27. Sweet Summer Hayes

Holy shit. I was completely out of my depth in these crazy-ass busy streets of Tokyo. The neon signs, the towering skyscrapers, the sea of people rushing past us—it was all so overwhelming, so different from anything I"d ever experienced.

I didn"t realize how absolutely unworldly I was until we were in the thick of it. I felt like a country mouse in the city.

But Willa? She was a goddess taking me on an adventure.

All I could do was hold on tight and be absolutely awed by the way she confidently led us through the maze of streets, her eyes sparkling with excitement and her smile never wavering. She seemed to have a sixth sense for where to go and what to do.

"Babe, I think we might be lost," I said, trying to keep the unease from my voice as we turned down yet another alley. I always thought I had a pretty good sense of direction, but without my mountains to know which way was west, I didn"t know my front from my back. "Are you sure this is the right way to the cat café?"

Willa just grinned, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "We"re definitely lost. Also known as exploring. And look, I think we"ve stumbled onto something."

She pointed to a small, unassuming storefront, its windows adorned with cutesy illustrations of cats. The sign above the door read "Neko no Jikan" in both Japanese and English.

Willa held up her phone and used Google Lens to translate.

"Cat Time?" I read off her screen, raising an eyebrow.

Willa"s grin widened. "Sounds perfect. Come on, let"s check it out."

Inside, the café was a cozy oasis, filled with plush couches, colorful cat trees, and of course, dozens of adorable felines. The air smelled of coffee and floral teas and something distinctly furry, but not unpleasant.

A petite Japanese woman wearing cat ears, furry paw-looking mittens, with her face painted with whiskers, greeted us with a warm smile and a flurry of words I couldn"t understand. But Willa, in her typical fashion, just smiled right back and managed to convey our intentions through a mix of enthusiastic gesturing and speaking slowly. "Can we buy drinks and meet cats?"

The woman smiled and shocked the shit out of me by replying in perfect English. "Yes, of course. Please follow me."

Minutes later, we were settled on a couch, sipping matcha lattes, which tasted like milky grass to me, and playing with a pair of rambunctious pure white kittens.

"This is amazing," I said, shaking my head in wonder. "How did you know she spoke English?"

Willa shrugged, her eyes twinkling. "I didn"t. But we"re lucky that English has become the international language. It used to be French. Did you know that?"

Willa was so animated and excited. The only other time I"d seen her like this was when she was telling me her ideas to get more business to the café. She was so fucking happy right now.

"Nope. I took Spanish." Not that I could speak a lick of it. Guacamole, jalape?o, and tortilla was about it. Mmm. Colorado did have good mountain Mex food.

"Yeah, me too. A lot of people around the world study English in school, and not like we take Spanish and learn to say things like "Dónde está el ba?o," "Una más margarita, por favor," and "Mi burro es muy perezosa." Especially in a big city like this, and with younger people, you can usually find someone who speaks at least a little bit of English, or even someone who knows it better than we do."

"Your donkey is very..."

"Lazy." She scooped up a kitten, nuzzling its fur and cooing softly.

"Right. I"m sure it probably was. Donkeys are known to be like that." But not Willa. She told me I was hard-working, but I had to work hard. She was a natural at so many things, and I wasn"t sure she even knew it.

She was... incredible. This woman, this amazing, adventurous, free-spirited woman, had chosen me. She"d brought me halfway across the world, pushed me way out of my comfort zone knowing I needed it, and in a few hours has shown me a side of life I"d never even dreamed of.

Another couple of cats came over to check us out, and one crawled right up on Willa"s shoulders and wrapped itself around her like a travel pillow. She scratched its head like this was the most natural thing in the world. "But even if she didn"t speak any English, it probably wouldn"t be hard to figure out what we wanted to do in a literal cat café."

Willa smiled, so happy to be lost in Tokyo.

My stomach, chest, and head, everything inside of me went off kilter. I had the sensation that I was on a rollercoaster that had just hit the highest peak and was about to go flying down, spinning around, making everyone scream. And I was in the front row.

