Bound: The Mastered Series (12 page)

“Such a hardass,” he murmured. “I like this side of you.”

Her belly fluttered, she felt herself softening toward him, but somehow she rallied to keep her backbone up. “I liked the side of you that promised me no games between us. You told me you’d call; I expected to hear from you. And don’t give me some lame excuse like your cell phone died or you were out of service range.”

Ronin’s eyes changed then, from cool and detached to contrite. “The truth is I owed someone a favor and he collected on it this weekend. I wasn’t expecting it and it sapped every bit of energy out of me. You deserved better than to deal with that, especially since you’re so used to my extremely engaging and chatty side.” He brushed his mouth across her knuckles.

Even though his answer was more cryptic than she liked, she believed him, especially since he’d just proven that he could poke fun at himself.

“I
am
sorry.” Curling his hand around the nape of her neck, he pulled her closer.

“Ronin—”

“Ssh. Just let me apologize like this too.” He kissed her with the mix of tenderness and passion that fogged up her brain.

She intended to keep her hands by her sides, but they crept up his chest of their own accord. Within fifteen seconds of his mouth mastering hers, Amery forgot her anger with him. She forgot everything but the way kissing Ronin consumed her.

Somehow her sanity clawed to the surface, urging her to break the kiss. “Stop mauling me at my own dinner party. A dinner party you weren’t invited to.”

“I’ll behave if you let me stay.”

Amery realized he still held her hands, except he wasn’t looking at her, but across the roof. That caused her to bristle up again. “I know it’s not as nice as yours—”

He shut her up with a kiss. Then he pressed his forehead to hers. “Right now this place far exceeds the beauty of mine because it’s filled with people who care about you. My place may be twice as big, but that only makes it feel emptier when it’s just me up there. Which it almost always is.”

His vulnerability in that moment spoke to her on the most basic human level. Ronin was lonely. Maybe not always, but often enough that he understood that visceral fear that it might never change.

“Fine. You can stay. Come on. I need to see if anyone needs anything.”

“I need something first.”

Amery’s gaze snagged his. “What?”

“Your promise that I can stay with you tonight.”

“Sure. Be warned; you’ll have plenty of dishes to wash.”

Ronin flashed her a quick, boyish grin. “Had plenty of experience with that at the monastery.”

For the rest of the party, he remained at her side, being charming in his understated way. As she watched him, she noticed he kept his guard up among people, not only when he was at the dojo.

But he lowers it around you.

Now she realized what a big deal that was for him.

As the party wound down, Amery promised Lucas she’d get back to him quickly on her project proposal. Jake didn’t suggest they set up a lunch date when Ronin kept a hand on her at all times.

Since Emmylou and Marilyn, aka Sasha, were the last to leave, they offered to stay and help clean up, but Amery shooed them out.

Leaving her and Ronin alone.

First thing he did was back her against the wall. The kiss started out slow. A lazy twining of tongues. But it picked up steam and soon they were kissing like maniacs. He stopped kissing her long enough to say, “Need you naked.”

“Which is an awesome idea, but we have to clean up and put this food away first.”

“Can’t it wait an hour?”

“No. Because once I hit the sheets with you, I won’t want to crawl back out. And the thought of facing this mess on a Monday morning is crazy-making enough that I won’t enjoy getting naked with you if it’s not done.”

“Fine.” Ronin backed up. “What do you want me to do?”

“Be my pack mule. Take the tables and chairs from the roof back down into the office.”

He made a braying sound before he disappeared up the stairs.

AFTER
she’d finished setting the kitchen to rights, Amery drained the remnants of her wine cooler and tossed the bottle in the recycling bin. When she turned around, Ronin was so close she bumped into him. “Hey there, ninja.”

“You really had no idea I was behind you?”

“No. You are just too damn good at that stealth thing.”

“Years of practice.” Ronin tucked a tendril of her hair behind her ear, then ran his finger down the arch of her neck. “This is so pretty and tempting, but I’ll admit I like your hair worn down.”

“Why?”

