My Valentine

“Nice grip, Johnny. You’re getting there. Which gym do you train at?”

“UFC,” Johnny was still growling. He didn’t look pleased. “You?”

“United MMA,” Nicholas was smiling even more broadly. His smile made me want to smile with him.

“Them.” Lester didn’t sound pleased either.

“Kiyomi, is this your date?” My Dad’s voice came from behind me, flat, disapproving. He really didn’t like me dating haole guys, but I knew that.

My Dad was even bigger than Johnny and Lester, taller by maybe an inch. Everyone thinks Japanese are small, and I am, but my dad and my brothers aren’t. They always left me feeling like I was a miniature little Japanese doll. I’m not that small and dainty, but that’s always how I felt when I was with them. Nicholas didn’t make me feel like that at all.

Nicholas felt just right.

I turned, smiling. “Hi Dad, yes, this is Nicholas. Nicholas, this is my Dad.”

“Nicholas MacGregor. Pleased to meet you Mr. Moriyama,” Nicholas said. “Konbanwa.”

He didn’t extend his hand the way a haole normally would. He bowed. A very formal, very deep, very respectful bow that he held. There was a pause. I could tell my Dad was startled even though his expression didn't change.

At last, he bowed, not nearly as far. “Konbanwa, Nicholas MacGregor,” he said, grudgingly. “Please have Kiyomi home by eleven.” Dad looked at me. “You may invite Nicholas in when you come home, Kiyomi. Your mother would like to meet him.”

Now it was my turn to be surprised. Even my brothers looked startled. My Dad had never invited any of my dates in to meet my Mom. Not even Ken Watanabe, and my parents knew Ken’s parents really well. Greg of course, but Greg and I had grown up together and he was almost family.

“Yes, Dad,” I said.

Nicholas bowed again, just as formal but not as deep. “Eleven, Mr. Moriyama,” he said, before smiling at me. “I’ll have Kiyomi home on time.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” he said to my brothers.

He smiled at me, holding out the roses. I smiled back, leaning forward, inhaling. They smelled so gorgeous. “They’re for you, Kiyomi.”

I took them from him. “Thank you, Nicholas, they’re beautiful. Wait here for me, I’ll put them in a vase.” I gave him another smile before walking into the kitchen. Justine, our maid, was there. I handed the roses to her, asked her to put them in a vase and put them in my room.

“Yes, Miss Moriyama.” Justine smiled. She’d been with us for years. She lowered her voice. “Enjoy your date tonight.”

I smiled back. “Thanks Justine.” She’d covered for me more than once in the past.

My dad and my brothers were all watching as I walked to Nicholas’ car with him. It was the Morgan, of course, and I smiled as he held the door open for me, taking my hand and helping me in before closing the door for me.

Dad and my brothers were still watching as he started the Morgan up, that beautiful low throaty burble echoing off the front of the house. I waved as he turned easily in the driveway before pulling back out onto the road.

He grinned at me. “Glad you warned me about your brothers,” he said. “And your dad.”

I smiled back. “They always try to scare my dates,” I said. “I tell them not to but they won’t listen to me.”

Nicholas laughed. “Don’t sweat it, Kiyomi,” he said. “If, god forbid, I was your brother, I’d be scaring your dates as well. Now all I have to do is help them scare off anyone else who tries to date you.” He laughed again. “I think it might work, they seem very capable of doing it.”

It was an infectious laugh that started me giggling.

“Where are we going for dinner?” I asked, nestled into the passenger seat beside him, watching him driving.

“The Vintage Cave,” he said, glancing at me, his eyes crinkling warmly as he smiled.

That smile, the way he glanced at me, the way his eyes met mine, I was sure now. I was in love. I hoped he felt the same about me as I did about him, even though this was really our first real date.

* * *
“You may see Nicholas out, Kiyomi,” my mom said. Glancing at Nicholas, she added, “Kiyomi can stay outside with you for ten minutes, Nicholas.”

I knew she’d be watching.

Beside his car, Nicholas took me in his arms and my own arms vines around his neck, my body pressed against his as if it had always belonged there. “Can I take you out again?” he asked.

“My family didn’t scare you off?” I said, relieved.

His eyes looked down into mine, sending those little electric shocks through me. “You haven’t met my mom and dad.”

“Am I going to?” I asked.

“If you say yes to dating me again,” he said.

“Yes,” I said, smiling as his lips brushed mine, and then there wasn’t any more speaking. Not for minutes and minutes and minutes, and kisses were no longer enough. Nowhere near enough.

“You better go inside, Kiyomi,” he breathed, holding me tight, and I could feel him pressed against me everywhere, crushing me against him. I could feel how excited he was too.