It wasn't the concussion either. It was this moment, and a realization that as much as Willa loved running the coffee shop, as much as she cared for her uncles and the community she"d built, it wasn"t enough for her. She needed more, needed the thrill of the unknown, the challenge of navigating new places and experiences. She needed to be free.

Denver, with its familiar streets and predictable routines, could never fully satisfy her wanderlust. No, it wasn"t just wanderlust. But lust for life, for all of the new and different the world had to offer.

Just like being at the top of a literal rollercoaster, for a split second, I was scared. I didn"t want to be threatened by that realization, but I was.

I wanted to be the one to give her that. But how was I going to do that? I was tied to Denver, both by my family and my career.

Sure, I could get traded to another team and have to leave, but it would always be my home. I wasn"t sure Willa even needed a home.

"Thank you," I said softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "For bringing me here, for showing me this side of you. I know it"s not always easy for me to let go of my plans and just... trust the journey. But I"ll always try."

She smiled, leaning into my touch. "You"re really having fun? I haven"t freaked you out?"

"I think maybe you freaked me in. Because I am all in for you."

Willa leaned in close. "I don"t know what the rules for public displays of affection are in Japan, but if you don"t kiss me right now, I"ll die."

I kissed her and would have continued to kiss her if the cat lying on her hadn"t decided he wanted kisses too and stuck his nose in my face. As we sat there, surrounded by the playful antics of the cats and the soft murmur of conversation, a new determination seeped into me.

I would find a way tobe her partner in adventure and in life.I wanted to learn from her, to grow with her, to chase our dreams together, wherever they might lead. I couldn"t see the way to do it yet, but I would. I had to. Because I wasn"t ever letting her go.

After a few more hours of exploring the city, visiting two more cat cafés, and eating some really strange, but weirdly delicious street food, we were both exhausted. It might only be early afternoon in Tokyo, but it was midnight dark thirty back home. The jet lag and the overwhelming newness of everything was catching up to me, and all I wanted was to find a soft bed, fuck my girl into oblivion, and sleep for a hundred years.

"Please tell me you have some kind of idea of where we"re going to sleep tonight, and that it isn"t in a park under a tree or something."

Willa laughed like that was ridiculous, but I wouldn"t put an experience like that past her. "No, I made a reservation at a ryokan with a private onsen while we were at the last café."

"I like the word reservation and private, but other than that, I have no idea what you just said. Is it a hotel?"

She grinned, shaking my head. "Trust me, this will be so much better. More authentic, more immersive. And the couple who runs it are supposed to be the sweetest."

Willa guided us through another trip on the subway and then a few minutes' walk where we came up to what looked way more like some samurai"s enormous house than a hotel. "We aren"t staying at these people"s house or something, are we?"

"It"s a traditional Japanese inn." She tugged my hand. "Come on, you"re going to love this. I promise."

She led me inside, where we took off our shoes and put on some slippers, which honestly did feel good after walking around all day. Then we were met by a Japanese woman who bowed in greeting. "Welcome, Mr. Kingman, Ms. Rosemount. Please come this way."

Inside the inn was a balm to my country-mouse soul. It was quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of trickling water instead of the hustle and bustle of the city. I didn"t think it could get any better, until the hostess slid open the door to our private room. I literally fucking gasped.

I"d been in luxury hotels plenty of times. But they all felt sterile and boring compared to this. The space was a stunning blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics and modern luxury, with sleek lines, natural wood, and soft, diffused lighting.

But what really caught my eye was the private porch just beyond the sliding glass doors. There, nestled amid meticulously arranged rocks and lush greenery, was a steaming, inviting hot tub.

"Here are your nemaki, and your private onsen is ready whenever you are." The hostess motioned to some cotton looking bathrobes, and then to the hot tub outside. "I will bring dinner at seven. Please do not hesitate to let me know if you need anything else."

It was like a scene from a dream, the water glistening under the soft glow of lanterns, the rising steam promising warmth and relaxation. My mind immediately jumped to carrying Willa right into the soothing heat of the water, our bodies intertwined and our worries melting away.I glanced at Willa, seeing my own excitement mirrored in her eyes, a sly smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Oh, the things we could do in that onsen. I was getting one of these put into my backyard the second we got home. The jet lag and hours of exploring faded into the background. All I could think about was getting Willa into that water, of losing myself in her.

