A Lover's Wish

    Dao's body was stiff, sitting against the leather seat in the private plane. He rested his elbow against the window and propped his chin up with his arm. The plane taxied down the runway and lifted into the air. He never liked flying, but when the plane lifted off from Pearson International Airport, Dao didn't get that strange, queasy feeling he normally got. At that moment, he just felt numb and cold. He couldn't feel anything else. That scared him because he wanted to feel something, anything at all.

    When the plane levelled off and the seatbelt sign pinged off, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eyes and he looked around. Kianna--he had been a horrible host to her. It was strange for she had been so quiet in the grand chaos of his mind that he had forgotten she was there. He was literally kidnapping her from her home, taking her across the world and he hadn't even explained to her what was happening. To make matters worse, he had just sat there like a zombie while she was probably bored or hurting and confused.

    The ride over in the limo she had tried to get him to eat, but Dao wasn't really hungry. She had then given him a protein shake from the limo's fridge right after threatening to hook him up to an IV if he didn't eat something. Feeling horrible, he had taken it and drank a couple of swallows before handing it back. The smile she had given him then caused him to take the can back and drain it. Just to see her smile. She had just shifted in her seat and that had caught his attention.

    If he had any doubts about hiring her before, they were gone when he saw the way she spoke to his flight attendants. She had stepped up to the plate and ordered that he have something light for lunch since she wasn't sure when the last time was that he had eaten. Kelly, the stewardess agreed. As he sat there watching her read, a smile graced his eyes and he inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry," he spoke.

    Her head snapped up from the book she was reading.

    "I should tell you what is happening and where we're going."

    "That would be nice." She nodded and closed the book. "I did not want to add more stress to what you were going through."

    "How do you know it is stressful?"

    "You all but kidnapped me." She smirked.

    Dao nodded. "I deserved that."

    "But seriously." Kianna smiled. "I can see it in your eyes."

    "The phone call I got earlier was from my parents. Well my mother at least. She never calls me. I always call her because it's really expensive for her to call me and I don't want her spending too much money because of a phone call. In order for her to call, she has to travel on the Li River and I don't like her doing that alone. She told me that my father had an accident and they don't think he has much time."

    "I'm sorry--"

    "Thank you. So we're heading to Yangshuo. I know it's a little bit out of your life, but I would really appreciate you with me so that I can still do a little business while I'm there." He arched his brow for the look she was giving him was starting to scare him. Moving close to her, he knelt before her. She was shaking slightly, but her gaze didn't leave his face. Dao was scared. "Kianna!" He took her hands. Her fingertips were freezing. Lifting her fingers to his lips, he blew against them before burying her smaller hands inside his. "Kianna? Speak to me."

    "Yangshuo…"

    He was stunned because the way she said it was the exact same way a person from Yangshuo would pronounce it. The emphasis was on the right letters and he wondered how she knew to do that. She couldn't have gotten it by him saying the word once. "Yes."

    "Your parents live in Yangshuo--Xingping?"

    "Yes, to be exact."

    "Your parents live in Xingping."

    "Kianna, you said that already. What's wrong? I can let you go back to Toronto once we get to Hong Kong if you'd like."

    "No." She shook her head and looked down into his eyes. "I saved for years to go to China. Then there was a family emergency and I gave the money to help. I never thought I'd be able to save up enough to go because it's so expensive to travel."

    "Well now you are going." He smiled. "I'm sorry that it's under such dire circumstances, but you will get a chance to see some things while there."

    "Thank you," she whispered. "But we are going to China to make sure your parents are well--not for me to go on vacation."

    Dao watched her. There was a strength in her voice and eyes that caused his heart to throb sweetly within his chest. He was still holding her hands. When she bowed her head and looked at where he held her, he let her go and moved back to his seat. But his gaze never left her, even after she went back to her book. Tilting his head, he glanced at the cover and blushed before turning to look out the window. She was reading one of those romance novels that his mother would read when he was younger. Even today, he would get them specially translated into Cantonese and shipped to her. They would make her sound so happy.

    At that moment, Dao wondered what kind of men Kianna dated. Did she like them to touch her tenderly or roughly? Was she a romantic person? Turning his head, he looked at her and for that moment, his depression was gone. His gaze caressed her face--with the full lips, sad brown eyes, proud nose. While his gaze travelled down her neck, over full breasts and lower, his mind came to one conclusion--any man she dated was lucky.

    He said nothing. Dao took his pleasure from watching her read. From time to time, she would gasp and flip the page quickly. Other times, she would smile or giggle softly.

    "Our flight is fourteen hours, roughly," he spoke.

    She looked up.

