“Are you okay?”
“No. I’m exhausted. Feels like I got hit by a truck while running a marathon. But that’s not the worst part.”
Amery waited as his eyes roamed over her face.
“The worst part is, after six goddamn weeks without you, I can’t even kiss you like I want to.”
Maybe it was reckless, ignoring the warnings to take it slow, but she closed the gap between them and slid her hands up his chest to cup his jaw. Meeting his gaze, she said, “Then how about if I kiss you?”
Those soulful brown eyes watched her with hunger and relief.
She swept gentle kisses across his upper lip, placing an extra-soft kiss on the stitches. Then she moved to the corners of his mouth and his lower lip, dipping her tongue inside that pouty lower swell. Keeping their eyes locked, she pressed her lips to his fully, letting the moment linger.
Watching his beautiful banged-up face, she knew her tenderness soothed more than just his bruised mouth. “Let’s get you tucked in.”
• • •
WHILE Ronin was resting, she raced to her loft and showered. In her overnight bag, she packed clothes, her laptop, a few client files, and her e-book reader.
At Target, she bought the bare necessities for groceries. Just because Ronin hadn’t shown much of an appetite didn’t mean it wouldn’t suddenly appear. She picked up a bottle of over-the-counter painkillers, an extra ACE bandage, and two more ice packs. In the clearance section, she noticed a single wooden crutch. That would allow him to keep weight off his knee. She threw it and a pair of foam pads in the cart.
The universe smiled on her when she found a parking space close to the dojo. Trying to get all the bags carried to the front door in one load made for slow going.
She heard angry footsteps and looked up to see Knox bearing down on her.
“Goddammit, Amery, are you really too stubborn to ask for help?”
“I didn’t know you were at the dojo today or I would’ve asked.”
He took all the bags except her suitcase and the crutch. He didn’t speak until they were in the elevator. “How is he doing?”
“He’s in pain. And tired. Cranky. Frustrated with himself.”
“I can’t fucking believe he locked the damn elevator.”
“Yes, you can. He’s got way too much pride. Couple that with a head injury . . .”
Knox sighed. “Thank you for being there for him. I hope it means you’re working things out.”
“We’re trying.”
They switched elevators. The doors opened, and she immediately saw Ronin poke his head out of the den. “Did you invite my sister up too?”
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Ronin,” Knox said. “I figured Amery would need provisions, so I waited her out. Not her fault.”
“Provisions. Spoken like a true soldier.”
When Ronin started down the hall, she said, “Not so fast. I brought you something.”
“A crutch? Jesus, Amery. I’m not that bad off.”
She marched up to him and shook the crutch in his face. “I imagine if you would’ve remained in the hospital like you were supposed to, they would’ve discharged you with a pair of these. You need to stop aggravating your knee. This, at least, will allow you to take the pressure off. I assumed you’d rather have this than my original idea of locking you up in your practice room.”
His eyes bled from brown into the molten black that indicated he was turned on.
A curl of heat unfurled in her belly.
“Careful, baby. That sharp tongue, those fiery eyes, and your pouty lips are a potent combination.”
Backtrack. Backtrack now. “Really? You’re freshly out of the hospital, Ronin. You are injured. In. Jured. Get that through your head.”
“The big head hears you. The little head sees you and wants you.”
The man took advantage of her distraction and brushed his mouth across hers. His tongue even snaked in for a little taste before she snapped out of it.
She stepped back and fiddled with the crutch, attaching the foam pads to the top and the bar in the middle. “Try that.”
He headed down the hallway. “You’re right. Much easier. Thank you.”
“This is not the first time you’ve used crutches.”
“No, but I hope it’s the last.”
Knox was messing with his phone when they walked into the kitchen. Without looking up, he said, “I texted your sister and assured her you were being looked after and hadn’t taken a header off the roof in your doped-up state.”
“Since when are you and Shiori texting pals?”
“Since we realized we had the same goal. Trying to keep you out of the ring. Obviously, we failed on that front.”
Amery hid her smile.
“I’m also here to inform you that I’d better not see you downstairs for several days. Trust that your staff can step up to the task of running the dojo in your absence.” He pocketed his phone. “I’ll let myself out. But I strongly suggest you don’t lock the goddamn elevator again. I know you’re an island and all that shit, but straight up, Sensei, you fucked up. If not for Amery letting me know you were all right after your hospital escape, I would’ve had the fire department here using an emergency override to get to you.”
Ronin said nothing.
“You need anything, holler. I’ll bring it up.” Then he walked away without saying another word.
• • •
AMERY forced Ronin to rest for the remainder of the weekend. They sat by the pool, stretched out in the shade of the garden, and napped. One moment they’d be holding hands, enjoying the easy silence, the next Amery would feel the tension rolling off him. She figured out his tension came when he’d overexerted himself and was in pain. Or if she wasn’t right by his side.
“What was that sigh for?”
“Did I sigh?”
“For the third time. Are you already bored?”
“No. Why? Are you?”
“I’m never bored with you.”
She set her laptop on the coffee table. “What show are you watching?”
“Hell if I know. I’ve been watching you.”
Amery rolled her eyes. “How’s your head?”
“Sore. Before you ask, it’s no longer a constant pain. It comes and goes.”
She grabbed a pillow and draped it across her lap. “Maybe lying flat will help.”
Ronin nestled the back of his head against her stomach and stretched out. “That is better.”
Amery ran her hands through his hair from scalp to the ends, over and over, just because she could. She’d take this rare intimate indulgence while he allowed it.
“God. That feels so good.”
She remembered that the last time he said that he’d been buried inside her. His breath in her ear. His body sliding against hers, all heat and hardness and urgency.
“You tensed up. What’s wrong?”
“Just thinking about work,” she lied.
“I haven’t asked about that. How’s it going?”
“Pretty much the same. No major client losses, but I haven’t been hired by anyone either. I pounded the pavement the past two months, but all that’s yielded me is sore feet.”
“And Molly?”
“She’s still working for me part-time and going to school. Emmylou has been traveling with the Colorado Rockies, so she hasn’t been around. Chaz is Chaz. He does his own thing.”
“That was short and sweet.”
“Not a whole lot has changed.” Amery twisted small sections of his hair, amusing herself by how fast the curl reverted to straight. “We never really did this, did we?”
“What? Lounge around?”
“Yes. I mean we did lounge by the pool, but we ended up fucking on a chaise or in the water.”
Ronin shifted to face her. “Not every time.”