Foxfire (Nine Tails, 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

agreed to anything that could harm me.”
He clutched his pad tighter. “What do you want?”
    Masaki’s gaze heated a bit, his tongue
coming out to lick his lower lip. “What do I want?”
    Hiro realized how his question had
sounded. “My work, I meant.” His face flamed, but he tried to keep
going. “A painting, sketches, a triptych maybe? I saw a few blank
folding screens in one of the hallways. I could work with those or
paint scenes on them.”
    “ Anything you desire,
though I would like for you to sketch me before you
leave.”
    Yet again, Hiro didn’t understand.
“You … you like my work that much? You don’t care what it
is?”
    Masaki came forward and took him by
the chin. “Yes. I wish to watch you work, if I’m allowed. I told
you I wanted you with me. Just having your work isn’t the
same.”
    Was Masaki going to kiss him? Akira
hadn’t mentioned the man—fox, whatever—being gay, but he obviously
was. Or perhaps gender didn’t matter to such a creature.
    “ Sure. I don’t mind.” Hiro
didn’t dare move, his anticipation building as he felt something he
didn’t understand passing between them.
    Masaki backed away and let his hand
drop. “You’re very talented. It’s good you’re humble, but I truly
love your style. Perhaps in the garden, after dinner? Everything is
beautiful under the moonlight with the colored lanterns
lit.”
    “ It’s a Japanese
garden?”
    “ Part of it is. Other
parts are different. There are roses and some other plants I
brought here. Everything here is magical, and I want you to enjoy
it while you’re here. There’s even a waterfall. We’ll walk there
later.”
    “ Okay.”
    Masaki bowed slightly and then turned
and strode off. Hiro watched him go, feeling relieved yet lonely.
He didn’t want to spend the next few hours alone, but he did need
time to think. Had Masaki wanted to kiss him? Would he have liked
that? What would it feel like? And why, though their lips hadn’t
touched, had he felt such a strong connection, as if the man had
actually kissed him?
    * * * *
    Masaki walked out of his bedroom and
nearly collided with a tall, slender woman. He apologized and bowed
to Inari, who wore a flowing red kimono covered in white cherry
blossoms. Her eyes, now bright blue, studied him as she smiled.
“Not seduced him yet?” Inari teased.
    “ No, not yet.” Masaki had
known the calm approval and well wishing would soon enough give way
to teasing and perhaps even meddling. “But he only arrived
yesterday.”
    “ I can feel the tension in
the house. He needs an enchanted evening, Masaki. I want to
help.”
    Masaki couldn’t stop her, even if he
wanted to, but he folded his hands in supplication. “I’ll arrange
something next week. Please. Like I said this morning, I frightened
him. He’s adjusting. And doing so pretty well, so I want to tread
carefully.”
    “ I know he’s adjusting,
but he thought you were beautiful, despite being scared.” She
smiled. “Though he likes you more in this form. Much
more.”
    Masaki wondered if Inari would tell
him more. She might only be here to tease him, his relationship
with Hiro her newest distraction. “What else did he
think?”
    She examined her nails, which were
long and red. “Hmmm. Such a jumble in his head.”
    Masaki smiled politely. “Then let me
go to him so I can start wooing him. You approve of him, so you
must want me to get on with it.”
    Inari glanced up. “Take him to the
grove over the bridge. He won’t be able to resist the feeling of
magic there.”
    His smile fading, Masaki said, “I
don’t want his body without his heart, without his mind and
soul.”
    “ You can win those later.
That boy’s ready to explode. Twenty-three and a virgin!”
    Masaki had expected as much, but
actually knowing made him a little nervous. “All the more reason
not to take him to the grove. It should be special. I want him to
feel something for me besides desire or curiosity.”
    Inari turned her head,