In Deep Kimchi by Imari Jade Read Free Book Online Page A

meeting. If he’d been a woman, she would have had to consider him beautiful. The others were stunning, too, but they were not as feminine-looking as Ichiro. Damn, why did this bother her so? It wasn’t like they were her type. She liked strong, rugged men with rippling muscles and strong enough to toss a bull. Aomori was tall and had muscle, but they had a delicacy about them…like they needed to be protected. Did being lovely and delicate make them less of a man? For some reason, she didn’t think so.
    “What are you watching so intently?” Harper asked her once the disk jockey took a break and the dancers returned to their seats.
    “Ichiro,” Shaundra replied.
    Everyone at the table turned in his direction and then looked back at her.
    “What about him?” Harper asked.
    “He’s the only one who didn’t get up to dance even though a young woman asked him.”
    “Maybe he can’t dance,” Jackson replied as he picked up his drink.
    “Ichiro is a quiet one,” Masaaki explained. “He’s into books and cooking and hopes to one day to be a great restaurateur.”
    “I just figured he was gay,” Jackson said.
    Masaaki chuckled. “Ichiro? No, I don’t think so. He has a bigger female fan base than the other three. He’s just the quiet type. I can’t wait for you to hear him sing. I was brought to tears the first time I heard him audition. He sang Ave Maria . Took all of us by surprise, including Mr. Niigata. No, Ichiro isn’t gay or vain. He’s just Ichiro. He cooks a mean ramen too.”
    Shaundra looked over at Ichiro again and found him staring directly at her. She gulped. Those weren’t the eyes of a man interested in another man. Nope. Those were the eyes of a man who was interested in her. Shit. What am I going to do now ?
    The disk jockey returned and started spinning records again. This time, he chose the American song…Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal . Young people immediately sprung to their feet and headed back to the dance floor. Harper grabbed her hand and rose. “Come on, let’s show these kids a thing a two.”
    Masaaki moved aside so she could pass by him and, before she knew it she and Harper were on the dance floor dancing like they were two teens. Dorothy and Jackson and the Asian authors joined them, leaving Riley and Masaaki alone at the table.
    Harper was surprising light on his feet and knew the latest dance steps, but he was no match for the young Japanese once the disk jockey changed the music back to Japanese pop. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Shaundra looked up. It was Yori.
    “I would like to dance with Ms. Morrison.”
    From the look on Harper’s face, Shaundra deduced that Yori’s bluntness surprised him. “Sure, if Ms. Morrison doesn’t mind.”
    “She doesn’t,” Yori answered for her. He stepped around Harper and took Shaundra’s hand.
    Harper looked at her and all she could do was shrug her shoulders. Harper gave up and returned to the table.
    “That was quite rude,” Shaundra replied as the music changed to a slow number. Yori pulled her into his arms.
    “What is rude? I just wanted to dance with you.”
    His English was not as limited as she thought.
    He pressed her closer and her body molded into his. Her head rested comfortably against his chest. His earthy cologne tickled her nose and worked its way through her body like an aphrodisiac. “But I was already dancing with someone.”
    “He’s your boss.”
    “So?”
    “I’m not.” He flawlessly dipped her and then pulled her back to him. She heard clapping, but chose to ignore it. Then, several cameras flashed. That, she could not ignore. She stiffened in Yori’s arms.
    “What is wrong?” he asked.
    “Someone took a picture of us.”
    “So?”
    “So? We can’t be photographed together.”
    “Why not?”
    “We just can’t. It’s not good for our careers.”
    “People take pictures of me every day,” he said. “What’s one more?” He twirled her around and someone got a picture