As much as she wanted to snap, No way in hell am I ever taking a penny from you, and then list the reasons as dispassionately as he had done, she coolly asked, "Are you finished?"
His eyes narrowed. "Don't you have questions?"
"Just one." She cocked her head. "Will you take business advice from me?"
"Sure."
Maybe the buzz of anger gave her the push to address the grumblings she'd heard in his dojo. "Pull out whatever stick you've got up your ass about Brazilian jujitsu and consider adding that martial arts discipline to the Black Arts class schedule. You've already got self-defense classes, kickboxing classes, you're training mixed martial artists, and your staff offers personal protection training. I heard Ito talking to Knox about his judo background. He should also be teaching judo classes, which would be another addition to the lineup. Right now you have space to expand into on the third floor and a diversity of classes, including Muay Thai, would increase your income base."
If she expected a stunned reaction from him that she'd poked her nose into his business, or that her attempt at redirection would actually work, well, she was sorely mistaken. Ronin's expression didn't change. He merely said, "So noted. Any questions about the business solution I proposed to address your issue?"
"No, because I already have an answer."
"Which is?"
"Hell no." She pushed off the chaise.
"Where are you going?"
"For a swim. Alone." Amery dove into the deep end and popped up like a cork. The water temperature was perfectly refreshing and cooled off her hot head. She floated in the warm void, eyes closed. Filling her lungs with air to keep herself afloat forced her to focus on her breathing.
But eventually her ears picked up weird sounds underwater, distorting them to the point she couldn't figure out what they were. She remained perfectly still.
One sound that she didn't need to decipher: a body diving into the pool. She righted herself after being tossed around by the waves and then Ronin was right there.
Amery backed up.
He followed her.
"What part of 'I want to swim alone' is confusing to you?"
"What part of 'this is my pool' is confusing to you?" he countered.
"Fine. I'll get out."
He blocked her exit. "Can we finish our conversation?"
"We did. Now move."
"No." Ronin latched on to her biceps, careful in the way he held her-firmly, but not too closely. "Talk to me."
"There's nothing to say."
"If you're so pissed off at me about this, why aren't you lashing out at me?"
"Oh, I'm supposed to be rude after turning down a business proposition from my lover? Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with protocol."
"Jesus, Amery."
Her eyes searched his. "You even offering me a loan has changed things between us."
"Bull."
"And I'm really sorry I told you about my financial issues, which forced you into a heroic attempt to save my business. So forget I brought it up and we'll keep this"-she gestured between them-"the way it's been."
Ronin moved in close-dangerously close. "And what way has that been?"
"Fun. No pressure to make it into something it's not."
"Like what?"
"Permanent."
"Permanent," he repeated.
"Yes. If you loaned me money, then we'd be tied together, for at least a year, making it awkward when one of us walks away."
Evidently that was the wrong thing to say.
Ronin's mouth crashed down on hers. The kiss was ferocious. Uncompromising. So blistering hot Amery was shocked the water around them wasn't boiling.
Hard hands on her body, in her hair. She couldn't catch her breath, his mouth was so demanding.
He ripped his lips free of hers, and his voice reverberated in her ear. "I'll show you tied together." Then he sank his teeth into the skin at her throat and pulled her head back. His eyes burned into hers. "I have you where I want you, how I want you, and you'll be mine until I release you."
She should've protested his tight hold on her or his warning. But she didn't. She wanted to experience every dirty, bad, harsh thing he wanted to do with her.
"Do you understand?"
Primal lust and the need to . . . master her shone in his eyes.
In that moment she realized he wasn't talking about binding her with ropes, but with this sexual obsession. He hadn't disputed her claim that there'd never be permanence between them. Any other time her brain would've taken over, dissecting every word. But her brain wasn't in charge right now; her body was. And it had already readied for him: heart racing, blood pumping, pussy wet, clit swollen, nipples tight. So she gave him the answer they both wanted-even when it frightened her how quick and visceral her response to this man had become.