Red Champagne
Usagi-chan
Usagi@lunap.com
http://www.geocities.com/minako_usa
Standard Disclaimers Apply.
Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who replied! I
simply adore you! Thank you Arty, Bunny and Minako-chan!
And this part also goes out to Kari! ^_^ Also to MK,
Joeey, Mia and Mariedel for being total sweeties and
putting up with my ultimate delight on Sunday! I know,
I can be psycho bubbly ^_^
Chapter Four
"Another stunning success! Here's to Usagi and
Rose Designs." Minako raised her wineglass as she toasted
her friend.
"And to Minako, and her Moonlight Models. Without
whom, the show would never have happened." Usagi raised
her own glass slightly before sipping the white wine.
"I really was impressed Usagi. Where on earth
did you come up with the idea for using..."
"Excuse me a moment, but I need to borrow this
young woman for just a sec." Mamoru smoothly cut off
the older, and obviously fashion impaired, journalist.
"Well, of course." The woman almost swooned at
Mamoru's half smile.
Mamoru held Usagi's arm and gently led her away
from the journalist who quickly turned her attention
to an older man.
"Yes? Is there something you needed?" Usagi
looked up at him, their eyes meeting.
"Yes." Mamoru replied huskily. Without another
word, he bent his head and caught her lips with his
own.
Usagi was shocked. Not so much by the fact that
Mamoru was kissing her, in the middle of a very public
party in a hotel, but more by the way it was making her
feel.
She as on fire. From head to toe. She could feel
the blood coursing through her veins with a heat she had
never felt before. It was shocking, stunning and tantalizing
all at once. She couldn't get enough.
Usagi's arms snaked around Mamoru's neck and she
pulled him closer against her, kissing him back.
Mamoru didn't need any further encouragement. He
swept Usagi against his hard body, and held her tightly.
She was gorgeous, and he had been waiting to do this since
he had seen her months ago.
"Usagi," He murmured against her lips. "Usako."
Usagi jerked away as reality came crashing down
on her. What had she been thinking! She was in public,
kissing one of her models like a teenager unable to
control her hormones.
"Oh God..." She whispered before turning away
from Mamoru.
"Usagi." He caught her wrist and pulled her back
against him, hard. She almost cried out, but bit her lip
instead. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Away, away from you." She whispered fiercely. "Away
from this." Usagi gestured to the room around them.
"Usagi," His voice was soft, but it sent a shiver
up Usagi's spine. She could see the glint in his eyes
and wasn't sure whether it was dangerous, or not.
Suddenly Usagi was free, and Mamoru was striding
away from her. He was halfway across the room before she
even realized that he wasn't holding her against him
anymore.
Shaking, Usagi turned to find Minako. She scanned the
room and saw Minako talking with a few of her models, laughing
and drinking the wine that was flowing freely.
"Minako? Can I talk to you?"
"Sure, Usagi. What is it?" Minako handed her glass to
one of the waiters circling the hotel, and followed Usagi out
of the room into a deserted corridor.
"It's Mamoru." Usagi sighed. "He... He kissed me, Minako!
He kissed me, then I got mad, and he.. He stormed off."
Minako's mouth formed an 'o' as her eyes widened.
"He kissed you?!" She practically squealed with delight.
"Oh Usagi! How utterly romantic!"
"Minako! Please!" Usagi stamped her foot in her impatient.
"Usagi, a gorgeous model kissed you in a public hotel and
you think something is wrong?" Minako raised an eyebrow as she
questioned her friend's sanity.
"Minako! That's not the point." Usagi snapped.
"Then what is, Usagi? What is the point? Is it that
Mamoru makes you forget Yuu? Is it that Mamoru makes you
feel like a woman again?" Minako snapped back. She was tired
of the way Usagi was acting, and the way Usagi was ignoring
what were obviously feelings she harbored for Mamoru.
"Minako... I..." Usagi was surprised at her friend's
tirade and didn't quite know what to say.
"Look Usagi, what do you feel about Mamoru?" Minako
asked, looking Usagi straight in the eye.
"I'm not sure... I..." Usagi paused. "I love him."
"Then what's the problem?"
"Aren't I supposed to love Yuu forever? I was
ready to marry him and declare my love to him forever, but
here I am already giving it away... What if I had married
Yuu? Would I regret it once I met Mamoru? Would I wish
I hadn't married Yuu? God, Minako-chan, I feel like I'm
betraying him." Usagi slid against the wall to sit on the
ground with her knees drawn up to her chin. "I feel like..."
"Like a woman in love?" Minako suggested. "Usa,
things happen for a reason. Maybe you and Yuu were never
meant to be. Maybe Mamoru is your soulmate, and destiny
intended for you two to be together forever. How can you
feel guilty for a love like that? I've seen you two together,
and there is definitely something there. Don't you want to
explore it and find out what it is?"
"Yes, Minako." Usagi looked up at her friend. "I do."
"Then go in there, girl! And get your man!" Minako
pulled Usagi to her feet and pushed her back towards the
party.
"Thanks Minako!" Usagi smiled and walked in, ready to
talk to Mamoru and tell him that she loved him, only to find
him making out with a red haired model.
Usagi's smile died on her lips and she turned around.
