The forward space had been transformed into a Japanese garden, complete with full-sized junipers shaped into bonsai trees and a rock garden with a trickling waterfall. Pots of blooming flowers were scattered everywhere. Long strips of green grass were interspersed with raised beds filled with sand and stones.
Amery looked to the right to where an eight-foot wall bisected the space. The pattern in the brick was eye-catching, as was the curved door in the center, crafted out of ornate metal. She glanced at Ronin over her shoulder. "What's through there?"
"Take a peek."
She crossed the decking, giving the thickly padded cushions on the chaise lounges a longing look. Somehow she tore her gaze from the relaxing garden and paused in front of the doorway.
That's when she caught a whiff of chlorine. "No way." She pushed through the gate and found herself in front of a big swimming pool with underwater lighting. This side had the same concealing brick walls. Tables and chairs lined the outside of the pool with seating for at least a dozen people. Torches were jammed in planters at various intervals. She squinted at the far back corner and noticed a structure with a grass-thatched roof. Tiki bar?
Amery closed her eyes and listened. She could barely hear the city noise up here. She felt him move in behind her, and her pulse quickened.
He didn't touch her even when he spoke directly into her ear. "You're quiet."
"Stunned into silence. This whole rooftop thing you've got going on is beyond fabulous. I feel like I stumbled onto an episode of Cribs."
"I'll admit I indulged myself. Urban living has rewards, but I need that daily communal with nature in my life, so making the rooftop into usable outdoor space was the logical choice. Maybe not the cheapest or the most practical solution, but this garden is my haven."
"How many people know about this place?"
"Not many. I guard my private space militantly. This is the tallest structure for several blocks. The only people who can see it are flying in the air above us. And even if they pinpoint the location, if they were standing on the street level they'd never find it."
She tipped her head back, intending to look at the night sky, but Ronin was right there, gazing into her eyes, his face completely unreadable.
"Thank you for sharing this with me."
"You're welcome."
"I promise I won't tell anyone."
"I'd appreciate that." Ronin pressed his lips to the pulse point at the base of her throat.
Amery wanted to curl herself into him. Beg him to strip her and take her right here on the sun-warmed cement. But the nice-girls-don't-do-that voice popped up in her head and took control of her mouth, keeping it firmly closed.
"Would you prefer to sit on the garden side or the pool side?"
"Pool side."
He kissed the area below her ear. "Pick a spot and I'll grab your drink."
She wandered around the pool, choosing a chair with an ottoman. After sinking into the plush cushion, she propped up her feet. A soft breeze drifted over her and she closed her eyes. She heard Ronin wandering around and opened her eyes to see him lighting a candle on the table.
"I feel like I'm in some tropical paradise far from the mountains of Denver, Colorado." She sipped her drink. "Do you spend much time up here?"
"As much as I can. I swim most mornings. I don't bring work up here. I keep it . . . pure, for lack of a better term."
"The sand and rocks portions on the other side . . . part of a Zen garden?"
"On a small scale. It is gratifying and mind clearing to draw images in the sand and attempt to stack rocks. Humbling to witness the resilience in nature's elements and understand that no matter how much we fight against it, we can't control it."
His mind fascinated her; he had such a unique outlook. "I hope you don't take this question the wrong way, but is a Japanese garden a family tradition?"
Ronin looked at the wall as if he were looking through it. "I never thought about the garden being a household tradition. But there's been one in every place I lived growing up, even for the few years we lived in the U.S."
That was the most he'd ever said about his family beyond the basics. "Do my questions bother you?"
Those sharp eyes were on her. "You ask me questions most people don't, which is probably why I answer them."
"I wasn't allowed to ask too many questions growing up, so I made up for it after I escaped to college."
His thoughtful gaze remained on her as he sipped his drink. "We had that in common."