    "I didn't mean to interrupt you, but would you like to talk? My brain is going too fast and I need to hear someone's voice."

    She smiled and closed her book. She stuck it beside her in the seat and crossed her legs.

    Dao bit back a moan. Nothing she did was overtly sexual, but just that alone--their simplicity turned him on more than he even thought was possibly.

    "What would you like to talk about?"

    "I don't know. Tell me a little about yourself."

    "There isn't much to tell. I'm an only child now, both parents are gone. My brother was killed in a car accident when I was seventeen."

    "I'm sorry."

    "It's alright, really," she replied. "It happened over ten years ago."

    "What do you like to do?"

    "Nothing lately. I haven't had the urge to do much of anything. But before, I loved the theatre, reading, trying to learn different languages--geeky things like that." She chuckled. "I told you there wasn't much."

    Dao nodded. "Thanks for the warning." A smile was on his lips. "This may be none of my business and if it is, please tell me and I will respect your answer. Are you seeing anyone?" He watched as she looked away from him and reached for her book again. He assumed she didn't want to talk about it so he nodded and looked back out the window. He had crossed the line, but for some reason he wanted her to look at him and answer to the negative. The thought of her being with another man angered him. He chuckled to himself before getting up and turning to leave the main area.

    "Mr. Zhi?"

    "It's Dao--please."

    "Dao--no I'm not seeing anyone."

    The relieved smile that swam over him shocked Dao. It was a good thing he wasn't looking at her when she spoke for she would have seen it.

    "Where are you going?"

    "I was going to leave you to your book," Dao replied. Wiping the smile from his face, he turned around to look at her. "I thought that was what you wanted. Did I think wrong?"

    "Yes," her voice was soft and she stood. She walked toward him.

    Dao could not move away. He thought maybe she wanted to walk around him, but his feet wouldn't move. Still, he stood in her path, but she didn't try to get around him. Instead, she braced a palm against his chest, pushed up onto her tiptoes and brushed her lips gently against his. He growled and reached for her hair. He tangled his fingers in it, then pulled her lips roughly against his. When her lips spread for his tongue, he readily drank from her heat, sliding his tongue against hers and growling his satisfaction. He bit against her lower lip and pulled before sucking the pain away. He took her lips again, this time he conquered her, tasting, kneading, moulding their mouths together. When she finally pulled back, Dao was out of his mind with arousal, but let his hands fall away from her. "What--what was that for?" he questioned, pulling her lips back to his again. She tasted so good, his mouth watered. He was drunk with her scent.

    * * * *

    Kianna Sanderson had just done something completely out of her league. Kissing someone by just taking what she wanted was never something she would normally do, especially with her boss. But Dao's lips were calling to her and she couldn't resist. Inhaling deeply, she pulled way from him and stumbled into her seat again.

    "I'm sorry," she whispered. Her body was still pulsating sweetly from the kiss. It was a short kiss, but it was the most wonderful kiss she'd ever experienced. It was so wrong, but it had caused her heart to hammer in her chest. All she had to do was behave herself and not maul her boss because she thought he was so sexy. Burying her face in her hands, Kianna inhaled deeply.

    "Kianna?"

    His voice was soft, husky. She didn't look at him. How could she look him in the eyes after what she had just done? She felt his hands on her, trying to pull her hands away, but she fought him back. He was stronger, however, and her hands fell away.

    "What are you sorry about, Kianna?" his voice showed genuine concern. "We're two consenting adults. We shared a kiss--one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Why are you sorry?"

    Kianna couldn't speak. The words that she wanted to put forth died in her throat. He had said he enjoyed her kiss and she knew then he was toying with her. He had to have been. How could he--Dao Zhi--have wanted a kiss from her? She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    "Talk to me."

    "It didn't happen," Kianna spoke strongly. "It never happened."

    "Kianna I don't--"

    "There's nothing for you to understand!" Kianna interrupted too harshly. "It never happened."

    All her life, Kianna Sanderson has wanted to travel. Fascinated with Chinese culture, Kianna has saved every spare penny. The unexpected death of her parents snatches her dream of travelling from her grip and fate forces her to use her savings to pay for the funerals. Defeated, depressed and dying slowly on the inside, she goes through her days on automation. Dao takes one look at Kianna and something inside snaps. He wants to get to know her better and hires her as his personal assistant. Destiny intercedes and a family emergency sends him rushing to China, taking Kianna with him. Dao deals with Kianna’s low view of herself, his family’s emergency and everything else that comes with courting a woman outside his culture. Unexpectedly handed a chance to glimpse her lost dream, Kianna is forced to confront her fears.