"Forget it Minako. We assumed too much." Usagi bite
out angrily before walking out of the party, and out of
Mamoru's life forever.
Usagi sat at her desk tiredly massaging her temples.
She was working on a few new winter designs and trying to
balance her accounts. Neither job seemed too appealing to
the young CEO.
"Hizashi, I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back in
a bit. If anyone calls just take a message." Usagi informed
her secretary.
"Sure thing." Hizashi nodded and turned back to her
computer screen. "Don't forget your jacket. It's freezing
out there!"
Usagi nodded and pulled on the suit jacket she had
brought as she stepped onto the elevator.
Usagi walked through the park and paused to look out
over the frozen lake. The sun was shining brightly, and just
barely starting to hint at what would be a beautiful sunset.
She hugged herself, pulling her jacket tighter
around herself. The wind whipped through her jacket and
chilled her to the bone. Usagi reveled in the cutting
wind, closing her eyes for just a moment.
With a sigh, Usagi decided to head back to her office,
to finish up for the day.
"Hizashi, I guess we can go home early today. I don't
think I'm going to get much done tonight." Usagi told her
secretary as she stepped off the elevator.
"Alright, but there's someone waiting for you in
your office." Hizashi flicked off her computer screen.
"Is it Minako?" Usagi asked as she walked towards her
office.
"No." Something in Hizashi's voice made Usagi freeze.
"Look, I'm just going to go home."
Usagi nodded sharply and waited for Hizashi to collect
her things and get on the elevator before turning her attention
to her office.
Silently she cursed the heavy wooden door she always
closed when she left the office before turning the handle
and pushing it open.
"Mamoru!" The name escaped her lips before she could
stop herself.
"Usagi." He greeted, turning from the bay window to
face her. The fading sunlight lit up his face and Usagi
thought her heart was going to stop. He was gorgeous.
"What do you want?" She asked coldly, turning away
from him. She walked across the spacious office to a
filing cabinet and pulled open one of the drawers.
"I want to talk, Usagi. Please." He moved towards
her, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Usagi pulled
away.
"Don't touch me, Mamoru."
Mamoru closed his eyes briefly, and Usagi used the
moment to escape. She walked around her desk, wanting to
put as much space between them as possible.
"Usagi, I don't know what happened. I don't know
why you ran off." He paused. "I want to know why."
Usagi gazed out the window as Mamoru spoke. The last
rays of sunlight danced through her hair and he could read
the sadness in her eyes as she watched the street below.
"Usako..."
Usagi looked up at him, pain replacing the sadness.
"You want to know why, Mamoru? Why? I'll tell you
why. When I was seventeen, I met the man of my dreams.
We fell in love and were engaged a year and half later.
Three months after he proposed to me, my fiancé was killed."
Usagi paused, willing the tears to go away. "My fiancé, Yuu,
was my friend's older brother, and he looked exactly like
you. The only difference between you two is that his eyes
were green."
"God, Usako. All this time... It's been like... All this
time I've..." The horrified look on Mamoru's face spoke volumes to
Usagi. She laughed.
"And suddenly I'm no longer in the running, am I? Why
don't you go back to your pretty little red head, hmm?" Usagi
crossed her office in long strides. "I'm sure she's waiting
for you."
"What are you talking about?" Mamoru asked, anger
flooded his features.
"Oh please! I may be a sob story but I'm not stupid."
Usagi snapped back. "I saw you sucking face with the red
head at the party."
"What red head?" Mamoru asked, his eyes darkening.
"After you stormed away from me." Usagi rolled here
eyes. "Just exchange one girl for another, is it?"
"When I left you, I left the party." Mamoru walked
calmly towards Usagi. "You were the only girl I kissed
at the party."
"Oh." Usagi was dumbfounded. "Then who was the guy
I saw kissing the..."
"Will you forget the damned red head?" Mamoru asked
before grabbing Usagi and pulling her towards him. He crushed
her to his chest as his lips sought hers.
Usagi fought him at first, before she lost herself in
the sensations he was creating for her. It just felt so good
to be in his arms, and she wanted to stay there. She knew she
would be happy there forever.
"Mamo-chan..." she murmured against his mouth as she
kissed him back.
"Usa, Usako..." He wouldn't let her go. "I love you."
The words escaped his lips, coming out as barely a whisper.
None the less, Usagi heard them and she did the only thing she
could do. She hugged him tighter and whispered back, "I love you."
Epilogue
Usagi lifted the champagne glass, her lips forming a gentle
smile as she whispered her toast.
"To my darling, my love, my life." She brought the glass
to her lips and sipped the dark liquid. Her lips were tinted a
deep crimson from the champagne, and the subtle flavor flooded
her mouth.
"Happy anniversary." Usagi whispered, draining her glass.
She reached for the bottle in the ice box and refilled her
wineglass. She turned to face the table and watched as the
candle flames danced in the soft breeze. Her eyes became
vacant as she was entranced by the candles.
A startles scream escaped her lips as a strong arm
wrapped itself around Usagi's waist. The wineglass fell
from her hand, the red champagne splashing everywhere.
Usagi laughed, indifferent to the red stains on the
floor around her.
"Darling..." She whispered again, before her lips fell
upon his.
(
geocities.com/minako_usa)