“Because a true strawberry blond is such a unique color. It complements your beautiful face so well and gives it an extra glow.”

“You say the sweetest things sometimes, Ronin.”

“The other reason I like your hair down is that I’ve fantasized about having these silken tresses wrapped around my fist as I’m fucking you.”

A curl of need unfurled in her belly.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I like everything you do to me.” Amery pressed her palms against his pectorals and rubbed the heels of her hands against his nipples. “But that brings up a point I wanted to talk to you about.”

He said nothing. Some of the warmth bled from his eyes.

“Thursday night was amazing.” She raised her chin a notch. “You’ve been stingy on giving me equal time in touching you. So if you’re staying with me tonight? I demand full access to your body. I expect you’ll let me touch and kiss and play with it as much as I want.”

Ronin placed his hand on the side of her face, letting his thumb trace the lower curve of her lip. “Demanding something that intimate from me when you’ve got a pretty red blush heating your cheeks is enough to make a man lose his head entirely.”

“But not you.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I want your hands on me.” His gaze dropped to her lips. “I’ve imagined my cock buried in your mouth many times. Dreamed of your hair teasing my skin as you’re jacking me off. So, beautiful, you can drag me to your bed right now and do what you will with me.”

“Really?”

“With one exception.”

His thumb made those gentle sweeps on the inside of her lip, and her blood heated as she remembered him stroking her pussy the exact same way.

“I direct how you use this mouth when you blow me.”

Amery didn’t bristle. In fact, his demand for control took the pressure off her. She wouldn’t have to worry if she was doing a good job, because truth was, her experience in that area was pretty slim. “Okay.”

“You humble me.” Ronin kissed her. “Is everything locked downstairs? Because once we’re in your bed we’re not leaving until morning.”

“All locked, including the door between my office and my loft to keep Chaz out.”

“Good.” He let his mouth drift over her ear and whispered, “Take me to your bed, Amery.”

She threaded their fingers together and led him to her bedroom.
No nerves,
she sternly told herself.
No holding back either.
She’d touch and taste to her heart’s content.

Normally she’d only leave on one lamp for softer light, but tonight she flipped on the overhead track lighting. She wanted to see every inch of him.

Before she could command him to start stripping, he said, “You look gorgeous in this dress. I believe it’s my privilege to take it off.” He tugged at the sash tied in the back; then he unzipped her. The sound seemed so loud in the expectant silence between them. The material slipped down her arms, clearing her breasts and hips before the dress pooled on the floor.

His fingertip followed the waistband of her poppy-colored panties. Goose bumps broke out across her skin when he traced the back band of her bra. “Pretty.”

“I like my bra and panties to match.”

His breath teased her ear. “I was talking about your skin.”

“Oh.” Amery stepped out of the full skirt at her feet and bent over to pick it up. She draped the dress over the ladder-back chair and faced him.

When she started to remove her bra, he shook his head. “Leave your sexy lingerie on for a bit.” He swept the back of his knuckles down the swell of her scant cleavage. “It’ll serve as a barrier to keep me from fucking you blind.” That intense black gaze locked on hers. “For a little while anyway.”

She gestured to his dark brown polo. “Off.”

Ronin yanked it over his head and threw it on the floor.

“Pants.”

He pushed the tan-and-brown-flecked linen trousers down his legs and draped them over the back of the chair.

A pair of light tan boxer briefs was the last barrier. She didn’t even have to say off; he did it automatically.

What an absolute feast this man’s body was. Hard, sinewy muscles covered with tawny skin. He wasn’t bulky, which didn’t mean he wasn’t completely ripped. His pectorals? Incredible. His six-pack abs were completely lickable. As was his cock, jutting up from a closely trimmed thatch of black hair. She motioned for him to turn around.

Ronin raised both eyebrows but followed her instructions.

The rear side was just as yummy. Powerful shoulders and defined back musculature that tapered into slim hips. Oh. And then there was that perfectly round butt. The hair on his thighs and calves was much lighter than on his head—not that he had an abundance of it on his legs.

