1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 43

Hana shifted a leg gently and winced when she felt the ache. She stretched out her other leg as well, heard the satisfying pop from her knees, then slowly flipped around to face him. His face was shadowed by strands of his brown hair, and his hands were clasped by his head, as if in a prayer. The morning sunlight fell on his frame, illuminating his collar bones and the planes of his body, as if he were a sculpture under study.

She gingerly reached out a finger to touch his collar bone, and a smile started to spread on her face. He had always teased her about her odd fetish for them, and he'd probably laugh at her if he were awake. She patted his head, then brushed his fringe away, but it flopped back again.

She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, fully aware of the ache in her lower back. Was it because of too much activity from the night before or because she was pregnant? She made a mental note to look it up later. Her face pulled into a silent grimace as her back resisted the morning stretch and responded with a series of cracks and sudden pain.

'Hey...'

A warm hand met her waist. She lowered her arms.

'Sleepy head,' she said with a grin. 'When were you going to wake up?'

'Never.' He scrubbed his face with the back of his hand, then flopped onto his back and yawned. 'I'm so sleepy...'

He shut his eyes and groaned at his own incomprehensible sentence. A chuckle left her lips as she lunged at him and smacked a hand over his open mouth.

'You're still sleeping!'

Leon let out another yawn and tugged at her hand.

'How do you have so much energy?'

'I was born like that,' she returned with a quick jab to his side.

'Ah, I see, my little bunny.'

'Your little what?!' she exclaimed.

Hana lunged at him a second time, this time with her full arsenal of assault weapons. She ran her fingers up and down his sides as he let out a mix of yells and laughter, then laughed with him when he flipped side to side, much like a fish out of water.

'Stop, stop!' His eyes were moist and he wriggled away at the onslaught of tickles from her.

'No way! What am I again?!'

'My little bunny - Stop!' he exclaimed, all the while trying to roll away from her.

'No, no, no. Again?' she teased.

It was fun watching him in such a helpless state, but she knew she'd never let it out. It would give his pride too much of a prick.

'Moya solntse!' he yelled, then added again in a softer tone, his hands around her wrists, 'Moya solntse?'

(My sun.)

'What?' Her hands paused. 'What's that?'

~

Leon flipped her over and she landed back on the bed with a thump. She was instantly silent, staring up at him with large eyes. Slowly, her fingers reached up to stroke the back of his head.

'Why? What is it?' He leant forward to leave a peck on her cheek.

Hana shook her head and offered him a slight smile.

'Can't take my weight?' In truth, only half of him was resting on her as he supported himself with his other arm. He shifted anyway, afraid that he might crush the little bird of a girl below him.