That was his I’m a liar confession? Amery nestled her cheek against the heat and hardness between his shoulder blades. She couldn’t help it; she smiled against his back.
“You find that amusing?” he said a bit testily.
“Somewhat.” She snaked her arms around his waist. “Because when I saw you standing in front of this window, I half expected to see your keys in your hand. Like you’d changed your mind and couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Maybe I’m not what you expected? We’re different when it’s just you and me, rather than in the dojo, or talking business, or when we’re having lunch in a crowded restaurant or a drink in a crowded bar.”
He spun around and cradled her head in his hands, keeping their bodies close. “No, baby, it’s better when we’re alone like this. I’m the one who feels like . . .” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I don’t want to go fast, and yet everything inside me races when I see you.”
The man had all the right words. “So take the pressure off yourself and off me. I didn’t come here tonight expecting to get laid.” Amery turned her head, letting her mouth whisper across his jaw. “In fact, I wore crappy, mismatched lingerie so I’d be too embarrassed to take my clothes off in front of you.”
He laughed softly. “You are such a breath of fresh air in my life.”
Amery looked at him. “I don’t want to scare you off, but I haven’t done the whole dating thing in quite a while.”
“I know that.”
“How?”
“Because you’re not completely jaded. You weren’t sizing up my assets.”
“Well, yes, actually I was sizing up one asset in particular.” Her palms slid up his chest. So firm and defined. She wished she could feel the warmth of his solid muscles beneath her hands.
“Amery,” he warned. “I’m a little on edge, so tread lightly.”
“That commanding tone is so sexy.”
“It’s who I am.” He fastened his mouth to hers. The kiss started out slow but didn’t stay that way for long. His heat, his passion bowled her over. His hot, wet, demanding tongue warred with hers. He gathered her hair in his hand, pulling until she angled her neck exactly how he wanted it.
Her skin was electrified from his openmouthed kisses. Each nuzzle, below her ear, on the pulse point of her throat, the arc of her shoulder, the underside of her jaw, sent her senses reeling. “Ronin.”
“Your skin is like a drug.” He planted kisses to the top button on her shirt. He released her hair and ran his hands down the sides of her face and her neck. His fingers circled her wrists and he brushed his mouth across her ear. “Beautiful girl, I’d better get you home before I come up with one hundred more reasons why I shouldn’t take you home.”
Ronin placed another kiss on her temple and stepped back.
Amery noticed the bulge in the crotch of his jeans.
His rough-tipped fingers were under her chin, forcing her focus higher. “Eyes off my asset.”
After he’d driven her home, he insisted on walking her to the door in the alley she used to reach her loft. “I had an amazing time tonight, Ronin.”
“Same here.” He kissed her fingertips. “Unfortunately I’ve got things scheduled, so we can’t do it again this weekend.”
She masked her disappointment and chastised herself for expecting to spend more time with him over the weekend anyway. They’d had one date. One. She needed to keep her enthusiasm in check. “I’ve got plans myself.”