Chocolate Smiles by Stella Mira

A Hopeless Insanity

Sunset Miko's Once a Week Challenge

Prompt: Thorn

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Kagome was lying relaxed on her favorite wooden bench, pink flower petals billowing through the light breeze to land softly all around her. She was reading fervently, enthralled by the intriguing plot of her latest mystery novel, oblivious to the chirping sounds of birds perched on the surrounding trees, or the delighted laughter of children currently playing in the beautiful park.

She was skimming through the pages when a loud wail interrupted her peaceful reverie. Kagome raised her head to pinpoint where exactly the pained sound had come from. Scanning carefully her surroundings, her gaze focused on the small girl curled on the ground next to some thorny bushes, holding her knee and sobbing pitifully. Recognizing the child as one of her pastry fans, she tossed her book on the bench immediately, running towards the injured child with a worried expression.

“What happened, honey? Here, let me see where you are hurt, okay?” She pulled the little girl in her lap and caressed her back in soothing circles.

The girl looked up with a tear-streaked face, sniffing and nodding her approval. Kagome lifted the child’s knee, inspecting the damage closely. Three thin gashes marred the dirtied skin, shallowly bleeding, though no thorns were embedded in her skin. She smiled at the little girl, pushing her messy curls away from her face to give her a reassuring nod.

“It’s not that bad, sweetheart. Will you let me bandage it for you?”

The girl bobbed her head once, trying to suppress more tears.

“Alright, here we go!” Kagome gathered the child in her arms, lifted herself from the ground slowly, and made her way to her old bench. She placed the girl on the wooden surface, careful not to jostle her injured leg, and searched through her backpack for some band aids, tissue, and disinfectant, feeling thankful for being prepared for once. Being clumsy and prone to stupid falls had its advantages on days like these.

“I am Kagome. What’s your name, darling?” A small smile and small talk in an attempt to distract the girl from the stinging pain she was about to feel when she applied the disinfectant.

“Emiko.” She hiccupped, flinching a bit when Kagome gently cleaned the wound with slow motions.

“That’s a beautiful name, Emiko-chan. Is it written as ‘Smiling Child’?” Kagome more guessed than asked, staring up at the girl’s sparkling eyes.

“Un.” Emiko nodded once, her dark curls bouncing around her angelic face.

“Then you should not cry, but smile as your name suggests.” Kagome flashed a smile in an attempt to make the little girl forget her pain. She succeeded as Emiko’s plump lips curled in a shy smile.

“There, that’s a lot better!” Kagome’s smile grew wider and she resumed checking the gashes for any signs of infection. When she didn’t notice anything alarming that would require extra attention, she pressed the band aids on each of the cuts, making sure to cover them sufficiently.

“All done! For being so brave, I have a reward for you!” Kagome brought out of her backpack the chocolate cake she had baked this morning, grinning when Emiko cheered up even more.

She cut the cake in uneven pieces, placing the larger one on a napkin, and offered it to the excited girl who nearly devoured it whole.

“Ne, Emiko-chan, where is your father?” Kagome was trying not to burst out in laughter at the girl’s messy way of eating when she spoke. Emiko had managed to spread chocolate all over the lower half of her face.

“Papa went with Akira-kun to the toilet. Akira-kun wanted to pee, but I wanted to look at the flowers, so I begged papa to let me stay here.” Emiko’s voice was muffled between giggles as Kagome wiped her chocolate-smeared face clean with a tissue.

“Akira-kun is your little brother, right?” She chuckled at the girl’s refreshing honesty, relieved that their father was a responsible person who simply could not refuse his daughter’s request. Honestly, she couldn’t blame him. Everyone would have a difficult time saying ‘no’ to this mischievous little lady.

Kagome studied the girl’s beautiful features closely, then shook her head with another chuckle. She’s going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up…

“Emiko and Akira-kun are twins!” Emiko was eyeing the cake with such longing that Kagome couldn’t help but slice another smaller piece for her, hence validating her previous remark on not being able to deny this beauty easily.

Yep, she can twist anyone around her little finger without even talking… Kagome sighed in defeat after having succumbed to the beseeching expression in the brown depths of the little girl’s eyes herself.

“Emiko, are you imposing on the young lady again?” The male voice broke through her musings, flowed over Kagome’s skin. Deep, sensuous, it made her shiver, near gasp. Kagome raised her head to focus on the handsome man walking toward them with languid strides. His son was held in his toned arms and his lips were curved in a lazy half-grin that melted her insides. It was official…this man was dangerous!

But when he approached closer, his eyes darkened with worry as he took notice of his daughter’s injured knee, and he hastened his steps.

“What happened, Emiko?” He set his son down and stroked her cheek, bending to examine her injury.

“I fell into the bushes and cut my knee, but Kagome cleaned it, so I’m alright, papa!”

“It’s only a few shallow cuts. She’ll be fine in a few days if you keep the wounds clean.”

Emiko gifted her with a radiant smile, and Kagome almost swooned at its brightness, its sheer innocence. She was just so…so cute. But then that man spoke…and all innocent thoughts fled from Kagome’s mind.

“I am very grateful for your assistance.” He bowed his head in gratitude then raised his gaze to her level. His eyes gleamed like raw metal, hard granite. Heat coiled low in her abdomen, sizzled and spilled in the apex of her thighs. “Kagome-san.” His voice was low and smoky, inflamed her blood, fire in the veins.

Kagome shivered, burning with need, unable to break away. Is he doing this deliberately? Surely not… That’s it! I need to find a man…and I need to do it soon. Before I tangle myself deeper in a hopeless insanity…