Her heart thundered as she approached him. She placed a kiss between his shoulder blades and snaked her arms around his chest. Amery wanted to wax poetic about his physique, but that sort of fawning seemed to put him on edge, so she said, “On the bed and get comfy because I intend to take my time.”

“You are going to milk this for all it’s worth, aren’t you?”

Amery slid her hands down, cupping his balls with one hand and squeezing his shaft with the other. “I’ll be milking something all right.”

He hissed in a breath.

“On the bed.” She lightly slapped his ass.

“Baby, whatever you do to me I’ll do right back to you, understand?”

“Nope.”

She thought maybe he’d crawl across her bed with his animal grace and give her the molten look that made her pussy weep with want. But Ronin sat on the bed, scooted into the middle, and stretched out as if waiting for a medical exam.

That stung a little. Okay, more than a little. Wasn’t he looking forward to this?

Ignore his attitude.

No, call him on it.

“How about if we just skip this? You can put your clothes on and go home.”

Ronin jackknifed. “What are you talking about?”

“You could act somewhat enthusiastic at the idea of me touching you. Right now you’re acting like I’m about to give you a prostate exam.” She turned away, intending to leave the bedroom.

Before she made it two steps, Ronin was on her. Banding his arms over her chest, immobilizing her completely. “I’m very enthusiastic, Amery. It’s just I’m used to being in control and I don’t know how to act if I’m not.” He kissed the side of her neck. “So the fact that I’m willing to give up that control to you? Says a lot, don’t you think?”

“Maybe.” She turned and twined her arms around him, plastering her lips to his. Kissing him as though she wanted to swallow him whole. As she controlled the kiss—only because he let her—she herded him back toward the bed.

Ronin lowered them to the mattress, ending up flat on his back with her on top.

Amery kissed him for a good long while. The man was such a good kisser that kissing him was an erotic experience in itself. She gradually slowed the kisses from deep to soft. Fleeting. Flirty. “You have the most sensual mouth,” she murmured against his lips.

Then she pushed his arms out to the side and began kissing his throat.

“Can I have my hand in your hair?”

“As long as you don’t use it to direct me.”

“I won’t.” He paused and added, “This time.”

Ignoring his warning, she nuzzled his neck and her mouth moved along the top of his shoulder. He was so strong here. The muscles had hardly any give. Her tongue traced the ridge of his collarbone. When she hit a bump, she stopped and eased back to look at the scar. “What happened?”

“You’ll find a lot of marks and bumps like that. Martial arts training leaves its mark. My fighting years were hell on my body too.”

Amery looked up at him. “Is that why you didn’t want me to—”

“Inspect every inch of my naked body? Partially.” He kept smoothing her hair with his hand.

“Partially?”

“The other reason is I don’t like to be out of control, and your touch does that to me.”

She leaned in to softly kiss him. “I’ll be gentle. I promise.”

His scars didn’t matter. Didn’t change anything except for the fact that she knew a couple of them had to have hurt. She kissed each one and moved on, losing herself in touching this strong man so intimately.

His lower abdomen trembled beneath her stroking fingers. His nipples—probably the most perfect set of male nipples she’d ever seen—were a dark brown and flat. Until she licked them. Kissed them. Sucked on them. Bit them. Ronin’s whole body quaked and he hissed in a breath with every flick of her tongue.

So . . . sensitive nipples. Check.

Amery mapped the muscles in his arms with her fingertips and followed that same path with her tongue. As much as she drooled over his biceps and triceps, his forearms captured her attention. She’d never seen forearms muscled like that. She ran her tongue up the deep groove, pausing when she reached the crease in his elbow. And on the inside of each of his forearms were the only tattoos on his body.

She outlined the dark Japanese symbols on his left forearm with her thumb. “Does this have special meaning for you?”

“It means remember the tenets of jujitsu and embody them every day.”

“Japanese in written form is so pretty.”

“It’s a bitch to learn to write. And speak.”

“You do both fluently?”

