One Kiss in Tokyo... by Scarlet Wilson Read Free Book Online

house is just around the corner.’ She had an easiness about her, a casualness that he could easily misconstrue. His brain might be addled from the long journey, the travel, and not helped by the two beers but he was finding her pretty mesmerising.
    She stopped in front of a standard air force house and pointed to the number on the door. He swung his pack from his shoulder and pulled out the key. ‘Let me dump my bag and I’ll walk you back to yours.’
    He put his key in the lock and opened the front door. Her amber and jasmine scents were swept away by a musty odour. Katsuko let out a laugh. ‘Uh-oh. Remind me to buy you some air freshener.’
    He winced, reaching inside the front door to flick on the light. ‘Do you think the whole place smells like this?’
    She wrinkled her nose. ‘All I know is, if you report for duty tomorrow smelling like that, no one will work with you. It’s damp. Like a men’s locker room.’
    â€˜And how do you know what a men’s locker room smells like?’
    She gave him a wink.
    A wink. An actual wink.
    â€˜We all have our secrets.’ She walked past him down the hall and opened a cupboard.
    For around half a second earlier tonight he’d thought of backing off. Once she’d shared about her mum and dad and her painful past he’d wondered if Katsuko would really be the kind of girl who would be up for a fling.
    But he’d kept flirting with her and she was flirting right back. Katsuko Williams was proving hard to resist, no matter how many red flags were flying in the back of his head.
    â€˜I’ll let you find your own way around your new home. All I need to show you is this.’ She held up a bag.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜Earthquake emergency kit. Dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies. There’s a hard hat and gloves too. Oh, and a flashlight.’
    â€˜Will I need it?’ He didn’t really like the sound of that.
    She put the kit back down and held up her hands. ‘You’re in Japan now, Avery. This is earthquake central. We average a thousand a year and have more drills than you could ever know. Just be sure to keep your shoes and flashlight next to your bed. They’ll send you on training in the next few days.’ She stepped right up under his nose and tapped a finger on his chest. ‘You’ll soon be saying “Drop, cover, hold” in your sleep.’
    She turned to walk away and waved her hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Captain Flynn. Go on now, get to bed and try and get rid of those huge bags under your eyes. Don’t worry about me. I can find my own way home.’
    She’d already started to walk slowly back down the path and he felt an unexpected pang of disappointment.
    â€˜I can walk you. I will. Let me lock up.’
    She stopped walking and turned around, illuminated by the streetlight behind her outlining her figure and framing her face perfectly. ‘No. It’s best you don’t.’
    Whoa. He sucked in a breath. Was he watching a scene from a movie? That was what this looked like.
    His hand was already on the key but he stopped. She’d said no. The chivalrous part of him wanted to argue, but his rational head told him that Katsuko had lived here since she was a child. She knew this base like the back of her hand. She could find her way home safely without his help.
    He paused in the doorway. ‘Katsuko?’
    She looked up.
    â€˜Thank you. Thank you for tonight.’
    She gave a little nod.
    He leaned against the doorjamb. It would be so easy to go on inside but he wanted to watch her walk away. Her outline was silhouetted as she strolled down the street. Her uniform hugged her curves well and there was a sass to her step. His head leaned against the doorpost. Fatigue was washing over him now. At the bottom of the street she turned again and shouted, ‘Hey! Avery?’
    His head shot back up.