Stranger in my Ass-Chapter 228

Olivia’s POV

We started our tour at Senso-ji Temple, the oldest temple in the city, where we lit incense and made wishes under the massive red lantern at the entrance. Gabriel explained the proper way to cleanse our hands at the purification fountain, and I tried not to laugh at how seriously he took the ritual.

"You’re supposed to be respectful," he chided, but he was smiling.

"I am being respectful! I’m just also being entertained by how you’re treating this like a sacred medical procedure."

From there, we wandered through Nakamise Shopping Street, a covered walkway lined with vendors selling everything from traditional crafts to Hello Kitty merchandise. I bought a beautiful fan painted with cherry blossoms and Gabriel bought us matching lucky cat keychains.

"For protection," he said solemnly, attaching his to his bag.

"From what?"

"Everything. Bad luck. Evil spirits. Awkward ex-boyfriends who show up in Tokyo."

I punched his arm, but I was laughing.

Lunch was at the tonkatsu restaurant Gabriel had been raving about - perfectly breaded pork cutlet that practically melted in my mouth, served with shredded cabbage and the most incredible sauce I’d ever tasted.

"This is life-changing," I moaned around a mouthful.

"I told you."

We visited the Meiji Shrine next, walking through the serene forest path that led to the traditional Shinto shrine. The sanctuary was simply peaceful and stunning. We wrote our wishes on wooden prayer tablets and hung them alongside thousands of others.

I didn’t tell Gabriel what I’d wished for. How could I explain that I’d wished for clarity? For courage? For the strength to finally face Maxwell and tell him the truth?

As afternoon turned to evening, we found ourselves in Shibuya, watching the famous scramble crossing from a Starbucks window. Hundreds of people crossed in all directions when the light changed, a choreographed chaos that was somehow beautiful.

"This is incredible," I breathed, watching the flow of humanity below.

"It is," Gabriel agreed. But when I looked over, he was watching me, not the crossing.

Our eyes met and held for a moment too long before I looked away, that familiar confusion stirring in my chest.

By the time we finished dinner at a cozy ramen shop - where Gabriel taught me the proper way to slurp noodles - I was exhausted in the best possible way.

"I’m tired," I admitted as we walked back to the hotel, my feet aching in my shoes. "But I’ve had so much fun. Thank you for today."

"Thank you for coming with me," Gabriel said. "I think I needed this more than I realized."

Back at the hotel, we lingered in the hallway between our rooms.

"I think I’m going to hit the pool," I said suddenly. "Work off some of this ramen."

"The pool? Now?"

"Yeah, why not? I’m tired but not sleepy, if that makes sense. A swim sounds perfect."

Gabriel checked his watch. "I might join you later. I need to make a few calls first."

"Sounds good."

I entered my room and headed straight for the bathroom, stripping off my clothes and stepping into the shower. The hot water felt amazing on my tired muscles.

After drying off, I rummaged through my suitcase for the bikini Kira had insisted I pack.

"You need a hot bikini for vacation," she’d said. "Trust me."

I’d rolled my eyes then. Now, pulling it out, I understood her vision.

It was a deep burgundy color - almost wine-colored - with a triangle top that tied at the neck and back. The bottoms were cheeky Brazilian-cut, sitting low on my hips and high on my thighs. The fabric had a subtle shimmer to it that caught the light beautifully.

I put it on and checked myself in the mirror.

Damn! My stranger really has good taste.

This was among the gift boxes he’d piled up in my living room weeks ago.

The color looked incredible against my skin. The cut accentuated every curve, making my waist look smaller and my legs look longer. The top pushed my breasts up just enough to create the kind of cleavage that demanded attention.

Kira was a genius, and my stranger had great fashion sense in women’s clothing.

I pulled on a robe, and grabbed a towel, then I headed down to the pool.

The pool area was beautifully designed - an infinity edge that seemed to blend into the Tokyo skyline, surrounded by lounge chairs and subtle lighting that created an almost romantic atmosphere. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

And there, sitting in one of the lounge chairs with his laptop open, was Maxwell.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

He hadn’t noticed me yet, his eyes fixed on his screen with that intense focus I recognized from the office. He was wearing baggy shorts that showcased his muscular, lightly hair-dusted legs, and a simple polo that stretched across his broad shoulders.

He looked... good. Annoyingly good. Unfairly good.

My first instinct was to turn around and run back to my room.

But why should I run?

I was Olivia now. Not Oliver. Not the skittish assistant who jumped at his every word. I was a woman in all her feminine glory, and he’d made it very clear earlier that he didn’t care. That I didn’t matter enough to even acknowledge.

I looked down at my bikini, my exposed skin, the whole curves on full display.

And suddenly, I felt shy.

Why was I shy? This was ridiculous. In fact, this was perfect. Let him look. Let him see exactly what he’d been dismissing. Let him take in the full scene and know that he could do absolutely nothing about it.

With that thought, I straightened my spine, lifted my head, and started walking toward the pool.

I dropped the robe onto a nearby chair, leaving myself in just the bikini.

Then I walked.

Actually, I strutted.

I added an extra sway to my hips, letting my body move with more sensuality than I normally would.

I could feel eyes turning toward me. A businessman at the bar did a double-take. A couple by the hot tub stopped their conversation to watch.

Good.

I kept my gaze fixed forward, not daring to look in Maxwell’s direction. I didn’t need to see if he was watching - I could feel it. That familiar electric awareness that told me his eyes were on me.

I was doing it. I was actually pulling this off.

I was a goddess. I was confident. I was...

A waitress picked up a tray and turned, bumping directly into me.

The tray she was carrying tilted.

And an entire fruit drink - complete with pineapple chunks and a little umbrella - cascaded down my chest and stomach.

Oh. My. God.