One explosive meeting...

Air Force doctor Captain Avery Flynn is literally knocked off his feet by feisty nurse Katsuko Williams. Avery’s posting in Tokyo is only temporary—he’s well aware nothing lasts forever—and yet he’s powerless to resist the attraction between them...

One unforgettable kiss!

Avery’s desire for adventure is thrilling, and it tempts Katsuko to break her no-dating rule. But his earth-shattering kisses leave her wanting more than commitment-shy Avery can offer her. Can Katsuko be the one woman to tame this restless wanderer?

Dear Reader,

I absolutely loved writing this story set in Tokyo. It gave me a chance to learn about a new country and culture, and also gave me the opportunity to look at the point of view of foreign personnel based there.

My US Air Force base is fictional, but there are a number of real US Air Force bases in Japan. I might have stolen a little bit of information from them all!

My heroine, Katsuko, is of mixed race: half-Japanese and half-African-American. Her nickname in Japanese is ‘firecracker’, and although professionally it might suit her, on a personal level she’s a lot less confident than she seems.

It takes a good man like my hero, newcomer Captain Avery Flynn, to recognise the signs and help build my heroine’s confidence. He has issues of his own, but spending time with Katsuko helps him realise that he’s met someone worth taking a chance on.

I love to hear from readers. Please feel free to contact me via my website, scarlet-wilson.com, or via Facebook or Twitter.

Happy reading!

Love,

Scarlet x

One Kiss in Tokyo...

Scarlet Wilson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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This book is dedicated with thanks to Kay Thomas—a fellow author—and her son, who was good enough to help me with my Japanese!

Praise for Scarlet Wilson

‘The book is filled with high-strung emotions, engaging dialogue, breathtaking descriptions and characters you just cannot help but love. With the magic of Christmas as a bonus, you won’t be disappointed with this story!’

—Goodreads on A Touch of Christmas Magic

‘200 Harley Street: Girl from the Red Carpet is a fast-paced and feel-good medical romance that sparkles with red-hot sensuality, mesmerising emotion and intense passion.’

—Goodreads

‘I am totally addicted to this author’s books. Not once have I picked up a book by her and felt disappointed or let down. She creates intense, perfect characters with so many amazing levels of emotion it blows my mind time and time again.’

—Contemporary Romance Reviews on Tempted by Her Boss

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Dear Reader

Title Page

Dedication

Praise

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

THE NOISE HAD CHANGED. The steady drone of the engines had taken on a new pitch. Avery lifted his hat from over his eyes and sat up a little. Every bone in his body ached; muscles he hadn’t even known he had were protesting. Three plane journeys over twelve hours would do that to a man. It didn’t help that he’d been on duty for twenty-four hours before that.

He’d expected to have a few days’ rest before shipping out to Italy from Utah. But plans in the US Air Force often came unstuck.

His orders had changed overnight. A fellow physician who’d been scheduled to come to Japan had been struck down with a mystery illness. So, instead of flying over the boot-shaped coast of Italy, he found himself looking at the emerging coastline of Japan. The change of noise was due to the flaps moving and wheels coming down on the aircraft. His stomach growled loudly and the serviceman sitting next to him gave him a smile and passed over a packet of crisps. They weren’t flying on a commercial jet—there were no air hostesses, no bar and no food. They were flying on a military jet and it wasn’t exactly built for comfort. Avery couldn’t wait to find his accommodation and get his head down for a few hours. Sleep was all he cared about right now.

The plane landed with a bump. He pulled open the packet of crisps and started eating—the quicker he ate the sooner he would get to sleep. The jet took a few minutes to taxi to a halt. The rest of the servicemen were grabbing their packs, ready to disembark.

Avery kept looking outside, trying to get a better feel for the base. It housed nineteen thousand servicemen and servicewomen and contained one of the biggest military hospitals. Set in the outskirts of Tokyo, the base was a home away from home. Most of the staff stayed on-site. There were stores, cafés, schools for the kids, places of worship and even a golf course. The base had been here since the end of the Second World War.

He waited until the rest of the servicemen disembarked before finally grabbing his backpack and walking down the steps of the plane.

The warm air hit him straight away. The base was situated on the coast, and the air was muggy. He could see the metropolis of Tokyo stretching in front of him. He smiled. A whole world he’d never experienced.

He was kind of excited. He’d been stationed in a range of bases all around the world. Normally, he spent a little time finding about where he’d be stationed. Europe. The Middle East. And numerous places around the US. This time around he hadn’t had a chance. He’d no idea what he’d find at Okatu.

He followed the rest of the servicemen into the main hangar. Transfer between bases always took a little paperwork. A few were already heading towards the housing department.

Avery sighed and completed his obligatory paperwork and picked up the information sheet on the base. His stomach growled again. There was no way he could sleep until he’d eaten. It made more sense to find something to eat first, then come back and speak to the housing officer to find out where he’d be staying.

He walked out of the building, glanced at his sheet and turned left. He took things slowly, trying to shake off all the aches and pains of travel. The base was huge and during the stroll he passed an elementary school, a middle school, a gymnasium, the officers’ club, a travel centre, a few shops and a library. It was a fifteen-minute walk before the ten-year-old hospital appeared before him.

There it was. The buzz. The tickle. That crazy little sensation he felt whenever he saw somewhere new. The William Bates Memorial Hospital was named after an aviator hero from the First World War. It had one hundred and fifty beds, an ER, four theatres, an ICU, a mother-and-infant care centre, a neonatal intensive care unit, a medical ward, a surgical ward and a mental health inpatient facility. He loved hospitals like this. Most surgeons liked to specialise in one area. The military gave surgeons that opportunity too—there were a few specialists already here. But Avery had never just wanted to work in one area. He liked variety—and here he would get it.

He started to walk towards the main entrance to the hospital, then changed his mind, turning right and heading towards the ER. He may as well get a look around the place.

The glass doors slid open just as a siren started to sound. He looked around. The main reception area was empty. Where was everyone?

It didn’t take long to find out. Someone came running towards him, making the doors ahead slide open. He took a quick glance and kept walking down the corridor.

The ER was set up like many he’d worked in before. Cubicles with curtains, some side rooms, a treatment room and a room with around ten people standing outside. Resus, the most important room in the ER.

A Japanese orderly rushed past, pushing a wheelchair. He threw Avery a second glance, looking him up and down. ‘You work here?’

He nodded and waved his ID. ‘From tomorrow. Captain Avery Flynn. I’m a doctor.’ He was relieved the man had spoken to him in English. He didn’t know a word of Japanese and he wasn’t sure if it was going to be a problem. Most military bases didn’t just serve their own personnel. Often they took cases from the surrounding areas. Having no grasp of the language could prove a problem.

The man gave him a nod. ‘No time for introductions. We’re expecting seven.’

He disappeared quicker than a cartoon character. Seven what? wondered Avery. ‘Oof!’

