without anyone noticing. Ichiro rushed off to the men’s room to put his hands in very cold water.

“What’s wrong with him?” Dorothy asked as both of them watched Ichiro walk away. He had a great butt.

“He has an unexpected rise in a very tight pair of white pants.”

Dorothy laughed. “That’s what I like about young men. It doesn’t take much to get them motivated. You’re so lucky.”

“At least you’ve gotten some since you’ve arrived. I’m still at the starting line.”

“May I have this dance?” a man asked from behind her.

It was Satoshi.

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t be nice if a fight broke out here tonight.”

“Go on,” Dorothy told her. “I’ll entertain your little angel when he gets back. I’ll keep him from blowing a gasket.”

Shaundra rose, not sure that what she was doing was right, and let Satoshi lead her on the floor to dance. He, too, was good at it and he was just tad bit taller than Ichiro, which made him about six-one.

Satoshi wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. “What did you do to Ich that made him hurry away from the table?”

“What makes you assume I did something to him? The man had to use the restroom.” She continued to dance and not pull away from him like her instincts told her to do.

“He doesn’t like to use public restrooms. He has this germ phobia.”

“Maybe he had to go real bad and couldn’t hold his bladder.”

Satoshi chuckled. “I love your sense of humor and that gown you’re wearing.” He dipped her and then pulled her back into his arms.

She wasn’t going to feed him the same story about Harper and the underwear. One horny pop singer was enough for her. “My boss picked it out for me.”

“Why?”

“Because he wanted me to get noticed. He thinks it’s great for publicity, me being an erotic author and all.”