The hostess said something else, her words a gentle hum in the background, but I barely heard her. I was too focused on Willa, on the heat in her gaze and the promise of what was to come. The door slid shut behind us, leaving us alone in our private oasis, and I reached for her, my hands already aching to touch her, to claim her.

We stripped faster than ever, and she giggled as I chased her across the room to the porch. But this was one of those nights I needed something more from her than a fun romp. We stepped into the round stone bowl of swirling water, but before she could sink down, I grabbed her hips and turned her to face away from me. "Hands on the side of the tub, Willa, ass in the air, with your legs spread."

This was one of those times when I was feeling so possessive of her. But this time I recognized it was because of a change in our relationship. She didn"t know it yet, but I did. We wouldn"t be the same when we got back to Denver, and I needed something to hold on to, if only for one more night. For one more night, I needed to know that I was alive. I only ever felt alive when I was with her.

She sucked in a tiny gasp and leaned against me, pressing her cheek against my chest and moving her arms back to grip my thighs. "You have no idea how much I need you right now."

That was exactly what I needed to hear. How did she always know? Because she was my girl, my Willa.

"Good, because I want to fuck you fast and hard. Hands on the tub. Now."

She did as I told her to, as I needed her to, but not without a little tease. She pressed her plump ass back against my dick and wiggled it back and forth. As if I wasn"t already hard for her. I gave her a smack for her troubles and then again when I saw how it made her ass and thighs jiggle and her skin pinken. "Yes, or no, Willa?"

"Oh fuck. Umm, yes."

Hmm. "Are you saying yes because you think I want it, or because you do?"

She looked over her shoulder at me and the love and lust in her eyes just about brought me to my knees. "Because I think you need it."

Damn. I sunk down into the water, scraped my teeth across that pink spot I"d left on her ass, and then grabbed her hips and pulled her down into the water with me. Good god, the heat of the water and her weight on my lap felt so fucking perfect.

I nuzzled her neck and pressed my lips to her ears. "That"s not how this works, love. However we fuck, and however we make love, it"s because we both want and enjoy what we do to each other, how we make each other feel. We"re in this together."

She relaxed into me, and we were both quiet for a few minutes.

"Hey," Willa whispered, her fingers tracing gentle thighs on my chest. "What"s going on in that head of yours?"

I sighed, staring up at the unfamiliar sky. The words felt heavy on my tongue, weighed down by the fears I"d been carrying. But if there was anyone I could talk to, it was her. "Your uncles will be back eventually, and they"ll take over the coffee shop again. And I know Denver isn"t enough for you, Willa. You need this, need the world and all its adventures."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "But I don"t know how I fit into that. My family, my career, they"re all tied to Denver. Even if I got traded, I"d just be in another city, not... not out here, living life the way you do."

The thought of losing Willa or holding her back from the life she was meant to live made my chest ache, and the only thing that made if feel better was having her held tight against me.

"I... don"t know the answer to what"s going to happen when they get back." She tried to turn to face me, but I couldn"t let her. Not yet. She sighed and let me have my way. "I wish I could say I"ll just stay, but I can"t. And it"s not because I don"t love you. I do. I love you more than I"ve ever loved anyone in the whole wide world."

"I know, baby. I know."

"And..." Her voice cracked, and damn it all to hell, I"d made her cry. "I know you"ve been expecting me to stay, but?—"

"No, baby. No." I refused to break her like this. I grasped for the right thing to say to her. "No expectations. Just you and me, exploring something new together."

Her words to me were the only thing I could come up with that fit. She let out a broken sort of cry-laugh, and I buried my face in the crook of her neck. "If the last twenty-four-ish hours have taught me anything, flower, it"s that when I"m sure we"re lost, you find a way. We will find a way to make this work. It might not look like whatever I thought it would, but I swear on my life, we can and will be together."

Willa sniffled and I reached, wiping her tears away. "Yes, or no, Willa?"

"Yes. So, so much yes."