A force hit him from behind, knocking him clean off his feet and onto the floor. He barely had time to put out his hands to break his fall.

‘Get out of the way’ came the sharp voice.

All he could see was feet. Lots of feet, crammed into the resus room. He pushed himself up and shrugged off his backpack. If he was needed, he was needed.

A hand grabbed him from behind and a male nurse grinned at him. ‘Hey, you must be new. Falling for the nurses already?’

Avery blinked as he dumped his jacket next to his backpack and flashed his ID. ‘What...? Who was that?’

The guy hadn’t stopped smiling. ‘Faiyakuraka.’

‘What?’ Avery couldn’t quite make sense of the word.

The guy tapped him on the shoulder. ‘It’s Japanese for firecracker. But you can only call her that once you know her well. For you, it’ll be Katsuko.’ Then he shook his head. ‘Actually, let’s try to keep you safe. Just call her First Lieutenant Williams.’ He moved forward. ‘Now, let’s see if you’re any good or not.’ And with that, he disappeared into the scrum in front of them.

It was difficult to tell who was who. These people weren’t in regular military uniforms. The majority of them wore the usual garb for an ER—pale green scrubs. He had no idea who was a nurse, a doctor or an aerospace medical technician.

‘I need an airway. I need an airway now!’ came the shout.

Avery shouldered his way in.

It brought everything into focus. That, he could do.

He put up his hand. ‘I’ll do it.’ A few heads turned at the unfamiliar voice and a little space appeared in the crowd.

The woman who had sent him flying had her short dark hair leaning over the patient. Her head shot up and her eyes narrowed. She had the darkest brown eyes he’d ever seen.

‘Who are you?’

Blood. Everywhere. All over the chest of a young child. His reactions were instant. Now he understood the clamour around the bed. Hands were everywhere, pressing on the little chest, trying to stem the flow.

The woman was right. This young patient needed an airway now.

The large penetrating wound—a spear of some kind through the chest—told him everything he needed to know.

He moved to the top of the bed and nudged her out of his way. Or, at least, he tried to.

Her hips stayed firmly in place. ‘Who are you?’ She was practically growling at him.

He glanced at the nearby trolley, opening the first few drawers until he found what he needed. ‘Do we have IV access?’ he asked a nurse to his left.

‘Just,’ she said promptly.

A small, firm hand closed over his. He turned around. The woman who’d sent him flying was just about in his face. Her dark brown eyes could have swallowed him up. She spoke so quietly he was sure no one else could hear. ‘I’m not going to ask you again.’ She gave a squeeze over his hand—and this time her grip was like iron. ‘I’m just going to break your hand.’

He lifted his ID and slid it between both their faces. ‘Let me do my job. We’ve got six months to fight with each other.’

She was small, obviously of Japanese descent but her skin was slightly darker than he would have expected. Her hair was poker straight, cut very short at the nape of her neck but becoming longer down past her ears. From straight on it looked like a bob. A smart cut for a nurse, short enough to be off her collar but not long enough to need tying up every day.

There seemed to be something about her. A presence. She was like a cannonball. People paid attention to her even though she couldn’t be the highest-ranking person in the room. Far from it, in fact. She only looked in her mid-twenties.

Firecracker? He couldn’t remember what the Japanese word was but somehow the nickname suited her. It seemed to sum her up perfectly.

It was obvious that in this room people respected her. He liked that. He liked that she was direct and efficient at her job.

Her eyes shifted and focused on the ID. She turned without a word and started shouting orders at others in the room. ‘Get an IV run through.’ She glanced at the endotracheal tube in the hand of her colleague. ‘I think we’ll need something smaller.’

Perfect. A nurse he could work with. All air force and military nurses and personnel were efficient and well trained. But he always worked best with those who could think ahead and weren’t afraid to voice their opinion. He had a sneaky suspicion that Katsuko—was that her name?—would never be afraid to voice her opinion.

Avery tried to ignore the bedlam around him. He tried to cut out the noise. There were two trolleys in the resus room and another team was working on another patient. They were moving like clockwork, performing cardiac massage.

He moved swiftly. ‘Any other doctors in here?’

‘Two are up on the helipad. They haven’t even managed to get the patient down yet.’ She pressed her lips together. ‘Blake won’t give up on the other kid. Not until he’s tried everything.’

The doctor attending to the little boy on the other trolley. Blake Anderson. The guy he was supposed to report to tomorrow. The scene on the other trolley was disheartening and he didn’t feel the urge to introduce himself right now. If he didn’t pay attention to the kid directly in front of him, he might end up resuscitating him too.

Avery took a breath and held out his hand. The area around this little boy’s neck and chest was swelling, a reaction to the severe injury that could compromise his airway. His sallow skin was losing its natural colour rapidly. A nurse was poised next to the IV meds, awaiting his instructions. He gave them quickly. Something for pain control. Something to sedate the boy and steroids to reduce the swelling and allow him to intubate. Airway first. Everything else later.

The nurse nodded and inserted the drugs into the IV cannula on the inside of the kid’s elbow.

‘ET tube.’ Avery held out his hand, bending down at the top of the trolley and tilting the little boy’s head. ‘Do we have his name?’

‘Mahito. His name is Mahito.’ The firecracker nurse was watching his every move.

‘Mahito, I’ve given you something for the pain and something to relax you. I’m going to have to slide a tube down your throat. Don’t panic. We’ll take good care of you.’ It didn’t matter that the little Japanese boy might not understand a word of English, or his Ohio accent.

He’d done this a hundred times before and he’d do it a hundred times again.

He gave Katsuko a few seconds as she translated his words rapidly. The little boy was barely conscious. He probably had no awareness of what was going on right now and that wasn’t a bad thing.

He tilted the little boy’s head back, lifting his jaw and sliding the silver laryngoscope into place. He could barely visualise the cords—if he waited any longer he’d probably have to do an emergency tracheotomy—but thankfully he had time to slide the thin blue ET tube into place and inflate the cuff. It took less than four seconds to secure the airway. He attached the bag to the end of the tube and let the nurse take over.

With the airway secure he could now take a few minutes to assess the situation properly. ‘We’re going to need to take him to Theatre. Can I get a portable chest X-ray?’

A woman in a blue tunic stepped forward, pushing the machine towards them. She’d been waiting for his signal. Like in most military hospitals, radiographers were always available in the ER.

A heavy lead-lined apron was dropped over his head. He didn’t even question where it had come from. A few people stepped from the room for a second.

‘Done,’ said the radiographer.

She glanced back at Avery. He could see the question on her face. ‘Avery Flynn. I officially start tomorrow.’

Satisfied with his answer, she gave a nod. ‘Dr Flynn, I’ll have your X-ray in a few minutes.’

Avery nodded. ‘Can anyone tell me what actually happened?’ He could see his counterparts still working on the kid on the other trolley, the flat line on the monitor almost mocking them.