“Mmmmm,” I agreed, my lips searching for his. Searching for another of those kisses.

“Really, you should,” he said, before he kissed me again.

“Mmmm, I know,” I said, as we released each other.

“Next Friday evening?”

“Okay,” I said, reluctantly releasing him. I smiled. “I’ll be at the Tennis Club tomorrow morning though.” Cindy and I have a court booked. “We’re going surfing afterwards.”

Now it was his turn to smile. “I might see you there then.”

Watching him, I was smiling as he eased himself into that Morgan of his and pulled out. I stayed, listening to the burble of his car until it’d merged into the sounds of the night..

* * *

“So how was dinner with the haole boy, Kiyomi?” My Dad looked up from his seat in the breakfast room when I came downstairs on Sunday morning. His laptop was out, working on something the way he usually does when he wasn’t eating or sleeping.

“Okay,” said, noncommittally. No way I was telling anyone in my family it’d been great. “I’m playing tennis with Cindy this morning, and we’re going surfing this afternoon. I’ll be home late, we’ll grab a burger or something down at the beach.”

“Who’s taking you?”

“Greg and Ken,” I said.

“Good,” my mom nodded approvingly. “You should date Japanese boys, Kiyomi. Not haole boys, you’ve dated too many haoles.”

My mom doesn’t approve. I know she doesn’t like me dating haoles. She’s said so before. I don’t take any notice, the way I’ve never listened to her before either.

* * *

“I like surfing.” Nicholas was sitting on a surfboard he’d borrowed from Greg, eyeing me. The look on his face said he was enjoying what he was looking at. “I surfed in England, down in Cornwall, but the water’s really cold compared to here. This is like a warm bath.”

“I’ve never surfed anywhere else. I’d like to though.” I knew it’d been a good idea to wear that new bikini instead of my usual boring one piece. The pink one Cindy had bet me I’d never have the courage to wear. Well, it’d taken a lot of courage, but I was wearing it. That bikini didn’t hide much but it was worth it, just to see him looking at me like that.

Cindy was on a wave, Greg and Ken were paddling back out, and we were sitting outside the break. There weren’t too many of the guys out today, the break was kinda small, but today was all we had. High school tomorrow for Cindy and I, no surfing during the week, and aside from the waves, it was a beautiful day, and Nicholas looked even more hunky in his swim shorts than he had on our date last night.

"Here's a good one," I said, looking over my shoulder, swinging my legs up, down on my board and paddling as Nicholas followed me, going for it with me. Paddling like crazy, feeling the swell lifting me, angling the nose down, stroking hard,and then we were both on it, a six footer, dropping in on the face and I popped up, on my feet, on the face, Nicholas cutting in tight behind me.

Nose down, picking up speed, that wave was good, smooth and clean, the water as smooth as glass and I was carving on the face, Nicholas cutting back towards the break, then back towards me, catching up with me as I kicked out and dropped, turning into the next wave and paddling out again.

"This is awesome,” he said, beside me again, paddling effortlessly.

“Really small break though,” I said. “You should see it when it’s really breaking, you get those fifteen, maybe twenty foot waves and it’s totally awesome.”

“Jesus, I’ve never surfed anything that big.”

I grinned. “You will if you keep surfing with me.”

"Promise?"

I smiled. “Promise. How’d you like to come with me to Jaws next weekend?”

“Jaws?”

“It’s over on the North Shore, just an amazing break if everything’s right. You get these amazing fifty foot waves sometimes, and you get these awesome surfers riding them. I’d never try them, way to big for me, but it’s totally awesome to just kick back and watch them. You gotta see it.”

“Next weekend?”

“Yeah, if you’re free.” God yes, please say you’re free. Please please please. All day with Nicholas. “You’d have to take me though.”

He smiled. “Sounds like a date.”

“We’ll have to leave really early. Like six in the morning.”

He shrugged. “I always get up early.”

“Hey, here’s a good one. Let’s catch it.” And we were off again.

“What an amazing day, Kiyomi,” he said, a couple of hours later, boards leaning against Greg’s car, lying together on a beach blanket beside his Morgan, the others still out there, catching a few last waves. “Thanks for asking me.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, looking up into his eyes as he turned and propped himself up on one elbow beside me, looking down at me, his body touching mine along the length of my side, one of his arms sliding under my shoulders.

"Nicholas," I said, looking into his eyes, my voice suddenly thin and high, scared, because I’d never felt like this before. Never wanted someone so much, so intensely.

"Yes?" he said.

"How long are you here for? You’re not just here on vacation are you?”

