Chapter 191 Dissolve into him

Chapter 191 Dissolve into him
KADEN'S POV
It’s right around noon by the time we land. The transition from the private terminal to the waiting car is seamless. George takes the wheel, effortlessly navigating us toward the hotel. That’s just how things work when you're with Bastian. Everything flows with this quiet, terrifying precision, clearly mapped out in advance. There are no lost moments of confusion.
I’m sitting in the back, tucked into the leather seat next to Bastian, while Sylvie rides up front next to George.
I’ve decided I really like Sylvie. After I finally woke up on the jet, we spent a good two hours just talking, and she’s shockingly easy company. She’s close to my age, which means she actually understands my online references...in a way, we speak the same language.
When I asked if she had any recommendations for the trip, she immediately launched into an insane internet deep dive, pulling up obscure Reddit threads and local forums to find the best spots. She even offered to be my personal photographer while we explore. So yeah, she’s earned a permanent spot in my good graces.
Right now, she’s leaning back over the center console, gesturing with her phone. "Oh! There’s this gorgeous old theater in Ginza hosting a classical music concert tomorrow night. They take performance art insanely seriously there. I remembered seeing you with a violin and figured it’d be right up your alley."
I smile, settling back into the leather. "It definitely is."
"Honestly, why do you never post videos of yourself playing?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. "People would eat that up. I mean, with your face and your body—"
"Sylvie." Bastian’s deep voice cuts cleanly through the car. He clears his throat, a sharp, quiet warning.
She stops, turning to look at him. He just stares back at her, his voice entirely flat. "Why don't you focus on verifying the schedule for tomorrow's regional briefing? The updated figures should be in your inbox by now."
Sylvie glances between the two of us, a knowing spark flashing in her eyes before she nods smoothly. "Right. On it." She slides back into her seat and flips open her laptop.
I turn my head to look at Bastian. He’s watching me with this decidedly unthrilled expression, his jaw set. I fight back a grin, sliding across the bench seat until I'm pressed flush against his side. I rest my hand on his thigh, leaning over him slightly to look out the window at the towering skyline of Tokyo blurring past us.
It feels completely surreal. Just half a day ago, we were on another continent, in an entirely different time zone. Now we're here. In a place I’ve only ever seen on screens, a place that wasn't even on my radar two months ago. Standing in Bastian's orbit makes me feel intensely, vibrantly alive...like the world suddenly opened up and there's nothing out of reach. It’s an exhilarating feeling, but it’s also genuinely terrifying. I constantly have to remind myself to keep one foot on the ground, otherwise I’ll lose my mind and completely dissolve into him.
I pull out my phone, lifting it to record a quick clip of the city streets. The second I do, Bastian wraps a heavy arm around my waist, pulling me even tighter against his side. He leans down, pressing a quiet, lingering kiss to my temple.
I pause the video, turning my face up to plant a quick kiss on his lips before resting my head against his shoulder. "What's your schedule looking like?"
"I have a dinner meeting with local executives later today," he says, his fingers lightly tracing patterns over my hip. "Then I have to leave early tomorrow morning for a couple of acquisitions meetings, but I should be done by noon. Same for Wednesday. Then Thursday morning I’m speaking at the global hospitality conference."
I pull back slightly, looking up at him. "Can I come watch?"
His lips curve into a faint, amused smile. "Why?"
"Just because," I say softly.
"It's a two-hour keynote on international asset restructuring, Kaden. It will most likely bore you to death."
"Maybe," I counter, letting a small smirk touch my mouth. "But the view on stage definitely won't."
He lets out a low, rough hum of approval. His hand slips beneath the hem of my shirt, his warm palm pressing directly against the bare skin of my waist, his thumb stroking smooth circles against my ribs. "Okay. You can come." He tilts my jaw up, his eyes darkening. "We'll make every spare minute count."
My chest warms, a helpless smile breaking across my face despite my best efforts to keep a cool head. "We definitely will."
The car glides into the private courtyard of the hotel, and the sheer extravagance of the place hits me immediately. I expected sleek, cold modern luxury, but this is entirely different. The architecture seamlessly weaves rich deep woods, delicate paper screens, and intricate stone work, instilling a sense of Japanese cultural identity into every corner.
A team of smiling, impeccably dressed staff meets us at the doors, bowing in unison. The head concierge greets Bastian by name with quiet, it’s crystal clear he’s stayed here many times before. Bastian nods smoothly, effortlessly stepping into the role of a high-profile guest. As he walks ahead, he reaches one hand casually behind him. I reach out, sliding my fingers into his, and fall into step right beside him.
We part ways with Sylvie and George in the grand lobby, and a staff member guides us up to our private suite. I didn't think I was jetlagged on the plane, but standing here now, the time shift catches up to me.
The moment the suite doors click shut and we're alone, I let out a deep, heavy breath. I wander through the massive space, taking in the endless rooms, the stunning local artwork, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offering a sweeping view of Tokyo. Everything is breathtaking.
I make my way to the master bedroom and find Bastian already at work, hanging clothes in the expansive closet. Both his leather suitcase and my duffel bag are open.
Without turning around, his voice carries across the quiet room. "Do you want to rest for a while? Sylvie made a lunch reservation downstairs, but we can order room service instead."
"I'm not tired," I say, leaning against the doorframe. "I slept half the flight here."
He looks over his shoulder, a faint smile touching his lips. He selects a charcoal suit and lays it neatly on the bed. I walk over and drop onto my back on the duvet, stretching my arms above my head with a soft sigh.