‘Some kind of explosion. Lots of penetrating injuries. It was outside a local factory. The kids were playing, waiting for their parents to finish their shifts.’

‘Major Anderson,’ a voice boomed through the resus room doors. Everyone froze for a second then immediately resumed what they’d been doing. Eyes glanced at each other and the noise level in the room plummeted.

Avery frowned at the uniformed figure in the doorway. He had three people standing nervously behind him. The rank was instantly recognisable—as was the glint of the two silver stars—and he could hardly hide his surprise. He’d never seen a major general in an ER before.

He looked to be in his fifties and had a mid-Western accent. He was well over six feet tall with broad shoulders and what looked like thick dark hair under his hat. There was something about him. An aura. An air. And it wasn’t all about the rank. What had brought him to the ER? He could understand any major general in charge of a base this size wanting to be informed about incidents. He just wouldn’t have expected him to attend personally.

Blake glanced upwards but didn’t stop what he was doing. ‘General Williams.’

The Major General was watching Blake carefully as he continued his resus attempts. ‘I heard there was an explosion. Does your team require assistance?’

Blake kept working steadily. He glanced in Avery’s direction but the Major General didn’t follow his glance. He was focused on Blake.

‘I have all the assistance I need. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.’

‘I’ll expect an update in a few hours.’

‘General.’ Blake gave a nod in acknowledgement. He was attaching defibrillator pads to the young boy’s chest. ‘All clear.’

There was a short ping.

Avery was holding his breath and bent to pick up an oxygen mask that had landed on the floor. Major General Williams turned to leave, his eyes lingering for a second on Avery.

Was he looking at him?

Two seconds later the major general disappeared down the corridor.

Avery straightened up, his gaze shifting around the people in the room. The noise level increased instantly. Katsuko was still bagging but her gaze was fixed on the door.

That was who he’d been looking at. What was going on there?

The male nurse he’d met earlier shouted towards the door, ‘Two emergency theatres are open. The guy from the helipad is in the first one. We can take our kid to the other.’

There was a tiny second of silence, then it was broken with a little beep. Every head in the room turned. The monitor for the other patient. They finally had an output.

Avery paused as the doctor he hadn’t even had a chance to meet yet raised his head from the bed. The look of pure relief on his face made him catch his breath. ‘Do you need the theatre?’ Avery asked.

He had to. This was another doctor’s ER. He might be treating a patient but this was the military. He had to follow the chain of command.

Blake shook his head. ‘No. I’m heading to paediatric ICU.’ He frowned for a second. ‘Do you need assistance?’

Avery shook his head. ‘Is there a surgeon?’

Blake nodded.

‘Then I’m good.’ He turned back to the team. ‘Right, get the IV fast-flowing, monitor his blood pressure.’ He turned back at the nurse who’d threatened to break his hand. ‘Are you good to bag?’ He could see the determined tic in her jaw. There was no way she was leaving this patient.

Another nurse appeared at the door. ‘We’ve another four trauma cases—two paediatric, two adult and about twelve walking wounded.’

Avery glanced down at his now blood-splattered shirt. At some point he should really change. The radiographer walked back in and stuck the X-ray straight up on the light box, flicking the switch.

It didn’t take a genius to see what was wrong. Both of Mahito’s lungs were deflated. Oxygen wasn’t circulating properly because of the penetrating chest injury. If there was no other choice, he could try to insert chest drains but it was unlikely the lungs could reinflate with the spear still in place. It would be foolish to attempt anything like that now—particularly when he had a theatre and surgeon at his disposal. Avery shook his head. ‘Let’s go, folks. We’re never going to get these lungs to reinflate until we get this spear out of his chest. Someone point me in the direction of the theatre.’

‘Let’s go, people!’ shouted Katsuko. For someone small and perfectly formed her voice had a real air of command. Everyone moved. Monitors were detached from the wall, oxygen canisters pushed under the trolley, a space blanket placed over the patient. Avery kept his eyes on the patient but after a second he looked up. They were all watching him expectantly.

There was something so reassuring about this. And he’d experienced it time and time again in the military. These people didn’t know him. He’d walked into an emergency situation with only a wave of his ID. That was all he’d needed.

From that point on—early or not—he’d been expected to do his job. At first he’d been a bit concerned about the chaos. Now he realised everyone had known what to do, but the rush of blood and age of the child had fazed them all.

‘Everyone ready?’

Eight heads nodded at him. ‘Then, let’s go.’

Hands remained pressed to a variety of areas on the little body. The move along the corridor was rapid. The theatre was on the same floor. The porter at the front of the procession swiped his card and held the doors open. A surgeon strode over and nodded at Avery, not even blinking that they didn’t know each other.

Avery handed over the X-ray. ‘Explosion at a local factory. This is Mahito. I don’t have an age. Penetrating wound to the chest, two collapsed lungs, intubated but sats are poor.’ He nodded at the monitor. ‘Two IV lines, tachycardic at one-sixty and hypotensive. BP seventy over forty-five.’

He frowned. ‘Sorry, didn’t have time to catheterise.’

The surgeon shook his head. ‘My staff will get to that. We’ll take it from here.’

Theatre staff dressed in scrubs surrounded them, one set of hands replacing the others and a stern-looking woman taking over bagging duties from Katsuko. She moved away swiftly. It was the first time he’d actually seen her relinquish control to someone else.

The trolley moved forward, being pushed through another set of swing doors as the surgeon shouted orders.

Just like that.

Mahito was someone else’s responsibility.

Avery looked down at his hands, smeared with blood. The rest of the staff turned and headed back out of the doors.

Katsuko folded her arms and glared at his hands.

‘If you ever come into my ER again and touch a patient without washing your hands and putting on gloves, I will make sure you live to regret it.’

Her accent was odd. It had a lilt. A twang. Part Japanese, part American. Her English was completely and utterly fluent.

‘And as for this...’ She lifted her hand and picked his fedora off his head. He’d completely forgotten about it. ‘Who do you think you are, Indiana Jones?’

He let out a laugh. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you too. And who said this was your ER?’ He glanced over his shoulder. ‘I was planning on making it mine.’

A spark flashed across her eyes. It was almost as if he’d issued a challenge.

There was a potent silence for a few seconds. Things had been chaotic before. Mahito had been the priority. Now the only noise around them was that of the swinging doors.

She was looking at him. Sizing him up. Did he meet the grade? His curiosity was sparked. What was the grade for the firecracker?

He couldn’t help but start to smile. The air around them had a distinct sense of sizzle.

Despite the chaos of earlier her poker-straight hair had fallen back into place, framing her face perfectly. Those brown eyes could get him into a whole load of trouble. They hadn’t even had a proper introduction yet, but Katsuko was one of the most gorgeous women he’d ever set eyes on. She might be small but she had curves in all the right places. One thing was for sure—if she was only six inches taller she would be on the catwalk.

