Ronin.
Tyler immediately retreated.
"Never put your hands on her like that again. It would end very badly for you. Am I clear?"
If Ronin's tone were a weapon, Tyler would be lying in bloody chunks on the floor.
Tyler raised his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry. We have a history and it was easy to slip into those old roles." He shot Amery a quick smile. "Great to see you, Amery. If you ever need to talk . . . now you know where to reach me." He spun on his heel and left the dance floor.
Then Amery was wrapped in Ronin's arms. She clutched his back and held on tight.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. He's just a blowhard who hasn't changed, except he's become even more of an asshole."
"Why did you dance with him?"
"He asked me to."
His body stiffened. "That's it? That's the only reason?"
"Do you have any idea how long you were gone? I was just supposed to cool my heels until you returned? I've already done that once tonight, Ronin. I was bored and he was here."
He made that displeased noise.
"Besides, I was involved with Tyler for a few years. It's not like he was a strange guy hitting on me."
"I would've preferred a stranger hitting on you to him."
Amery tried to look at Ronin, but he kept the side of his face pressed into hers, holding her in place. "Why?"
"A stranger hasn't seen you naked. Hasn't touched you. Hasn't fucked you. Tyler has. Goddammit, he had you for three years. The realization that he'd screwed up by letting you go was written all over his face tonight."
Ronin had read that wrong. Tyler didn't want to be with her; he just didn't want her to be with anyone else. "It doesn't matter because I'm not with him. I'm with you."
His thumb swept over the pulse point in her throat. He repeated the motion and it felt as erotic as when he'd touched her clit. His scent, his touch, his uneven breathing stirred her hair and her desire. "But are you really with me?"
"I'm confused. With you how?"
"In every way I need you to be."
"Still confused."
"Come home with me and I'll show you what I mean. What I need. You said anytime, any way. I want you to prove it to me tonight."
She shivered. "Let's go."
They left the dance floor in the middle of the song.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
RONIN held her hand as they waited at the valet stand.
Amery's entire body tingled just from Ronin lightly stroking the inside of her wrist with his callused thumb. How would it be between them when they were alone? Mind-blowing.
Maybe it did scare her how addicted she'd gotten to his touch.
She shivered.
He swept her hair over her shoulder. "You're shaking. Are you cold?"
"A little."
"Here." He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off. Then he draped it around her shoulders. "Better?"
This was worse actually. The body-heated fabric that carried his scent completely surrounded her. "Yes. Thank you."
He curled his hands around her face. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"I can't think of anything else but you."
"Why is that making you frown?"
"Because you overwhelm me. Maybe I'm saying this because of my run-in with Tyler, and realizing he never knew me, not in the three years we were together. You've been in my life less than three weeks and you already know aspects of me better than I know myself. You don't have any problems pushing my boundaries."
"Are you afraid I might push you too hard?" he asked softly.
"No. I'm afraid that I'll find out that I don't have any boundaries at all when it comes to you."
Ronin rested his forehead to hers. "You have no idea what you do to me when you say that."
The valet broke the moment. "Your car, Mr. Black."
Ronin released her and opened her car door. Then he skirted the front end and slipped into the driver's side.
As soon as they were on the road, he said, "You are spending the night with me."
Not a request. "We'll have to swing by my place so I can get some clothes."
"I still have your jeans. I'd like to see you in one of my shirts."
"Then I guess we'll go straight to your place." Feeling buoyed by her confession, Amery unbuckled her seatbelt. She leaned across the console and worked the knot in his tie. "Don't think I've forgotten about the equal time."
"My tie isn't connected to my zipper."
"Want me to go straight for the good stuff?"
Ronin gave her a look so hot it scorched the breath from her lungs. "Yes."