He smiled, his finger brushing my cheek, my jaw, turning my face a little. “I’ve got my green card, Kiyomi. Dad wants me to work here, he’s got one of his businesses here, IT, so I’m not going anywhere.” He smiled. “And now that I’ve met you, I’m going nowhere else at all.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he said, his nose almost brushing mine, his lips brushing mine. Brushing, then kissing, my mouth opening to his, his tongue meeting mine, searching my mouth, that gentle kiss suddenly something just as gentle but far more intense, a gentle possession of my mouth, on and on, taking my surrender as my arms vines around his neck, as his body moved closer, pressing against me, his hands holding me as one of my legs curled around his thigh, clinging to him, my body moving against him as his moved against mine, his hand on my butt now, pressing me against him as he pressed against me.

There.

“Ohhhhhhhhh.” I moaned into his kiss, moaned as his hands held me, eager to be held, eager for his hands, wanting him. Wanting more.

That kiss went on and on, endlessly, breathlessly, gasping, panting, moaning softly as his hand ran over me. My back, my hip, my thigh, my butt, everywhere, so that I burned and tingled and glowed, on and on until his lips brushed my ear.

“Kiyomi?”

“Yes?”

“I’m in love.” His lips teased my earlobe. “With you.”

My heart jolted as I clung to him. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” he murmured.

“Can I tell you something too,” I breathed, my hands, my body, urging him onto his back, moving over him, lying on him, my legs either side of his, his hands on my butt. Both his hands.

“Yes,” he said, very softly, his hands exploring my butt.

“I love you,” I said. “I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling. “I fell in love with you when I saw you sitting there watching me walk towards you,” he said. “I saw you, and I fell in love.”

Have you ever felt your life couldn’t be more complete? That was how I felt in that moment, swept up in an unstoppable wave of emotion, of love, of being complete, of finding you were missing a piece of you that you’d never known was missing until you found it, and then it just clicked into place and you realize everything is perfect.

Nicholas was perfect.

“I love you, Nicholas MacGregor,” I breathed, losing myself in the blue of his eyes, looking into his soul and seeing his love for me. Tasting his love for me.

“I love you, Kiyomia Moriyama,” he breathed, his eyes looking into mine, drinking me in, just as I was drinking him in. “Forever,” he added, and I tasted the truth in that one word. Tasted his love for me. Tasted the intensity of his love, knowing it was true. As true as my love for him.”

Noone else but him, for all of eternity.

We kissed, his lips sealed to mine, mine to his, our mouths opening as though to breathe in each others souls, on and on, inhaling the scent of his body, of seawater, in and endless kiss, on and on and on, clinging to each other, knowing I loved him. Knowing he loved me. Knowing this was love. This was bliss, this was heaven.

* * *

Eating burgers together at the beach, Cindy and Ken and Greg on the other side of the old wooden table, Nicholas and I side by side, glued to each other, unable to take our eyes off each other until it was time to leave.

Forgetting completely that I’d gone to the Tennis Club with Cindy and Greg. Sitting beside Nicholas in his Morgan as he drove me home.

“Next Friday, Kiyomi?” he asked, opening the door for me. I didn’t need to worry about my board. Greg tied it onto the rack on his car. “Dinner date?”

“I’d love that,” I said, sliding out of the car and into his arms. “Call me, okay?”

“I will,” he said, his kisses heaven. “I love you, Kiyomi.”

“I love you, Nicholas.” For a long moment I stayed where I was, my head against his shoulder, secure, loved, knowing what heaven was.

“In you go,” he said, patting my butt, so that I giggled.

* * *

“Another date tonight, Kiyomi?” Mom asked, three weeks later when I told her I wouldn’t be home for dinner. “Who’s it with?”

“Nicholas of course,” I say, surprised she was asking who it was with. Who else would I be going out with? We’ve dated every weekend since we met.

“You’re seeing too much of that haole boy, Kiyomi,” my Mom said. “You should maybe date a nice Japanese boy or two. Mrs. Fujiomoto mentioned her nephew’s over from San Francisco, maybe you’d like to go out with him.”

“Mom,” I said, very patiently. “Nicholas is my boyfriend, I don’t date other guys when I have a boyfriend. No-one does.”

“Hmmmphhhh,” my mom huffed. “He’s a haole, he’s really not suitable.”

“Mom! He’s my boyfriend! And he’s not a haole, he’s not from here. He’s from England.”

“Worse!” my mom said. “You really shouldn’t see so much of him.”

* * *

“Hey Kiyomi, this is my buddy Ted. Ted Fujimoto. We were just going to pick up Kiyomih and go out to lunch, would you like to come?” Johnny grinned. “Looks like you’re all dressed up and ready to go.”