It was odd. Avery had always gone for blondes—usually leggy. But all of a sudden leggy blondes had flown straight out of his mind.

She crossed her arms over her chest and met his inquisitive gaze. From the determined tilt of her chin it was clear she knew he’d been checking her out.

She plonked his hat back on his head, then turned and walked away, giving him a clear view of her tight, perfectly formed ass. The pale green scrubs looked good on her.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

Shaking his head, he walked after her, stopping at the nearest sink to wash his hands. He didn’t even have time to catch his breath. The siren sounded again and another trolley crashed through the doors from an ambulance outside. This time the patient was an adult. His colour was poor and he was rasping.

The ambulance crew spoke rapidly in Japanese. Katsuko didn’t even blink, she just translated. ‘Thirty-five-year-old also injured in the factory explosion. Bruising across his torso already visible. No penetration wounds. They suspect broken ribs. Poor oxygen saturation. He’s complained of chest pain and he’s tachycardic. Probably tension pneumothorax.’ She bit her lip. ‘First the kid, now the adult.’

She was mirroring his exact thoughts. Two cases of pneuomothorax, each requiring different management.

In their absence, someone had cleared the resus room. Both bays were empty again. Avery grabbed the pink stethoscope that was hanging around Katsuko’s neck. ‘Hey!’ she shouted.

‘Needs must. Haven’t been able to find mine yet.’

As the trolley eased to a halt he listened carefully to both sides of the man’s chest. He waved his hand. ‘Sit him forward so I can check his back.’ Two nursing assistants responded instantly, helping to sit the man forward. The back was clear. No sign of any wounds. The patient was eased back. The shift in the trachea was evident. There was no need for anything else. A pneumothorax was air in the chest cavity. This had probably resulted from a fractured rib puncturing his lung and releasing air into the pleural space. A pneumothorax wasn’t usually life-threatening unless it progressed to a tension pneumothorax, causing compression of the vena cava, reducing cardiac blood flow to the heart and decreasing cardiac output—and that was exactly what had happened here.

A tension pneumothorax could be life-threatening and needed prompt action. The military had collected vast amounts of data regarding tension pneumothorax and subsequent treatment. In a combat setting, tension pneumothorax was the second leading cause of death, and was often preventable. Today Avery was going to make sure it was preventable.

‘Tension pneumothorax.’

Two words were all it took. Packs opened around him. Surgical gloves appeared. He pulled them on and swabbed the skin. Katsuko was speaking into the man’s ear in a low voice. She waved Avery on with a nod of her head.

‘Let’s get some oxygen on the patient.’

The staff responded instantly.

‘Do we have a name?’

His body was already starved of oxygen. They had to supplement as much as possible.

One of the physician’s assistants put his hand in the man’s pocket and pulled out a wallet. ‘Akio Yamada.’ He frowned as he calculated in his head. ‘I make him forty-four.’

Avery leaned over the man. His eyes were tightly closed and he was wincing, obviously in pain. He put his hand gently on his shoulder. ‘Akio, I’m a doctor. I’m going to do something that will help your breathing. It might be a little uncomfortable.’

This wasn’t a pleasant procedure but the effect would be almost instant relief. Air was trapped and had caused the man’s lung to collapse. As soon as the pressure was relieved and the lung reinflated he’d be able to breathe more easily again. Katsuko gave a nod that she’d finished translating.

There were specially manufactured needles designed just for a tension pneumothorax. Avery held out his hand. ‘Fourteen-gauge needle and catheter.’ He’d done this on numerous occasions in the past. It only took a few seconds to feel with his fingers for the second intercostal space, at the midclavicular line. It was vital that the needle be inserted at a ninety-degree angle to the chest wall so it would be positioned directly into the pleural space. Any mistake could result in a chance of hitting other structures—even the heart. But Avery was experienced.

The room was silent during the procedure. In a few seconds there was an audible release as the trapped air rushed out and the tension was released from his chest. Avery removed the needle and disposed of it, leaving the catheter in place. He secured it with some tape as he watched the man’s chest. Sometimes the lung inflated again immediately, sometimes it took a little time. The patient would need to be monitored.

He pulled off his gloves. ‘Can we keep an eye on his sats for the next few hours and get a portable chest X-ray?’ The man’s eyes flickered open.

Avery put a hand on his shoulder. It didn’t matter that the patient couldn’t understand him. ‘You should feel easier now. Just relax. We’ll keep a close eye on you.’

Katsuko’s gaze met his and she translated again. At least, he hoped she was translating. The truth was she could be saying anything at all and he’d never know. In a way it frustrated him. When he’d thought he was being shipped out to Portugal and Italy he’d learned a few words and phrases that he could use in clinical situations to reassure patients. He’d need to try and learn some basic Japanese.

‘Doctor?’

A clerk was standing at the door. ‘Yes?’

She waved an electronic tablet at him. ‘I’ll need you to write some notes on the two patients you’ve seen and fill some orders.’ She hesitated for a second. ‘Because you’re not officially on duty yet I’ll need to get another doctor to sign off on your cases.’

He met her worried gaze with a smile. ‘No problem.’ He could almost hear her inaudible sigh. Was she really worried he’d be offended? Of course he wasn’t.

He turned back to the patient. The male African-American nurse he’d met earlier had appeared back in the room. This time he held out his large hand towards Avery. ‘Frank Kelly, pleased to meet you.’ Avery had thought he was big at six feet two, but this guy was a giant. With his regular runs and gym workouts he normally felt pretty fit, but Frank would make a professional wrestler shrink away.

‘I’ll take over, Katsuko,’ Frank said confidently. ‘The other two majors are fractures, one a femur, the other a humerus and shoulder displacement. Do you want to check them over? Katia is triaging the walking wounded.’

Katsuko paused. He could see her hesitation to hand another patient over. Didn’t she let anyone else take charge?

He tried to hide his smile and he turned back to the patient. The colour in his cheeks was gradually improving.

He scribbled some instructions on a chart for Frank. ‘I’ll write him up for some pain relief and order a chest X-ray. Can you monitor his obs every ten minutes for the next hour?’

Frank nodded. The smile seemed to remain permanently on his face. Avery’s gaze followed Katsuko as she washed her hands and left the room. He turned back to Frank, whose knowing smile had got even wider.

‘Watch out, new boy, she bites.’

The professional thing to do was to pretend he had no idea what Frank was talking about but somehow he knew that wouldn’t wash. Besides, he was curious.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

Frank shrugged and pushed the button on the machine to inflate the blood-pressure cuff. He was laughing away to himself.

‘Frank?’

Frank shook his head. ‘Just remember who her father is.’

Now he was really curious. ‘Why? Who is her father?’

Frank raised his eyebrows. ‘That would be Donald Williams.’ He paused for a second. ‘Major General Donald Williams. Our commander.’