“Yes.”

She turned his right arm over and traced those symbols. “And this one?”

Ronin pointed to the top symbol. “This means birth.” He pointed to the symbol closest to the crease of his elbow. “This means death.” Then his finger swept over the blank space between the symbols. “It’s a reminder to make the time between birth and death count.”

Amery kissed all the marks. “That is so lovely. So Zen, Master Black.”

“I don’t know about Zen, but both are daily reminders to live my life as I wish.” His hand was back in her hair. “Are you finished with your explorations?”

“Uh, no. I haven’t gotten to your legs or even to your back. Why?”

“Because I’ve reached my limit.” He wrapped his hand around her jaw and brought her mouth to his for a mind-scrambling kiss.

Stretched out on top of him as she was, his hard cock pressed into her belly. She started to grind into him, but a hand slapped her ass.

She gasped and broke the kiss. “Why’d you do that?”

He held her chin and looked into her eyes. “I don’t want you grinding on me so I come on my belly.” He swept his thumb across her lips. “When I’d much rather come in this mouth.”

His words sent a flush through her entire body.

“I want you naked.” He kissed her quick and hard. “Now.”

Amery didn’t hesitate. She rolled off him and ditched her underwear and bra.

Ronin sat on the edge of the bed with his thighs splayed.

Her gaze dropped to his cock. A clear drop of precome beaded on the slit. She’d never wanted a taste so much in her life.

“Turn around. Arms behind your back.”

He was fully back into control mode.

As soon as she faced away from him, he caressed her arms from her shoulders to the base of her wrists. Up and down, alternating from using his fingertips to using his rough knuckles. She closed her eyes. How could a touch so simple feel so electric?

Then Ronin held her wrists together and wound a scarf up to her elbows. He didn’t speak. Didn’t give an explanation of why he’d bound her hands again. And she didn’t question why she liked it. Or why it shot her anticipation through the roof.

“Beautiful. Turn around and drop to your knees.”

Her mouth dried and her pulse sped up. She kept her balance—thank you, yoga—and lowered to the carpet.

“Graceful too. Slide forward.”

She inched closer until she was directly between Ronin’s thighs.

His hand cupped the side of her face, forcing her to look at him. “Suck me.” Then his other hand circled his cock and he brought it to her mouth. He ran the wet tip across her bottom lip.

Amery’s tongue darted out to lick it. Circling the thick head, first directly across the slit and then on the ridge.

“Open,” he said hoarsely.

As soon as she’d parted her lips, the head slipped into her mouth. She sucked, taking his shaft in as she sought a more complete taste of him.

“That’s it, baby. Hands just get in the way of your hot mouth. How deep can you take me?”

She shrugged.

His hand moved to the back of her head and he pushed more of his cock across her tongue. Another couple of inches. Another couple more.

“So good, but I’m stopping here.” He twined his fingers in her hair. “Work me. Make me fucking crazy like you did when you were touching me.”

That made him crazy? He’d hardly uttered a peep. Her competitive nature surfaced and she aimed to give him the best hands-free blow job ever.

Amery sucked him all the way to her soft palate, pulled her head back, and let the tip of his cock rest on the rim of her bottom lip before drawing the shaft in fully again.

If Ronin enjoyed it he didn’t verbalize it besides the heavy breathing and the occasional tightening of his fingers in her hair.

She kept the pace steady. Without the worry that her hand was pinching his shaft too hard, her mind drifted to the sensuality of his cock plunging in and out of her mouth. Such a rigid muscle but so hot and silky gliding across her tongue. Teasing the fat head with her teeth and little whips of her tongue could make his entire cock jerk. The flavor and scent of him would be forever imprinted on her taste buds.

The slickness spilling from the corners of her mouth had nothing on the slickness between her thighs. Amery swore the pulse running on the underside of his dick matched the pulses throbbing in her swollen clit. Knowing Ronin wouldn’t leave her hanging, she sped up her pace, not taking him deeper but using the suctioning power of her mouth to propel him to the point of no return.