Well, I was. I’d spent forever trying outfits on, looking for the right image. Summery. Demure, because I really didn’t want to look like some casual girlfriend. I wanted that serious, I’m special for Nicholas, look, and I thought I’d manage it with that white dress, and the white Jimmy Choo sandals, white Louis Vuitton handbag to match, diamond stud earrings, not too ostentatious, and that lovely little Patek Phillipe watch dad had given me for my eighteenth birthday.

My mom was hovering in the background, and I could smell a setup here.

“Hi Ted, pleased to meet you,” I said. “Sorry, I can’t, Johnny. Nicholas will be here any minute. He’s going to introduce me to his parents. They’re having a garden party.”

“His parents?” my mom said. She knew what meeting the parents formally meant, to us anyhow. ““You’re getting way too serious over him, Kiyomi.”

“Well, enjoy yourself, Kiyomi,” Ted said, giving me a strained smile. Yeah, Johnny had set this up, and the look I gave him said I knew it.

“We should get going, Johnny,” Ted added, easing himself towards the door.

Johnny followed, glaring over his shoulder at me.

“That was impolite of you, Kiyomi,” my mom said. Johnny asked Ted over to meet you.

“Johnny can mind his own business,” I said. “I’m not dating anyone except Nicholas. He should know that. He’s wasting his time asking. I wouldn’t have gone with them even if we weren’t going out for lunch.”

“I think we should sit down and talk with you father,” mom said.

“Not now, mom,” I said, heart sinking as the door chimed. “That’s Nicholas. I’ll see you tonight.”

Before she could say a word, I was out the door, closing it firmly behind me. Three months. We’d been dating three months and she chose today of all days.

“Hi Kiyomi,” Nicholas smiled, then looked at me. “Anything wrong?”

“No, everything’s fine,” I said. I didn’t want to explain. Maybe mom would just let it go and everything would be fine. I hoped so, anyhow.

* * *

“Kai Nani?” I said as he turned off the Kalaniana’ole Highway and into Kaimoku Place, the Morgan burbling throatily as he changed down a gear, then another.

He gave me that smile, the eye crinkling one. “My dad likes golf.”

I laughed. “Don’t tell me, so does mine. The Waialae Golf Course. My dad plays there, one of my great-granddad’s was a founding member of the Country Club.”

“He was?” Nicholas grinned as we followed the road around. “You’ll have to tell my dad that.”

I hadn’t ever really thought about whether his family was wealthy or not. There was his car of course, and his family were members of the Tennis Club, and he’d said they owned some businesses, so I’d just assumed he was more or less like my family, except my family still lived in our old family home that’d been built back sixty years ago by my granddad, extended here and there, and renovated, once by mom, after her and dad married. It’d been styled after those old Hawaiian houses from the nineteenth century, more or less.

“Oh wow, this is your parents' house? It’s on the beach?” Nicholas’s parents house was that southern Californian hacienda style, all white plaster walls and those orange-red roof tiles, with a long curving driveway, three or four cars parked along the side, leading up to a triple car garage that we pulled straight into, out of the sun.

He grinned. “Yeah, it’s okay for swimming, but I’d rather go surfing with you, Kiyomi.”

Now it was my turn to smile.

We slid out of the car on either side, meeting at the garage door, his hand finding mine and drawing me closer.

“Looks like a few people have arrived already,” he said. “Let’s go inside.”

He nods to the older woman at the front door. “Hi Dorothy, this is my girlfriend. Kiyomi Moriyama.”

“Hello, Miss Moriyama. Pleased to meet you. Your parents are out on the patio, Nicholas.”

“Dorothy.” I smile, nod. She’s Filipina. Justine’s equivalent, and she has a lovely smile.

The house is beautiful inside, white marble floors and white walls. Cool and summery.

“Kiyomi, I’d like you to meet my parents,” Nicholas said to me, out on the patio. “Pater, Mater, this is Kiyomi Moriyama.” He smiled down at me.

“Hello, Mr. MacGregor, Mrs. MacGregor, I’m pleased to meet you,” I said.

“You didn’t tell us your new friend was Japanese, Nicholas,” his mom said, eyeing me.

“Moriyama?” his dad said. “Any relation to Gord Moriyama?”

“Do you know him?” I said, smiling brightly. “He’s my dad.”

“Could I speak with you privately for a moment, Nicholas.” his dad says, drawing him aside. His mom’s already greeting someone else, leaving me standing there. Somehow, I don’t think that Nicholas’ mom approves of me.