Avery couldn’t help his head flicking sideways. It didn’t matter that Katsuko’s retreating back was nowhere in sight.

Of course. That was why the Major General had been looking at her. A giant of a man, notoriously strict, he’d commanded this base for over ten years. He also had pale skin.

There was no family resemblance at all.

‘Donald Williams is Katsuko’s father?’

Frank nodded. ‘Sure is.’ His eyes gleamed. ‘And watch out because he bites too, especially anyone who looks at his daughter the way you do.’

CHAPTER TWO

A TEN-HOUR SHIFT had turned into a fourteen-hour shift. There was no way she was going back home when the ER waiting room was so full that patients couldn’t find seats.

After a few hours some of the local police arrived to collect statements and details of injuries. ‘Any idea what happened?’

The first one nodded. ‘Delivery mistake. Chemicals for the printing factory had been mislabelled. They got mixed together as they normally do and...boom.’

Katsuko sucked in a breath. It all seemed so matter-of-fact. She’d seen exactly the damage those mislabelled chemicals had caused. The man who had been brought in by helicopter had died. Mahito was currently in their paediatric ICU. It would be a few days before they’d even attempt to wake him up from his induced coma.

Her paperwork was finally finished. The next shift had come on duty and all patients were currently being seen.

There was a nudge at her shoulder. ‘How about you show the new guy where he can get some food?’

Avery. That was his name. These US doctors rolled in, dated their way around every department and rolled back out without a second glance. Did he really think he was the first new doctor to show a spark of interest in her?

He leaned against the wall next to her, folding his arms, his Indiana Jones style hat back on his head.

‘I can’t believe you actually walk about like that.’

He tipped his hat at her. ‘What can I say? It’s a precious family heirloom. I don’t leave home without it.’

At some point he’d changed into a set of obligatory pale green scrubs. They suited him, matched his pale green eyes. There was a borrowed stethoscope around his neck and his military boots were still in place. His feet must be aching.

His blond hair was longer than normal for the military—most of the men had buzz cuts around here. She resisted the temptation to smile. Her father would have a fit. As soon as that tiny bit of forward-flopping hair touched his eyebrow there would be memos flying about the base.

He was still smiling at her. A lazy, sexy grin. This guy was movie-star material and he knew it. That rankled.

Now that he was dressed in thin scrubs she could see practically every outlined and defined muscle on his chest and arms. The scrubs were cutting into the muscle around the top of his arm. It was clear he worked out.

Another one. Cheeky. Sassy. Following her about the place. Most scattered when they found out who her father was. Well, not really her father, but as good as. The odd newcomer had thought it a challenge to try and date the Major General’s daughter. But she’d learned quickly.

It had only taken overhearing one conversation. A few sentences from one airman to another—that dating the General’s daughter would be a fast track to promotion—to make her stomach turn over and her blood boil.

She was immune. Immune to the too-long hair, twinkling eyes and defined muscles. She was immune to the cheeky innuendo and admiring glances.

No matter how cute the overall package.

‘I’m sure you can find someone else to show you where to eat.’

‘But what if I want you to show me?’

She shot him a beaming smile. ‘I’m busy.’

He lifted her stethoscope off her neck. ‘No. You’re not. Your duty shift finished four hours ago.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘And yours doesn’t even start until tomorrow.’

He placed his hand across his heart. ‘Just shows you what kind of guy I am. Dedicated. Hard-working. Selfless.’

She grabbed her stethoscope back and started to walk down the corridor towards the changing rooms. ‘Big-headed.’

‘Ouch.’ He gave a little stagger against a wall. He was still smiling at her. ‘First Lieutenant Williams, is that how you treat a fellow airman?’ He’d raised his voice a little and she could see heads turning in their direction. He opened his arms. ‘I’ve travelled halfway around the world. Billeted here at short notice. Walked in and worked a fourteen-hour shift.’ He shrugged his shoulders at two other amused staff members walking towards them. ‘I didn’t have time to check in with the housing officer and find out where I’m staying, let alone have something to eat.’ He gave them a conspiratorial smile. ‘Is this the kind of welcome Okatu gives new staff members?’

Katsuko felt the rush of heat into her cheeks. This guy was actually getting to her a little.

Caleb, one of the nurses, shook his head as he moved past and tutted. ‘Shocking.’ It was obvious he was trying not to laugh.

‘Not so much as a cup of coffee,’ added Seiko, one of the aerospace medical technicians.

It was odd. Avery’s grin was almost infectious. She could feel the edges of her mouth turning upwards even though she was willing them not to. She might not have paid enough attention before, but he did look tired. Who knew how many hours he’d travelled before he’d done an unexpected shift? And she couldn’t remember him taking a break at any point. The guy must be starving.

Avery shrugged. ‘Or maybe you have someone waiting for you at home?’

The flush in her cheeks warmed even more. Nothing like asking if she was single. What was worse was that she could see the exchange of glances between her colleagues.

Katsuko threw up her hands. ‘Fine. Fine.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’ll phone Barney, the housing officer, and we can pick up your keys before I show you where to eat.’

‘Food!’ exclaimed Avery. ‘It’s been so long I don’t even remember what it tastes like.’

He was walking right alongside her, so close their arms were almost brushing together. She bumped him with her hip and laughed as he lost his balance. ‘Cut it out, drama king. I’ll give you ten minutes to shower and get back into your dress uniform. If you’re not outside in ten I’m leaving you behind.’

He gave her a wink as he backed into the changing room. ‘Not a chance. I’m all yours.’

She gulped. The new guy was too smart for his own good. Too sassy. And a whole lot too sexy.

One of her colleagues gave her a nudge. ‘Hmm... Dr Flynn? Is he single? Because if he is, I’ll fight you for him.’

* * *

Ten minutes later she emerged from the changing room and walked straight into the chest of Avery Flynn.

‘Oof!’

He grinned. ‘I got you back. And at least I didn’t leave you sprawling on the floor.’

She straightened her blue jacket. She’d spent longer than she usually did getting changed. For some strange reason she’d felt the urge to check her make-up and spray on some perfume.

‘Maybe next time you won’t get in the way.’

If he’d looked good in the scrubs he looked even better in the dress uniform. The pale blue shirt and dark jacket fitted his frame perfectly. His eyes swept up and down her quickly, taking in the regulation skirt, her legs no longer hidden in scrubs. She resisted the temptation to clear her throat.

He waved his arm in front of him. ‘Lead on, then, First Lieutenant. I’d hate to get in the way.’

She rolled her eyes and started walking. ‘Are you always going to be this annoying?’

His backpack was slung over his shoulder and his darned fedora was in his other hand. At least he wasn’t trying to wear it while he was in uniform. He fell into step alongside her. ‘Believe me, I’ve got annoying down to a fine art.’

He pushed open the door and held it for her. She swept through in front of him. ‘I bet you have.’

