Page 42 of Her Fearless Ronin

Jiro squeezed my hand, and I looked up to see his bright smile. “You’re perfect just as you are,koibito. You are perfect to me.”

My heart squeezed in my chest, and I wanted to throw myself into his arms and kiss him senseless, but I was lucky to be stoppedby the approaching hostess.

“Good evening, Monsieur Saito,” she greeted Jiro, her eyes glancing briefly at me before returning to him.

How did she know his name?

“Good evening,” Jiro responded with a nod, his voice carrying an air of quiet confidence.

The hostess turned her attention to me. “Mademoiselle, welcome. We have your table ready.” Her French accent added to the sophisticated atmosphere of the restaurant. With a slight gesture, she led us deeper into the room, our steps guided by the soft glow of candles that adorned each table.

I caught Jiro’s gaze as we walked, his eyes warm with affection. The anticipation of the night ahead mingled with the allure he exuded, creating a heady combination that left me breathless.

As we reached our table, I couldn’t help but admire the elegant setting—the fine linen, the gleaming silverware, and the delicate flowers that graced the center. The hostess handed us the menus, and Jiro’s ease with the French language was both impressive and a bit intimidating. He scanned the menu confidently while I struggled to decipher the elaborate descriptions of the dishes. I felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck.

Jiro’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked up from the menu, catching me in my moment of uncertainty. “Having trouble,koibito?”

I let out a sheepish chuckle, feeling a bit like a fish out of water. “Just a little. The descriptions are quite elaborate.”

He grinned, his voice a gentle melody. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this. How about I order for both of us?”

Relief washed over me, and I nodded gratefully. “That would be wonderful, thank you.”

He winked playfully, his smile lighting up his face. “Consider it a chance for me to impress you outside the bedroom.”

I playfully rolled my eyes, trying to hide my growing excitement. “You’ve already done enough of that, believe me.”

Our waiter returned to take our orders, and Jiro’s fluency in French was again impressive. As the waiter left, Jiro leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I have to admit, I wanted to impress you tonight. Show you that there’s more to me than the dark, brooding persona you often see.”

I met his gaze, my heart fluttering at the honesty in his words. “Jiro, you don’t need to impress me. I’ve always known there’s more to you than meets the eye.”

Genuine surprise flickered across his features. “You have?”

I nodded, feeling a connection that ran deeper than words. “From the moment we met, I saw someone who’s fiercely protective, someone who’s willing to sacrifice for the people he cares about, even if he doesn’t always show it.”

He leaned in, his gaze unwavering. “And what else did you see?”

My heart raced, and I decided to speak from my heart. “I saw a man with layers, someone who’s struggled and fought his way through life but who still has a capacity fortenderness and care.”

His expression softened, and his thumb traced gentle circles on the back of my hand. “Hope, you have a way of seeing through me.”

I laughed softly, feeling a warmth spread through me. “Maybe because I’ve always wanted to.”

The air between us seemed charged, the connection deepening with each passing moment.

“Well, if my bedroom performance last night wasn’t enough to impress you for a lifetime, I’ll have to step up my game.”

His words, though unexpected, made me burst into laughter, drawing curious glances from nearby tables.

My cheeks turned a shade of pink, and I couldn’t help but play along. “Oh, I think you’ve already made quite the impression.”

His laughter danced in the air, a melodious sound that blended seamlessly with the restaurant’s sophisticated ambience. He gazed at me, his eyes intense with a hint of vulnerability I suspected he rarely showed. “And you, Hope Myers, have shown me a side of myself I never thought I’d find.”

I wanted to keep the conversation light, but there were a lot of things I needed to know pertaining to my brother but also his intentions for afterward. I wanted to keep on dreaming. Of course I did. I wanted to keep on deluding myself that Jiro Saito was mine not only temporarily but forever.

As the waitress set the plate ofChèvre chaudin front of me, I could not ignore the more serious concerns we needed to address.Ones that I knew I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much I wanted to remain wrapped in this beautiful dream. I let out a sigh, my mood dipping a little.

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