Cherry Crush (2 page)

“You are way too cute,” Laney snorted, eyes crinkling in laughter as she observed her teacher.

One of the perks being best friends with the master sensei was all the secrets that certain
pupils
let out in her presence. True, in the past three years there had only been two women and then Ash, but all the shrieks and yells that came from his loft were not from private grappling lessons on a personal impact mat.

Marlana had met Chan after he advertised that he had an open apartment right above his new dojo. Desperate for a place to live within her budget, she jumped very cautiously at the chance. She’d knocked on his door, hoping against hope that he wasn’t some loser pervert trying to get a free show through unseemly means and hidden cameras, and she certainly didn’t expect this serene, calm, longhaired man to answer.

He took to her on sight, like a big brother, and halfway through her interview offered to teach her jiujutsu or karate—for her own good, of course. He felt she was too trusting.

Soon after, she managed to land her dream job a few blocks from the dojo. Salvatore Bonmartio and his wife, a sweet Italian couple, owned Epicurean Fire, one of the only French Fusion restaurants in the area. Inez and Salvatore, after years of trying, were finally expecting their first child. With the upcoming pressures of preparing for the blessed event, they both decided that they needed someone a little more experienced than the average sous-chef to help run the kitchen.

Laney, with her many years cooking with her world famous parents in their Parisian restaurant, The Spotted Calf, was just what the Bonmartio family needed and more than they could have hoped for.

Not only did she bring old-world elegance to her dishes, she brought along a sense of fire and flare with her modern ideals of fusion cuisine.

With her parents blessing, a stable living situation, and the job she knew would lead to bigger and better things, Laney settled into her new life in Baltimore and discovered she liked living on her own terms — without standing in the shadow of her parents or the constant pressure to be like them — just fine.

As the sous-chef and replacement for Sal in the small French restaurant, she still couldn’t afford a car. The only recourse she had, other than putting herself in major debt, had been to walk home each evening after closing, clean-up and staff meetings.

When Chan discovered her walking alone in the dark, blithely unaware of the risks she took as a single woman strolling through the city streets at night, he instantly volunteered to meet her at work and escort her safely home.

His excuse had been that he needed the wind down from work and late night walking was a good form of meditation.

Laney didn’t bite. She realized what he was doing, seeing her escorted back each night, but said nothing, allowing him this act of gallantry. She decided that if he wanted to play the big brother to see to it that she was safe, who was she to quibble?

She enjoyed his company and conversation, though he never really talked much about himself or his family.

And although it almost seemed like a smack to her independence, she could not overlook the benefits of having a kung-fu master walking her about the dark streets.

Soon she began making up late rent payments with tasty gourmet meals she prepared and brought home from the restaurant, and Chan became her favorite food tester for when she was feeling a little bit experimental. With Chan’s taste for exotic flair and his amazing knowledge of herbs and spices, her situation soon developed into an ideal paradise. She loved to cook, and he loved to eat; it was too perfect.

Chan had become her mysterious best friend and confidant, trading secrets, bolstering her spirits when she felt low. And with the lessons he insisted upon her taking during off days and free time, she became his attentive student and best gal to pal to hang with.

She was so comfortable with him that it was only now, after she made her offer, that she realized her somewhat hair-brained idea to become lovers might seriously endanger their relationship.

And from the look in his eyes, it was clear that Chan was not thinking the same thing.

“I don’t know what to say,” he finally got out, running his hands through his waist-length hair, tugging it free from its normal neat braid.

Laney forced herself to keep the smile on her face while she wondered if making the offer had been the right thing to do.

Even now with her almost regretting what she had just asked, she couldn’t help but notice how that confused and weary look on his face was endearing and oddly hot as hell.

What Chan expected when he walked into Laney’s apartment that night had been nothing but great food, better wine, and his best friend to laugh and joke about the day’s events.

What he didn’t expect was this proposition from his cute and passionate upstairs boarder.

There was a lot about him that Laney didn’t know, nor did he feel she could comprehend.

At first meeting, Laney seemed a gutsy little thing, so unsure but determined to make it through this life on her own terms.

He felt sorry for the dark-haired waif that knocked on his door with a backpack and a cautiously hopeful look in her eyes. But after speaking with her, he had a good reading on her soul. He knew she needed him to protect her.

He also had an odd knowledge that maybe someday something romantic could happen between the two of them, but that day was a long way off. She needed to grow and develop, to become surer of herself and her talents, to seize her independence. Then maybe they could make an attempt at a relationship.

But...but had that time come so soon?

As the legend goes, there was someone for everyone on this planet; that somewhere there was a person who could perfectly fill the oddly shaped hole in one’s soul, becoming the one who could complete him or her fully. It was a concept that he fully believed in with his whole heart and mind, though Chan had begun to have serious doubts about ever finding a proper mate.

He still hadn’t a clue if Laney was the right person for him, but his instincts drove him to offer the apartment over the dojo to her at a discounted rate and to see to it that she remained as safe and sheltered as possible.

Just by looking at her, he could tell she needed the money and would do almost anything to make it on her own; almost exactly like him when he first left his village and his people back in the Kurama Mountains of Japan.

That she was attractive as hell was an added bonus.

But what she asked of him…it was unprecedented.

“I…I don’t know what to say…,” he stuttered.

“Then don’t say anything yet,” she rushed, looking more and more concerned as he stared at her stupidly. “Just think about it, Chan. I want my first…time to be special.”

She hung her head, and then gazed up at him from beneath her lashes. “How many twenty-five year old virgins do you know? And the curiosity is killing me.” She closed her eyes for a moment, and Chan grew weary, afraid that he had offended her with his honesty, but she opened her eyes and spoke again. “Believe me, I’ve put a lot of thought into this. I would have never asked it of you if I felt that you could hurt me in any way. You, I trust implicitly, with my heart, my body...my soul.”

Her soul....

And she had. She spent many sleepless nights wondering what sex would be like. Not that she could ever be totally innocent in this day and age of phone sex and Internet porn. Besides, in today’s society, you had to live under a rock not to know a little about the birds and the bees...and maybe a weasel or two.

However, Laney had a plan to expand her horizons sexually…sort of. After much deliberation, she concluded that Chan was the only available man she trusted enough with this important milestone in her life. And maybe...maybe if things worked out, they could have something more.

She rose from the table and cleared off the dinner dishes.

“Would you like some baklava?”

Chan blinked twice and then seemed to focus in on her face before his gaze traveled over her body, awareness of her as a sexual being showing in the flush that darkened his cheeks.

In her soft, oversized sweater and leggings she knew that she looked cuddly, warm, and comfortable. That was how he always appeared to think of her, but now, as she bent low and allowed her breasts to brush against his arm, she knew that he began to look at her through the eyes of a hungry man.

Laney’s earth-colored skin looked soft and supple. Her slanted black eyes were bottomless. A man could get lost in those. Her chin length hair slightly mussed. Her full lips were very kissable, and her body exquisite. His cock was….