She pointed in one direction. ‘Let’s go this way. We’ll pick up your keys from the housing officer. I gave him a call and he told me where he’d leave things for you.’

Avery frowned and looked at his watch. ‘Is that the time? I’d no idea it was so late.’ He nudged her with his elbow. ‘Just as well I’m with you. The housing office would be closed at ten o’clock at night.’

She started crossing the road. ‘It might surprise you but we have lots of night-time deployment flights. The housing officer has a page. He wouldn’t have minded if you’d called him out.’

He gave her a curious glance. ‘Lived here long?’

‘Almost all my life.’

His footsteps faltered a little but she didn’t halt. She knew exactly what would happen next. He lengthened his stride and walked a little in front of her, turning around to catch sight of her face. ‘I didn’t think that was possible.’

‘It’s not.’

He wasn’t going to be put off with her short answers. By this point, he was almost walking backwards, keeping his gaze on her the whole time.

‘So how have you managed it?’

He was so busy watching her face that he wasn’t paying attention to the road. She reached out and grabbed him just as his foot hit a small rut.

His reaction was automatic. As his balance tipped he grabbed her hand that was clutching the front of his jacket. The warm skin of the palm of his hand wrapped firmly around her wrist. It was like slow motion. A flood of electricity shot up her arm towards her chest. If she could have snatched her hand back she would have.

But he hadn’t let go. His pale green eyes fixed on hers. Nothing was said. Neither of them moved again. Her breath caught some way in her throat and all of a sudden she felt the desperate urge to find something to drink. Preferably alcohol.

‘Can’t have you falling for me twice in one day.’

It was meant to come out as a quip—a joke. But the intensity of his gaze made her normally firm voice turn into a whisper.

He responded instantly. ‘Oh, I think we can.’ There was an edge to his voice, a raspiness she hadn’t noticed before, that sent a shiver straight down her spine.

Her fingers slowly let go of his jacket. Avery stared at his hand for a few seconds before finally letting go of her wrist.

There was a tiny shake of his head, as if he was trying to process what had just happened.

‘Over here.’ She spoke quickly, pointing to an office block. ‘That’s where we’ll get your keys.’ She strode ahead. It was crazy. But this guy was unsettling her. Touching her. Giving her glimpses of a whole other world out there.

She buzzed them into the block and picked up his keys and a map of the base from the reception desk. She glanced at the key fob and circled a place on the map with a pen.

‘Look, we’re here. And we’ll probably go and eat in this street here. Your house is over here. It’s about ten minutes from where we’ll eat.’

She was conscious of him leaning over the map beside her. Even though they’d been close up earlier in the ER she hadn’t noticed the woody smell of his aftershave. Maybe he’d just put some on? Just like she had...

And that darned bit of hair at the front fell over his forehead. Her fingers itched to push it back.

He picked up the map and turned towards her, their noses almost touching. As it was night-time the reception area wasn’t brightly lit. There was no one else around. It was almost...intimate.

She stepped back and sucked in a breath. His head tilted to the side a little, as if he was surprised by her sudden movement. What was he used to? Women falling at his feet?

‘There’s a courtyard five minutes away.’ She moved over towards the door again. ‘What is that you want to eat?’

As if on cue his stomach gave a loud growl and he put his hand over his belly and laughed. ‘Something that no doctor would approve of.’

She pushed open the door. ‘Like what? You’ve just arrived in Japan. Don’t you want to try some local cuisine?’

He shook his head. ‘Not tonight. Tonight I’m ravenous. If I’m sampling genuine Japanese food I want to savour every mouthful. Think of me as a horse.’

She turned to face him. ‘Are you crazy?’

‘Yes, I am. It’s called low blood sugar. I just want to stick my head in a bucket and eat and eat until I’m ready to collapse in a corner. I want calorie-laden carbs. Can you find me some?’

She wagged her finger at him. ‘Sure I can. But I’m warning you, this is blackmail material.’

His eyes twinkled. ‘Well, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have blackmail me.’

* * *

Five minutes later they reached a pizza place and slid into a booth. The smell was enough to make him keel over. Food. He needed food.

He clocked a buffet in the corner. ‘Let’s not wait. How about we just go to the buffet?’

He could see the ready-cooked pizzas under the heat lamps. They were practically calling out his name. His hand was poised on the table, ready to get back up again.

Katsuko laughed and shook her head. ‘What do you want to drink?’

He looked around. ‘A beer. I’ll have a beer. I’ll probably sleep for a week.’

She gestured to one of the waitresses. ‘Just make sure you’re ready for your shift tomorrow. If you don’t appear on time, remember—’ she pointed to the key that was still in his hand ‘—I know where you live.’

He couldn’t help the instant grin that appeared. He paused for a second and stared at the key dangling from his hand. ‘Yeah, you do, don’t you?’

He hadn’t quite meant to say it like that. But it had just naturally come out that way. He locked gazes with those dark brown eyes. He wanted to get closer. He wanted to see if they were flecked with gold, or if the dark brown was as intense as it looked from here.

She licked her lips and his feet instantly shifted. The waitress appeared next to them, talking rapidly in Japanese. Avery pulled down his jacket and moved over to the buffet. He couldn’t help but shake his head. He hadn’t slept and had barely eaten in nearly two days. He was flirting with a colleague. No, he was getting fresh with the base commander’s daughter. He was clearly losing his mind.

He picked up a heated plate and put two slices on it.

Katsuko appeared at his side. ‘Did you even look?’ She was smiling and had a glass of wine in her hand.

She picked up a plate and put two slices of pizza and some salad on it. ‘Remember your five a day,’ she whispered, then added a spoonful of salad to his plate.

Avery stared down at his plate. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured. ‘At last count it was around forty-eight hours since I had some proper food.’

She gave a knowing nod. ‘Is it the joys of being an ER doctor, or the joys of being in the air force?’

They returned to the booth and he spent the next few minutes eating. It appeared he’d picked two slices of pepperoni and mushroom pizza and they hit all the right spots. After a few minutes he rested back in the booth and picked up his bottle of beer.

The cold liquid felt like nectar sliding down his throat.

Katsuko was sipping her wine and eating her pizza with a knife and fork. She raised her eyebrows at him. ‘Finally feeling human again?’

He nodded. The horrible churning feeling in his stomach had abated. After the long travel, the working hours and the fast eating, he should be ready to lie down and go straight to sleep.

But there was no way he wanted to sleep when he had the sparkiest woman he’d ever met in front of him.

‘You know, we haven’t even been properly introduced.’

She frowned for a second. ‘Yes, we have.’

He shook his head. ‘Oh, no, we haven’t. You threatened to break my hand.’

The expression on her face softened a little. ‘Yes, I did.’ It was as if she were reliving the memory.

He held out his hand towards her. ‘Captain Avery Flynn, doctor. I’m from Ohio but have been stationed in just about every air force base that’s ever existed. Joined as soon as I qualified. Been in the service now for eight years.’

He held his breath. She waited a few seconds, then wiped her hands on her napkin and reached out her hand for his.

There it was again. That tiny little buzz. He hadn’t been imagining it.

Her hand was cooler than his. But it seemed to fit in his grasp.

‘First Lieutenant Katsuko Williams. I joined when I was eighteen and did my nurse training. I did a few months in Georgia to complete my nurse training. The rest of the time I’ve been based here.’

She gently withdrew her hand from his and took another sip of her wine.

He looked at her carefully. In the brighter lights of the pizza place he could see just how flawless her skin was and just how dark her eyes were. No gold flecks. No trace of another colour. Just pure, deep, dark brown.

‘Katsuko’s a nice name. What does it mean?’

‘You think my name means something?’

He shrugged. ‘Everyone’s name means something. Mine is French—it means wise.’

She let out a laugh and he raised his eyebrows. ‘Or, if you’re a fan of Lord of the Rings, it means ruling with elf wisdom in English.’

She spluttered. ‘You’re joking!’

He shook his head. ‘I’m not.’ He waved his phone at her. ‘Want to check it?’

‘No.’ She waved over the waitress and spoke quickly. The waitress gave him a knowing smile and walked away.

‘What did you say to her?’

‘I ordered more drinks.’

‘Trying to get me drunk?’

‘As if.’ She leaned across the table towards him.

He hesitated. What was she doing? Was she actually flirting with him? No one could deny the electricity in the air around them or the occasional little gleam in her eye. But Katsuko Williams didn’t strike him as a woman to mess with. And that just made him like her all the more. So he couldn’t resist. He leaned forward too.

She looked him straight in the eye. ‘Victorious child.’

‘What?’ He was confused. So not what he’d thought she might say.

She sat back, looking pleased with herself. ‘You asked me what my name meant.’

He blinked. She pulled her shirt a little straighter over the curves of her breasts. From the expression on her face it was clear she knew exactly what she was doing. She was playing him.

He pushed his plate away and pressed his forehead on the table with a sigh.

‘What are you doing?’

He turned his head to the side. ‘I’m done. I’ve travelled too far. I’ve eaten too much. Worked for too long. And now my local tour guide is being mean to me.’

She gave a snort. ‘Mean to you?’

He looked up through the floppy part of his hair—he really needed to get that cut. ‘Yes, mean to me.’

She folded her arms across her chest and he sat back up.

He liked her. She was smart. And direct. Maybe even a little bit quirky. This flirting could lead somewhere. He didn’t do long-term. But he could be here for up to six months. She could make those six months fun. ‘Victorious child. I like it. But it doesn’t quite have an elf-like ring to it. What was the other name they called you?’

She rolled her eyes and picked up her wine glass again. ‘Nothing.’

She didn’t like her nickname? Interesting. ‘It wasn’t nothing. It was faya-something.’

She sipped at her wine. ‘Only close friends get to call me that.’

He was curious. Could he get to be in that category?

‘Say it for me again?’

She sighed. ‘Faiyakuraka.’

He scrunched up his face and tried to concentrate on the sounds. ‘Fay-acure-aka.’ He leaned back, feeling pleased with himself. ‘Firecracker.’

‘Not even close. You need to work on your accent.’

He took a drink from his beer bottle. ‘Will you help me with that?’

This time Katsuko dropped her head on the table. ‘Give me strength. Do you ever stop?’

‘Not if I don’t have to.’

He pushed her head back up. ‘Hey, it’s my first time in Japan. I’m learning. Why shouldn’t I learn with a beautiful colleague?’

Something flashed across her face and he instantly knew it had been the wrong thing to say. Great. He tried to cover his tracks quickly.

‘Talking of accents, I thought you said you’d stayed here most of your life. Your accent is distinctly American.’

She gave a little nod. ‘And when I speak Japanese, my accent is distinctly Japanese.’

He was confused. ‘What do you mean?’

Her eyes fixed on the corner of the room. ‘Let’s just say I’m kind of caught between two worlds.’

It was a strange thing to say. And it wasn’t just the words. It was the delivery of them. As if she wasn’t entirely happy.

It felt too personal to pry. He barely knew her. He was brand new around here and he didn’t want to do anything that would upset a colleague.

He gave a smile. ‘So, what’s it like being the daughter of the commander?’

The unsettled feeling on her face vanished. She gave a little shake of her head. ‘Oh, you have no idea.’ She lifted her wine glass again and took a careful sip. ‘Let’s just say that the man you saw today is not the man that I live with.’

Avery set his beer bottle down. This conversation was getting more curious by the minute. The man he’d seen today had been like most other major generals he’d met in his career—someone not to be messed with.

Katsuko was biting her bottom lip as her fingers ran up the stem of her wine glass. It was as if she were contemplating what to say.

‘So he’s a different man behind closed doors? I just can’t imagine that.’ Avery leaned back against the booth.

She met his gaze. ‘He’s not really my father.’

‘He’s not?’ He couldn’t help it. The words just came out. ‘But Frank said...’ His voice tailed off.

‘I know. Everyone says that. Because that’s what everyone really knows. Don was a pilot—my dad was his RIO. They had to eject from a plane during a combat mission and my father hit his head on the cockpit. He died instantly.’

Avery felt his mouth instantly dry. ‘Wow. I’m sorry.’

She held up her hands. ‘Didn’t you spot the family resemblance?’ When he didn’t answer she shrugged. ‘My dad was African-American, my mother Japanese.’

‘What happened to your mom?’

‘She became unwell just after my dad died. Everyone thought she was grieving—maybe they even thought she was depressed. It turned out she had leukaemia.’

Avery shook his head. This story was getting worse and worse.

Katsuko flicked open her wallet. ‘Here they are.’ She turned her wallet around. Behind the plastic inset was an old photo. Even though it was behind the plastic it was a little weathered around the edges—as if it was pulled out frequently—and the colours were a little faded.

He leaned forward to get a better view. It was a close-up of a couple laughing together. The woman had her arms wrapped around the man’s neck. She was a petite, beautiful Japanese woman with long straight dark hair wearing a bright red top. The African-American man was much taller and dressed in his uniform. He was laughing too, staring straight at his wife. It was obvious they were in love. Even though the photo was old it was like a little moment captured in time. The love emanated from it.

He looked up. Katsuko was staring at the photo, lost in the memory. It was like a fist grasping inside his chest and squeezing his heart. He’d never experienced anything so intense. Her finger traced over the photo and she gave a sad smile. ‘They look really happy together,’ he said.

She looked up. ‘They were. My dad said that he had to court my mom. She pretended to be very traditional to begin with, even though she was secretly more like a rebel. He even learned some Japanese to try and win her round.’

‘What did he learn?’ He’d struggled to get his tongue around even a few words today. He’d have to learn the basics for working in the ER. No matter where he worked, he always tried to learn a few words of the language. Japanese just seemed a little trickier than most. Maybe Katsuko could help him?

She shook her head and met his gaze. ‘Oh, I don’t want to give away any of my dad’s secrets. Before I know it you’ll be using them on all the women in the base.’

‘Maybe not all the women.’ The words came out naturally. He couldn’t help but flirt with her. He’d be crazy not to.

She laughed at him. ‘You think you’re good at this, don’t you?’

He laughed back. ‘Only when I’m jet-lagged or drunk.’ He stared at his bottle. ‘I’m not sure which one I am right now.’

She gave a nod and glanced back at the photo, touching it with her index finger. ‘Kokoro no sokokara aishiteru.’ It was almost a whisper.

He bent forward. ‘What did you say?’

She shook her head. ‘Kokoro no sokokara aishiteru. It’s just something my dad used to say to me as a little girl.’

Now he was really curious. ‘What does it mean?’

She made a face. ‘I guess the literal translation would be, “I love you from the bottom of my heart.” But when my father used to say it he pressed his hand to my face and then to his chest. It was more like, “You have my heart.”’

‘That’s lovely.’ It wasn’t really an expression he used much. Most guys in the world didn’t describe things as lovely. But it seemed right. ‘You must miss them so much.’

She closed her wallet and pressed her lips together. ‘I do—just like any kid would. In a way, I was lucky, even though it didn’t feel like that. I didn’t lose them both together. That would have been worse. My mother helped me through the death of my father, and she helped prepare me for her own death. She, and Don.’

‘So, the General adopted you?’

‘He had to. It was the only way I could stay on the base. He wasn’t a major general then. And he’d never married.’ She toyed with her glass. ‘Apparently long before anything happened to my parents they’d named him as my guardian in their will. I guess they just never really expected him to have to act as it.’

‘Didn’t your mother have other family?’

Katsuko shifted in her seat. ‘My grandmother lives in Tokyo. She wasn’t well enough to cope with a ten-year-old. She has rheumatoid arthritis. She’s in a wheelchair now. I visit—I’ve always visited—but she hates Don with a passion. And she didn’t like the fact that my mother had married an American. It seems I can’t really do anything to please her.’ There was a wistful tone to her voice.

The edges of her lips turned upwards in a forced smile. ‘Don’s great. He’s always treated me as if I was his own. He tells me I’m the daughter he never had. But sometimes I feel like him adopting me might have ruined his chances of ever meeting anyone else. He and Dad were best friends. I was so used to being around him that when both my parents died I never even thought I could end up anywhere else.’ She licked her lips and stared at the table for a second. ‘I remember when my mother was really ill he came and sat with her. My mother held my hand and told me that when she went to sleep I’d go and stay with Don.’

Avery reached over and squeezed her hand. He’d been in the air force for years. He’d worked on servicemen who had been injured in action and sometimes even killed. He’d dealt with sick family members. But he’d never met a kid who’d been orphaned. He couldn’t even imagine what that felt like.

Katsuko’s gaze fixed on their joined hands for a few moments. Then she pulled her hand back against her chest.

Avery licked his lips. ‘Frank says the Major General bites.’

There was a millisecond of confusion on her face before the comment obviously fell into context.

‘Frank should learn to mind his own business.’

Avery drummed his fingers on the table. ‘Just as a matter of curiosity, how often has he bitten?’

The words hung in the air between them. It was ridiculous and he knew that. He’d only just met her.

He’d been stationed on air force bases before. There were always people you clicked with straight away—hospitals were like that. But he had always been a little cautious. He liked to get know a woman before he decided if wanted to date them. And he didn’t do long-term—not with the kind of family he had. His relationships only lasted as long as his posting at the base.

He didn’t generally do things on impulse. Not like this.

He might as well have painted on the table between them, I like you.

It made him feel a little odd. He had no idea what was normal for Katusko. Maybe she did date servicemen that she knew weren’t there permanently? Maybe that suited her as much as it suited him. But somehow the curl in his stomach was telling him not to count on it.

‘I can look after myself,’ she said sharply as she waved to the waitress. ‘Can we have the check, please?’

The waitress nodded and pulled the prepared check from her uniform.

Avery reached over and grabbed it. On the air base you could pay in dollars or yen. Luckily he had both. It was the one thing he had been able to organise.

Katsuko pulled some notes from her pocket but he shook his head. ‘Let me. You found me my keys, somewhere to eat and hopefully you’ll point me in the direction of my house.’

He could tell she secretly wanted to argue but he handed the money straight to the waitress and slid out from the booth. ‘Shall we?’

She picked up her jacket and followed him out into the balmy night air. She nodded her head to the side. ‘This way.’

He swung his bag over his shoulder and fell into step alongside her. She pointed to places as they walked along. ‘Down that street is the high school. At the bottom of that road is the swimming pool. And there’s a golf course if you’re interested.’

He was watching her carefully. She seemed so comfortable in her own skin. He liked that in a woman. She was confident at work and confident in her personal life. She’d only revealed a tiny part of herself to him tonight but he definitely wanted to find out more. He stopped walking and looked at her. ‘Aren’t we doing this the wrong way? Shouldn’t I be walking you home?’

‘That would only work if this was a date. And this definitely isn’t a date.’

‘It’s not? Darn it.’ He couldn’t help but smile.

She stopped under a streetlight and turned towards him. She had a smile on her face too. ‘Are you always this infuriating?’

He leaned forward a little, stopping just a few inches from her face.

It was ridiculous. He wanted to kiss her. He really wanted to kiss her. But she was difficult to read and the last thing he could afford to do was upset a work colleague by making an unwanted move.

She was staring right at him with those dark, dark eyes.

There was no one else around them. The street was completely empty. But he still whispered. ‘Why don’t you hang around and find out?’

Katsuko blinked. The smile stayed on her face and her eyebrows rose just a little.

She spun away, leaving her scent trailing around him, a mixture of jasmine and amber. He had to resist the temptation to inhale the scent completely.

She glanced over her shoulder as she kept walking. ‘Come on, lazy boy. Your 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.’

‘And how do you know what a men’s locker room smells like?’

She gave him a wink.

A wink. An actual wink.

‘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.

‘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.

‘What’s that?’

‘Earthquake emergency kit. Dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies. There’s a hard hat and gloves too. Oh, and a flashlight.’

‘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.

‘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.

‘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. ‘Yeah?’

‘The answer to your earlier question—’

His earlier question?

‘—is only when I tell him.’ She was grinning broadly as she rounded the corner.

His brain tried to kick into gear. He closed the door behind him and tried not to inhale the smell. It would be windows open tonight. It didn’t really matter anyway. He never stayed anywhere for too long.

A spark went off. And he smiled. The question. It had been about the Major General. How often has he bitten?

He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he went to find the bedroom.

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